Israeli Ambassador Asks 35 U.S. States to Take Action Against Ben & Jerry's for Ending Sales

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the U.S., asked 35 states with laws in place against anti-Israel boycott activity to take action against Ben & Jerry's on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

The company announced Monday that it would stop selling ice cream in Israel's occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem once its license agreement expires next year, claiming that it was "​inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry's ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory."

Erdan penned letters to the governors of the 35 states, asking them for "rapid and determined" action in response to "such discriminatory and antisemitic actions."

"We must stand united and send an unequivocal message that this will not be tolerated," he wrote.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/israeli-ambassador-asks-35-us-states-to-take-action-against-ben-and-jerrys-for-ending-sales/ar-AAMn71U

I'm sure they'll get right on it.

[The Magistrate]

1. Who The Fuck Does He Think He Is, Sir?

Seriously.

[dalton99a]

16. +1. Some asshole who thinks he rules the world

[hatrack]

2. That reminds me, I've got some primo fresh peaches, and they go well with ice cream!

Heading out in a bit . . . .

[EX500rider]

3. Not sure how depriving W Bank Palestinians of their ice cream will help them..

...taken to it's extreme, nothing for sale in the West Bank other then what ever they locally produce like olives etc?
How does that punish Israel exactly?

[karynnj]

9. I would bet it is mostly bought by settlers.

[EX500rider]

12. Palestinians don't like ice cream?? nt

[Retrograde]

13. Or don't have the money for imported luxury items ? (n/t)

[EX500rider]

17. Somehow I doubt 100% of them are poor. nt

[former9thward]

18. It is not imported and it is not a luxury item.

It is made in a factory in Israel that has about 400 employees. Yes, Palestinians in the West Bank have the money to buy ice cream. The area has a much higher standard of living than Gaza which the media always fixates on. I recommend you visit the area sometime if you have the chance.

[msongs]

4. bully tactics. not expecting a great success from them since contract non-renewal is not boycott nt

[NYC Liberal]

5. Takes some real hubris to claim that a foreign country should

legally compel a company to do business in your own country. Even more so to claim that not doing so is bigoted.

[lagomorph777]

19. Maybe the word you want is...

"chutzpah."

[Ritabert]

6. Guess I'll have to buy some Cherry Garcia

...

[Beastly Boy]

7. This is so silly, no matter how you look at it!

Ben and Jerry will keep selling their ice cream all over Israel, but not in the West Bank? Who are they trying to punish? How is this consistent with their values?

And Erdan belittling the meaning of "antisemitism" is even worse. This is no better than throwing around the term "apartheid" to describe Israel's policies towards the Palestinians.

[Sympthsical]

20. Right? I am so confused by every aspect of this story

B&J are going to continue to sell in Israel - just not in a certain part? And that's punishment, because . . .

Then the stranger part to me - Why is he talking to governors? What are they going to do about? What can they do about it, even if they were so inclined?

What an odd little interaction here, all around.

The last B&J's I got was something called "topped love" where it has this crust of white chocolate or whatever on top. I only got it because it was whiskey caramel flavor, and that seemed interesting. Literally had to get a hammer to break it apart enough to get to the actual ice cream. Like putting a brick of white chocolate for the first few inches. It was not good.

They're expensive anyway, and their flavors are meh.

[Demovictory9]

23. I'm not understanding either

[NoRethugFriends]

27. I'll explain

They don't want Israel to not exist. They want Israel to stop screwing around and doing the crap they do in the occupied territories. Really pretty simple

[Sympthsical]

29. Doesn't explain the efficacy of the actions

I guess that's what my question is. What's going to change here, on either side?

[NoRethugFriends]

31. Sorry. My response should have been under Beastly Boy's post

[Stuart G]

8. Ben and Jerry's has not a clue...says Stu

[Wounded Bear]

10. There are states with laws against boycotting Israel?

[SharonClark]

11. I would not be surprised if some GQP

state legislatures were called into session for that purpose.

