Ben & Jerry’s to boycott West Bank settlements, east Jerusalem

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Well-known ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s announced on Monday its plan to boycott West Bank settlements and Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem, by refusing to allow its products to be sold in those areas. 

“We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT),” the company stated in a notice it posted on its website.

The move gives a boost to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which has targeted the Vermont-based American company for the last decade.

The group Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine had been particularly active on the issue.

The ice cream company, known for taking a stand on social justice issues, clarified that it was not boycotting Israel, just the “occupied Palestinian territories.”

It said that it would maintain its sales relationship with areas of Israel within the pre-1967 borders.

“Although Ben & Jerry’s will no longer be sold in the OPT, we will stay in Israel through a different arrangement. We will share an update on this as soon as we’re ready,” the company explained.

The boycott language Ben & Jerry’s used was vague in that it referenced the “occupied Palestinian territories” and did not mention the words “settlements” or “east Jerusalem,” but the assumption can be made that these are the territories being referred to. 

Ben & Jerry’s stated: “We also hear and recognize the concerns shared with us by our fans and trusted partners. 

“We have a longstanding partnership with our licensee, who manufactures Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in Israel and distributes it in the region. 

“We have been working to change this, and so we have informed our licensee that we will not renew the license agreement when it expires at the end of next year.

 
Uniliver Israel, have responded saying, “we are aware that Ben & Jerry’s has recently made an announcement. To be clear, Unilever Israel does not manage Ben & Jerry’s locally. The brand is run by a competitor’s business which owns the Ben & Jerry’s franchise in the Israeli market. Unilever Israel had no involvement in this decision. It was made by Ben & Jerry’s globally and its independent Board of Directors. We are very proud of our history in Israel and are fully committed to our long-term presence. We employ around 2,000 employees, the majority of which in our factories in Arad, Acre, Safed and Haifa. In the last decade alone, the company has invested in the Israeli market more than 1 billion NIS, and will continue to invest in its people, brands, and business in the local market.”

One resident of the Ma’aleh Adumim settlement who did not want to be named said he was disappointed by the announcement, but added that it wouldn’t cause him to boycott Ben & Jerry’s in return.

“It’s the best ice cream you can get in stores here by far,” he said. “I’ll just buy my New York Chunk Fudge in Jerusalem and smuggle it back home passed all the checkpoints.”

Opposition Head Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to the announcement via tweet writing “Now we Israelis know which ice cream NOT to buy.” 

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan has responded saying that the settlements in Judea and Samaria will still exist after Ben & Jerry’s ice cream will melt. 

MK Ofir Akunis (Likud) wrote on his Facebook page “We will stop buying Ben & Jerry’s in Israel, in Judeah and Samaria and every other place in the world” 

MK Mossi Raz of the Meretz party has reacted to the announcement saying. ” Once again, Israel is harmed by the immorality of the settlements in the occupied territories. Of course, there are those who are not willing to sell [Ben & Jerry’s ice cream] in settlements that are illegal and immoral, and it is a pity that all Israelis are harmed by their existence.Likud Young Guard are calling for a boycott on the ice cream manufacturer saying that “we don’t need Ben & Jerry’s, we have Golda.”MK Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionist Party has responded saying “don’t stop purchasing Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, as long as Israel is the owner of the brand.”

NGO Peace Now have responded stating that “Ben & Jerry’s decision makes it clear that even if the settlers on the right continue to try to erase the Green Line, the world clearly distinguishes sovereign Israel from the occupied territories. International companies are interested in doing business with the State of Israel, but are unwilling to accept military control over millions of Palestinians and with the settlement enterprise. The government of change is well aware of the enormous damage that the settlement enterprise is inflicting on Israel. Anyone who wants to strengthen the Israeli economy and avoid boycotts and international criticism will work to end the occupation. “



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