Israel moves to confront Ben and Jerry’s amid broader concerns

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Company’s announcement to stop selling its products in the Occupied Palestinian Territories did not describe the company’s full plan. Ben and Jerry’s intended to boycott Israel entirely, not to renew its agreement with the Israeli franchisor, but management of Unilever, which owns Ben & Jerry’s, is blocking that intention for now. Naturally, the issue quickly became a diplomatic issue. Israel has opened a counter campaign, including a legal battle with the help of countries that have passed laws against the activity of the BDS movement (boycott, divestment and sanctions), and there are 35 of these. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid published a strongly worded statement outlining the Israeli government’s course of action: “Ben & Jerry’s decision is a shameful capitulation to anti-Semitism, to the boycott movement…More than 30 states in the United States have laws against surrendering to boycotts. Passed in recent years. I plan to go One by one I demand that these laws should be enforced against Ben & Jerry.” Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan appealed to the 35 state governors with legislation banning boycotts of Israel, recalling the successful repeal of the West Bank boycott that Airbnb announced in November 2018, with the help of Florida Governor, Ron . DeSantis, who banned Florida administration employees from using Airbnb’s services on business trips. Other state governors have joined the move, including threats to divest, and Airbnb has reversed its stance. In the current case, Ben & Jerry’s intended, as mentioned, to boycott the whole of Israel by not renewing its concession agreement in December 2022. This stems from statements by Ben & Jerry’s Chairman, Anuradha Mittal, who was furious at Unilever’s announcement that it would continue to Provision of ice cream in Israel by other means, after the expiration of the contract term. Speaking to NBC, Mittal said parent Unilever acted in violation of the independence clause in the agreement the company’s founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, signed with the global food giant in 2000. Mittal and the board claim that the clause includes decisions about company values, and was reason to stop selling its products to Russia, Morocco and Hong Kong. Related Articles Ben and Jerry’s: We’ll End Sales in the Occupied Palestinian Territories In practice, state legislation in the United States works primarily against foreign companies. Thus, for example, New Jersey and Colorado stopped doing business with Danish Danske Bank when it stopped investing in Israeli companies with ties or branches in Judea and Samaria. Federal legislation refers to boycotts in the context of the law on international trade, which includes prohibitions and restrictions that must be imposed on businesses that boycott business in Israel or in territories over which there is Israeli sovereignty, and which excludes Judea and Samaria. Ben & Jerry’s acknowledgment that the intent is to stop sales throughout Israel could be caught by this legislation. Federal pressure will add to other pressures on Ben & Jerry’s. Its move led to calls for a boycott of the company within the United States, and supermarket chains with Jewish owners announced that they would stop selling the Vermont ice cream company’s products. The Ben & Jerry’s boycott comes at the same time as a recent poll among Jews in the United States, the results of which were not very pleasant to Israel. According to the poll, nearly a quarter of American Jews believe that Israel is an apartheid state, 22% agree with the statement that Israel is carrying out an ongoing genocide against the Palestinians, and 9% believe that Israel has no right to exist at all. A sovereign state. The results were worse among young people. Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry, is known as an ardent supporter and contributor to Bernie Sanders’ left-wing American politics, and spares no criticism of Israeli policies. The current board of directors is in the image of the founders, so its decision to boycott Judea and Samaria, and Israel as a whole, is not surprising. The sharp reaction of the Israeli government reflects the fear of the consequences of the boycott. Ben & Jerry’s ad has great symbolic significance. It legitimizes the tangible steps taken by the anti-Israel left in the United States, which has a major influence in the Democratic administration. Activists in Congress such as Rashida Harbi Tlaib, Ilhan Abdullah Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are mounting pressure on the White House and Congress to end U.S. military aid and arms sales to Israel and gather supporters with all new. The Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip. At this point, Israel appears to be focusing on a direct campaign against Ben & Jerry’s, perhaps to avoid outrage that would put the matter in the diplomatic realm. The Naftali Bennett government’s approach to Washington is the opposite of Benjamin Netanyahu’s, and aims to avoid possible confrontations with the Democratic Party, through which a conflict over Israel is taking place. Bennett issued a statement after speaking to Unilever CEO Alan Jope saying that he views “Ben & Jerry’s decision to boycott Israel very seriously” and that “this is a subsidiary of Unilever, and it has taken a clearly anti-Israel move.” Ministers Bennett emphasized that from the point of view of the State of Israel, this is a measure that has serious consequences, including legal, and will take strong action against any boycott directed against its citizens.” On the other hand, Bennett’s broad coalition does not have a single opinion on the matter. Meretz blames the Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria for the blow to Israel. “Israeli citizens are once again being harmed by illegal and immoral settlements,” MK Mossi Raz told Globes. The party chiefs, Ministers Nitzan Horowitz, Tamar Zandberg, and Issawi Freij were silent. The Labor Party also preferred to remain silent. Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on July 20, 2021 © Copyright Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2021