JERUSALEM (JTA) – Gautam Adani, the Indian billionaire at the center of allegations of stock market manipulation and fraud, bought Haifa’s port days before the allegations surfaced.
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On Wednesday, Haaretz reviewed Adani’s purchase of the port in the Israeli coastal city, in light of allegations made by Hindenburg Research, which described Adani as “pulling the largest con in corporate history” in a Jan. 24 report. Hindenburg, a firm that publishes reports detailing evidence of corporate fraud, accused the Adani Group of “a brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades.” The New York City-based firm was founded by Nathan Anderson, who is Jewish.
Privileged to meet with @IsraeliPM @netanyahu on this momentous day as the Port of Haifa is handed over to the Adani Group. The Abraham Accord will be a game changer for the Mediterranean sea logistics. Adani Gadot set to transform Haifa Port into a landmark for all to admire. pic.twitter.com/Cml2t8j1Iv
— Gautam Adani (@gautam_adani) January 31, 2023
Adani, who formally marked the sale on Jan. 31 with a handshake with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, paid $1.18 billion for the port, 55% more than the closest bid, Haaretz reported. The sale had been completed on Jan. 10. Netanyahu hopes the cash influx can help advance his plans to create a rail link between the port and Saudi Arabia.
The prime minister has said that he wants to bring Saudi Arabia into the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements between Israel and four Arab countries. Adani was on board.
“Privileged to meet with @IsraeliPM @netanyahu on this momentous day as the Port of Haifa is handed over to the Adani Group,” Adani wrote on Twitter on the day of the handshake. “The Abraham Accord will be a game changer for the Mediterranean sea logistics.”
There is nothing unique about it in our times. China owns or has a significant stake in at least large American ports in Miami, Los Angeles, Huston, and Seattle, and some smaller ones, dozens of European ports, and, two ports on both ends of the Panama Canal. I feel uneasy about it, but that’s how things are these days.
Will Bibi be allowed to keep the money?
to be a free nation but to have your port which can bring in weapons controlled by an oved ovadah zorah.