Israel PM warns Unilever over Ben & Jerry’s ice cream boycott

Israel has warned that a decision by Ben & Jerry’s to stop selling its ice cream in the occupied Palestinian territories would have ‘severe consequences’.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Picture: AFP

Israel has warned that a decision by Ben & Jerry’s to stop selling its ice cream in the occupied Palestinian territories would have ­“severe consequences”.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he had phoned Unilever chief executive Alan Jope and told him that he viewed “with ­utmost gravity” what he ­described as the decision by Ben & Jerry’s to boycott Israel.

Unilever bought the company from its founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, in 2000. It said on Monday that it would stop selling its products in West Bank settlements and east Jerusalem in response to a long campaign against its presence in Israel, where it has a factory, and the­ ­occupied territories.

“We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the occupied Palestinian territory,” a statement said.

“We also hear and recognise the concerns shared with us by our fans and trusted partners.”

Mr Bennett said the decision was “morally wrong”, adding: “Ben & Jerry’s decided to brand itself as an anti-Israel ice cream.

“From Israel’s standpoint, this action has severe consequences, legal and otherwise, and it will move aggressively against any boycott measure targeting civilians,” he said.

Former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Twitter for a boycott, saying: “Now we Israelis know which ice cream NOT to buy.”

Ben & Jerry’s is made under ­licence in Israel and distributed from there around the region. The company’s statement said that the licensing arrangement would end when it came up for ­renewal at the end of next year.

It is clear, however, that a row is continuing between the board of Ben & Jerry’s, which originally voted last year to end sales in the settlements, and Unilever.

The statement, which was ­released by Unilever, said that “we will stay in Israel through a different arrangement”.

However, Anuradha Mittal, chairman of the independent board of directors of Ben & Jerry’s, told NBC news in the US that it had made no decision yet about its longer-term plans for the country, and was not committed to pulling out.

The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which calls for boycotts of all Israeli products and investment, is detested by ­Israel and the American right, and opposed by most of the US establishment.

The Times