Israeli PM warns Unilever of ‘grave consequences’ of Ben & Jerry’s move

JERUSALEM, July 20 (Reuters) – Israel on Tuesday warned consumer goods giant Unilever Plc (ULVR.L) of the “serious consequences” of a decision by subsidiary Ben & Jerry’s to stop selling ice cream in territories occupied by Israel, and urged US states to invoke anti-boycott laws.

Ben & Jerry’s announcement on Monday follows pro-Palestinian pressure on the South Burlington, Vt.-based company over its activities in Israel and the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, managed through an incumbent partner license since 1987.

Ben & Jerry’s has said it will not renew the license when it expires at the end of next year. He said he would remain in Israel under a different arrangement, with no sales in the West Bank, among areas where Palestinians seek to become a state. Read more

Most of the world powers deem Israeli settlements illegal. He disputes this, citing historical and security ties to the territory, and has decided to penalize anti-settlement measures under Israeli law while ensuring similar legal protection in some US states.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said they spoke with Unilever CEO Alan Jope about the ice cream maker’s “blatant anti-Israel move”.

“From Israel’s point of view, this action has serious consequences, legal and otherwise, and it will aggressively oppose any boycott measures targeting civilians,” Bennett told Jope, according to his office statement. .

Britain’s Unilever did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, said he referred to Ben & Jerry’s decision in a letter to 35 U.S. governors whose states have legislated against boycotting Israel.

“Swift and determined action must be taken to counter such discriminatory and anti-Semitic actions,” read the letter, tweeted by the envoy, which compared the case to Airbnb’s 2018 announcement that it would delete the rental properties of the colonies.

Airbnb overturned that decision in 2019 following legal challenges in the United States, but said it would donate the profits from reservations in settlements to humanitarian causes.

Palestinians hailed Ben & Jerry’s announcement. They want the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip for a future state. Israel regards all of Jerusalem as its capital – a status unrecognized internationally.

Written by Dan Williams Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Raissa Kasolowsky

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