Vermont-based Ice Cream brand Ben & Jerry’s recently announced that they would no longer sell their products in the “Occupied Palestinian Territory.” This came after the ongoing protest of the Israeli involvement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip of Palestine.
In their announcement, they stated that the sales in the territories sought by the Palestinians are “inconsistent with [their] values.”
Ben & Jerry’s will end sales of our ice cream in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Read our full statement: https://t.co/2mGWYGN4GA pic.twitter.com/kFeu7aXOf3
— Ben & Jerry's (@benandjerrys) July 19, 2021
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put out a warning to Ben & Jerry’s and their parent company Unilever, asking for them to be placed on a list of Scrutinized Companies that violate the state’s BDS law.
BDS states for [anti]-Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions law, and it’s designed to put political and financial pressure on companies that target Israel.
Being on this list means the board cannot buy stock from Unilever, or any of its corporate entities. The state would also be unable to contract with these companies unless they ended their boycott.
Florida’s long-standing relationship with Israel has made this a problem for them. In his letter, DeSantis states that “as a matter of law and principle, the State of Florida does not tolerate discrimination against the State of Israel or the Israeli people, including boycotts and divestments targeting Israel.”
Several other states are also taking a hard look at their relationship with the company since this announcement, including Illinois, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
Florida and Texas are among approximately 35 states that have passed anti-BDS laws, 21 of which “explicitly include West Bank settlement boycotts in their definitions,” according to the Times of Israel.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called the company out for making such a terrible decision. “Ben & Jerry’s decision to boycott parts of Israel is disgraceful and an insult to America’s closest ally in the Middle East.”
Texas is also examining whether or not Ben & Jerry’s or Unilever have engaged in activities that violate the anti-BDS statute.
Even states that haven’t implemented such laws – like New York – are also questioning the reports of Ben & Jerry’s involvement in BDS activities.
This announcement has also sparked controversy in the religious community. Morton Klein, the national president of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), has strongly stated his opinion on this matter.
One of the things that makes Ben & Jerry’s unique is their Kosher certification. This is something that Morton Klein believes should be removed from their products after their decision.
By refusing to sell their ice cream in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the company has committed to “Economic Tourism.” Klein said that [Ben & Jerry’s] is siding with the terrorists and thats why it’s proper to call it economic terrorism.”
“Were demanding that all cultural authorities around the world stop giving the kosher label to Ben & Jerry’s, it is not kosher to side with terrorists who want to murder Americans and want to murder Jews and destroy the Jewish state.”
Unilever, the parent company that owns Ben & Jerry’s has also decided not to condemn them for their actions… They just want to sit on the sidelines and pretend that nothing is happening right under their noses.
Ben & Jerry’s is known for their somewhat controversial social justice activism, in the past, they have partnered with Colin Kaepernick to release a limited batch flavor that supported the racial justice movement.
They are known for creating products that are politically charged and comment on social justice movements, however, their most recent campaign might have been one step in the wrong direction.
