“A blatant anti-Israel action”, “a shameful capitulation to anti-Semitism” – this is how the Israeli government condemns the decision of American ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s. He had announced that he would no longer sell ice cream in Israeli settlement areas in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
“We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the occupied Palestinian territories,” the company, owned by Britain’s Unilever Group since 2000, said on Monday.
The boycott will come into effect at the end of 2022 — after which, according to the company, contracts with “region sales licensees” will expire. In Israel itself, Ben & Jerry’s wants to continue doing business. However, it is entirely possible that the government will initiate a counter-boycott.
Prime Minister Bennett announces crackdown
“From Israel’s point of view, this action has serious consequences, both legally and illegally,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (49), according to his office on Tuesday, said in a telephone conversation with the head of the British group Unilever, Alan Job (58).
Bennett spoke of the information according to a “blatant anti-Israel measure.” The statement said that Israel “will take strict measures against any boycott targeting its citizens.” Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, 57, described the decision as “a shameful capitulation to anti-Semitism.” Economy Minister Orna Barbivai, 58, posted a video of herself throwing a cup of Ben & Jerry’s in the trash.
Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (71) also responded. “Now we Israelis know which ice cream not to buy,” he wrote on Twitter.
The Israeli embassy in Bern accuses the US company of collaborating with economic terrorism and spearheading the BDS movement. An anti-Israel movement with anti-Semitic undertones.” “The decision is immoral and discriminatory as it marginalizes Israel, harms Israelis and Palestinians, and encourages extremist groups to use bullying tactics,” a spokeswoman for Blake said.
The planned sales halt sparked cheers elsewhere: Palestinians welcomed the ice cream maker’s announcement.
Airbnb forced to withdraw boycott attempt
Israel’s settlement policy is under international criticism: some 650,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank and in the annexed eastern part of Jerusalem. Most countries consider the settlements illegal – on the other hand, Israel relies on historical and security ties and punishes actions taken against the settlements.
The Israeli ambassador to Washington, Gilad Erdan, 50, has him, according to a report issued by “Do” He has already sent a letter to 35 US governors whose states have passed laws against boycotting Israel. “You must act swiftly and decisively to confront such discriminatory and anti-Semitic acts,” the message sent by the ambassador on Twitter said.
Erdan compares the case to Airbnb’s announcement in 2018 that it would remove rental properties in settlements from the list. Airbnb reversed that decision in 2019 after legal challenges in the US and at the same time announced that it would donate profits from bookings in settlements to humanitarian causes.
However, under Donald Trump (75), the settlement policy was recognized by the United States as legal at the time. But in April of this year, the US State Department confirmed that the Biden government considered the territories to be “occupied.” (relatives)
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