The founders of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, voiced support for the company’s decision to boycott its sales in West Bank settlements.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield wrote that they support the company’s boycott “unequivocally,” despite having no operational control over the company after selling the company they founded in 1978 to Unilever in 2000 for approximately $150 million.
Calling it “exceptionally brave,” they said: “ending the sales of ice cream in the occupied territories is one of the most important decisions the company has made in its 43-year history.”
Meanwhile, they said that “it’s possible to support Israel and oppose some of its policies, just as we’ve opposed policies of the US government,” in a New York Times op-ed Wednesday.
The company’s decision drew criticism from Israeli politicians.
On Wednesday, 90 lawmakers in the Knesset (Israel Parliament) sent a letter to Unilever’s global CEO Alan Jope, asking him to reverse the decision to ban the ice cream in West Bank settlements.
Lawmakers have accused Ben & Jerry’s of capitulating to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, launched by pro-Palestinian activists against the Zionist entity in 2005.
Source: Israeli media
