The Arison Group, in addition to its Carnival and Miami Heat holdings, also owns the Israeli
Shikun & Binui construction and real estate development
behemoth which operates not only in Israel, Asia and Africa, but also in the occupied and colonized Palestinian territories.
Three days ago, on June 17, 2012,
The Times of Israelreported that “Norway’s Ministry of Finance announced Friday that a state fund that is Europe’s largest equity investor would
no longer invest in Israeli construction company Shikun and Binui.” The decision was made due to “a recommendation from a state ethics board, which found
the company was in contravention of international law by being involved in building projects in East Jerusalem,” such as “a residential project in Kibbutz Ramat Rachel,” in addition to construction and infrastructure contracts in
illegal Israeli colonies such as “a 1994 project in the Maaleh Adumim settlement and the involvement of subsidiary Solel Boneh in projects over the Green Line, including in Har Homa.”
Norway’s ministry released a
statement which read, in part, that Arison’s company is “involved in the
building of settlements in breach of international humanitarian law in East Jerusalem” and that “
the construction of such settlements on occupied territory represents a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.” The ministry explained its divestment on ethical grounds, stating, “The exclusion is based on an evaluation of the future risk that the company will contribute to
serious violations of the rights of individuals in war or conflict.”
Ted’s son Micky is currently the CEO of Carnival Cruises and majority owner of the Heat. He is a
multi-billionaire and, as of March 2012, is the 72nd richest person in the United States. During the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Carnival was gifted with a government contract to the tune of $236 million for the use of cruise ships to house hurricane victims, despite an offer by a Greek company to provide two of its own ships for free. The Carnival ships were barely used and sat
docked and mostly empty. Two United States Senators, Tom Coburn (R-OK) and none other than Barack Obama (D-IL), even
called the contract a “sweetheart” deal in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking him to explain the contract with the Miami-based company. Furthermore, “the senators alleged the contract guaranteed the Carnival Cruise Lines brand rates that were much higher than market levels.”
Furthermore, the
Ted Arison Family Foundation - a “philanthropic” charity – has
contributed millions of dollars to
Birthright Israel, the racist, militarist and ethnosupremacist
organization that provides free propaganda trips to Israel for young Jews. Incidentally, the Adelson Family Foundation (yes, that
Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, of Citizens United fame) has
contributed over $100 million to Birthright Israel since 2007.
But the Heat’s connection to the State of Israel isn’t just limited to the Arison clan. Israeli multi-millionaire real estate
magnate,
nosy landlord, and
free speech enemy Raanan Katz is a minority owner of the Heat (along with Julio Igelsias, billionaire
Sidney Kimmel and casino group CEO
Robert Sturges),
owning approximately 12% of the franchise. Katz is a former Israeli basketball player and
former owner of the Maccabi Tel Aviv ball club.
