The founders of Ben & Jerry’s wrote an op-ed defending the company’s decision to halt ice cream sales in the West Bank, which the brand considers to be “Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Bennett Cohen and Jerry Greenfield do not have a controlling interest in the company, now majority-owned by the UK’s Unilever, but they stand behind their brand’s controversial decision.
“We are the founders of Ben & Jerry’s. We are also proud Jews. It’s part of who we are and how we’ve identified ourselves for our whole lives,” they wrote for the New York Times Thursday.
“As our company began to expand internationally, Israel was one of our first overseas markets,” Cohen and Greenfield continued. “We were then, and remain today, supporters of the State of Israel.”
But they claim it’s “possible to support Israel and oppose some of its policies” just as it is to oppose government policies in the US. The founders stated that they “unequivocally support the decision of the company to end business in the occupied territories, which a majority of the international community,” including the United States, “has deemed an illegal occupation.”
The West Bank freeze has infuriated the brand’s franchisees and politicians alike. Joel Gasman, owner of a Ben & Jerry’s shop on the Upper West Side is so opposed to the boycott, he plans to donate 10% of his profits to fund Israeli educational causes in protest of his parent company’s politics.
“We couldn’t sit back and watch without speaking up,” said Gasman, who like many of his customers, is Jewish. “It has definitely hurt our bottom line and our overall store value. We did fear boycotts from customers. We still do.”
“We’re getting bad reviews online that have nothing to do with the store, only in regards to corporate’s views,” he continued. “It’s been upsetting for us. We felt like many people didn’t understand the nature of a franchise business and how small business owners are affected by their parent corporation’s views.”
Unilever is also facing consequences for Ben & Jerry’s political stance. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet told Unilever CEO Alan Jope that the “clear anti-Israel step” would have “severe consequences” that could include legal action.
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Their ice cream sucks anyway, so no great loss. Ever since, one of them was being interviewed on T.V. wearing sandals, and constantly picking at his toes, I have been unable to stomach their ice cream. Eat Hazen Das instead. Their success has gone to their heads,
Ben and Jerry are supporting anti-Semitism. The “international community” they cite are wrong in calling Israeli territory occupied. It was occupied by Jordan illegally by means of war in 1948 and held until Jordan again attacked in 1967 and lost it. It was Jordan that applied the term West Bank to Judea and Samaria. It was Jordan that seized part of Jerusalem in 1948. Until then there never had been a divided Jerusalem. What became East Jerusalem, even under Arab rule, had been known as the Jewish Quarter. Today, anti-Semites want to erase history and Jews
Not really good Jewish folks to spurn Israel. Never bought their over priced woke products.
Proud, probably. Jews, yes. Supportive of Israel? No! Proud, hateful, Jewish Progressives is what they are. They are Jews by birth, Socialists by choice. Why they would want to support a regime that believes all Jews should be annihilated can only be because they are willing to side with those who oppose them in order to oppose those who side with freedom and free will. We can’t even say that the enemy of their enemy is their friend because Arab Muslims are not even willing to attempt to live in harmony with Jews.
They are not Jews in any cognizable way, other than heritage. They are certainly not supporters of the Jewish people, either in Israel or here. If they were, they would not fall for BDS. That strategy is meant to destroy the State of Israel economically and diplomatically, to make it an international pariah. It is profoundly anti-Semitic. One cannot be anti-Zionist, that is support the destruction of the State of Israel, without being anti-Semitic. “Only the Jews, among all the nations of the Earth, cannot have a homeland.” That’s bald-faced Judenhass. With Jews like this, the Jews don’t need any other enemies. The Ninth Circle of Hell is reserved for the traitors.
I’m not a jew and won’t eat your ice cream .
Me, too! I have never bought nor even tasted their ice cream. Waaay over-priced and Ben & Jerry are just too full of themselves.
Where are those Mossad assassination squads when you need them?
George Soros is a “proud Jew” too. And he is still a wanted WWII war criminal in his home country. Collaborating with the Nazis.
So, Ben and Jerry are in good company.
The only people occupying land is the Islam citizens who invaded Israel after the county was restored. Islam and other anti-Israel people and groups, which includes people of Jewish ancestry, have been trying to destroy Israel for more 70 years. What people need to re-learn is that Jews started purchasing the land back from those that held title to in late 1800/early 1900s. And they gave jobs to those Islam and its rulers considered the dregs of society. Learn the real history. And remember, Islam has been invading countries ever since it destroyed Arabia in the 600/700. Learn Islam’s real history as well.
I have never ate any of their ice cream anyway. I don’t not know if anyone who eats it. Maybe someone in the Austin area does but the rest I imagine prefer Blue Bell. Sorry but Ben & Jerry’s along with Pepsi need to stay up north. This country would be in the cross hairs more often if it wasn’t for Israel.
You are proud to be like Judas. j
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