London: Rich Israelis’ Favourite New Home…

England, especially London, continues to beckon the rich and the famous as well as foreign rebels, politicians, and celebrities. When Karl Marx was thrown out of Paris in May 1849, he sought shelter in London and stayed on there for the rest of his life. The late Benazir Bhutto’s father had suggested to her that London was a safe place to stay when in exile.

I spent a longish time in London in the seventies and found it to be one of the best cosmopolitan cities in the world. When I went to Wimbledon, America’s great tennis player Arthur Ashe told me that if there was one place in the world he would like to settle down, and feel comfortable in, it would be London.

Now comes the news that the richest Israeli businessmen are increasingly moving their riches, and setting up their homes, in London. Probably they would have as their neighbours rich Arabs!!! Maybe this would help pave the way for peace in the troubled West Asia, that is if they start loving their neighbours!!!

Lev Leviev, who until a week ago was classified as the richest man in Israel, has joined the growing list of Israeli billionaires who have made their homes in London, where wealthy foreigners are not asked to pay tax on income earned overseas, reports The Independent.

Mr Leviev is famous in international circles as the man who broke the cartel controlled by the multinational diamond company, De Beers, by buying up diamond mines in Russia, Angola and Namibia. It is said that one third of all the diamonds sold anywhere in the world are cut and polished by his company.

(Photo of Lev Leviev: courtesy Alexander Saverkin/Itar-Tass/Newscom)