[Progressive Jones]

15. Yes, with bibles in hand... nt

[former9thward]

22. CA, IL, NJ and NY have them.

Just to name a few of the 35. It is not a red/blue thing.

[NYC Liberal]

32. California and NY have anti-boycott laws on the books

[Mad_Machine76]

14. Some states have what are anti-BDS laws

I have no idea how they're legal. I think I read a story about a teacher who got fired bc of a law like this

[former9thward]

21. Most states have them.

Including states like California, Illinois and New Jersey. NY has a Blacklist order signed by Cuomo against companies or organizations which participate in anti-Israel boycotts.

[rockfordfile]

26. that's dangerous to our country to do that

No matter which foreign country a boycott is against.

[joetheman]

25. Say what!! I must be a criminal because I really try not to buy anything from Israel. nt

[joetheman]

24. Can hardly wait for a surge in Ben &Jerry's in those states.

However, I wasn't sure whom their move hurt the most, the Palestinians or the Israelis?

[muriel_volestrangler]

28. Explanation: the plan to make ice cream in a settlement would break Netanyahu's EU agreement

In Case Anyone Was Wondering What All the Meshugas About Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Is About, Allow Me To Try To Explain

So what is actually going on here? Something very, very simple and, to be honest, something the Netanyahu government obligated itself too. Ben & Jerry’s is now owned by Unilever, which is a large European multinational known for soap products and buying up a whole bunch of companies that make a variety of foods and beverages too. Unilever, because it has corporate offices in the EU, is bound by EU polices, rules, and regulations. Anshel Pfeffer, Bibi’s biographer, has the details:

Link to tweet

The Netanyahu government decided not to annex the West Bank and signed an agreement with the EU which stipulated that there would be no European funding for projects in the settlements so as far as I’m concerned Ben & Jerry’s latest decision is in line with Netanyahu’s policies.

Based on what Pfeffer is reporting, it appears that Unilever decided to pull Ben & Jerry’s current production agreement and license with Israel, which included it being produced in the West Bank meaning at a settlement, in order to comply with the agreement that Bibi Netanyahu’s government negotiated with the EU. According to their announcement, Ben & Jerry’s, read Unilever, plans to continue to produce and sell its ice cream in Israel proper once a new licensee arrangement can be negotiated. All that is happening here is that Ben & Jerry’s, and their EU based corporate owner, are moving to become compliant with the EU agreement with Israel that Bibi Netanyahu’s government negotiated with the EU and then agreed to.

That’s it. It’s not anti-Zionism. It’s not anti-Semitism. It’s not anti-anything. Though I’m sure the usual suspects of Ben “the wickedest of sons” Shapiro, Bari “it’s not anti-Semitism unless I say it’s anti-Semitism” Weiss, Bret “I’m calling your boss and getting you fired” Stephens, Joel “please don’t tell anyone I grew up in South Africa and my Jewish parents were anti-apartheid activists because it’ll blow my cover as a Stephen Miller style I’m Jewish, but I’m also a white supremacist schtick at Breitbart” Pollack, Meghan “my dad knew Joe Lieberman” McCain, and just about every Republican elected and appointed official – almost none of whom are Jewish and/or Israeli – as well as just about everyone on Fox News – most of whom are neither Jewish and/or Israeli – will be along shortly to continue to scream that this is the most horrible, terrible anti-Semitism that ever anti-Semitismed. Because that’s what they do. Which, of course, distracts from actual anti-Semitism. Which has been on the rise in the US and in Europe and is an actual problem. Unlike this.

https://www.balloon-juice.com/2021/07/21/in-case-anyone-was-wondering-what-all-the-meshugas-about-ben-jerrys-ice-cream-is-about-allow-me-to-try-to-explain/

[Sympthsical]

30. This is very helpful clarification. Thank you! n/t

[crickets]

33. Interesting. Thanks so much for the further info. nt