Last July, the company stated that it would no longer allow its products to be distributed to Israelis in the West Bank and east Jerusalem – which would effectively have boycotted all of Israel.
Ice Cream maker Ben & Jerry’s announced its dissatisfaction on Wednesday Night with Unilever’s announcement that they would continue selling ice cream throughout sovereign Israel and the West Bank.
“We are aware of the Unilever announcement,” said Ben & Jerry’s. “While our parent company has taken this decision, we do not agree with it. Unilever’s arrangement means Ben and Jerry’s in Israel will be owned and operated by AQP [American Quality Products, Ltd]. Our company will no longer profit from Ben & Jerry’s in Israel.”
“We continue to believe it is inconsistent with Ben & Jerry’s values for our ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the company added.
End of the ice cream boycott
Last July, the ice cream company stated that it would no longer allow its products to be distributed to Israelis in the West Bank and east Jerusalem — which would effectively have boycotted all of Israel.
The announcement from Ben & Jerrys’ parent company on Wednesday explained that Unilever sold all of its Ben and Jerry’s business interests in Israel to Avi Zinger, owner of licensee AQP. Thus, the ice cream could be sold from the river to the sea without involving the Ben & Jerry’s America. As Ben & Jerry’s tweet explained, they “will no longer profit from Ben & Jerry’s in Israel.”
“We continue to believe it is inconsistent with Ben & Jerry’s values for our ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Ben & Jerry’s
“The BDS movement is intrinsically antisemitic and is in conflict with laws throughout the US, including here in New York State,” Rep. Andrew R. Garbarino said in a statement in reaction to Unilever’s decision. “Singling out and discriminating against the only Jewish state is despicable and not who we are as Americans. I applaud Unilever for taking action to correct Ben & Jerry’s disgraceful boycott of our friend and ally Israel and for standing firm against hate.”