Unilever sold off its Ben & Jerry’s business in Israel in an attempt to get out of the dispute over ice cream sales in West Bank settlements.
Ben & Jerry’s independent board announced last summer that the brand would no longer sell its products in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, saying it was “incompatible with our values.”
The decision was one of the most notorious condemnations by a well-known brand of Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal under international law.
She was severely criticized by Israel. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called it a “shameful capitulation to anti-Semitism” and said he would address the issue with more than 30 countries that have legislation against the BDS movement, which advocates boycotts, sales and sanctions against Israeli institutions and businesses.
The dispute prompted Unilever to launch a review of the Israeli business, which led to the announcement Wednesday of its sale to Avi Singer, owner of Ben & Jerry’s current licensee for the region, American Quality Products (AQP).
Under the terms of the deal, ice cream with the same flavors and similar works of art will continue to be sold in Israel, but using only the Jewish and Arabic versions of the brand names, not the English brand Ben & Jerry’s. A Unilever spokesman said the company would not receive any license revenue from the sale of the products.
Ben and Jerry’s board planned not to renew the license with AQP when it expired later this year.
Unilever said it “is taking the opportunity of the past year to hear views on this complex and sensitive issue and believes it is the best result for Ben & Jerry’s in Israel. The review included extensive consultations over several months, including with the Israeli government.
“Unilever completely rejects and unequivocally denies any form of discrimination or intolerance. Anti-Semitism has no place in any society. We have never expressed any support for the movement for boycott, sale, sanctions (BDS) and we do not intend to change this position.
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The West Bank and East Jerusalem were captured by Israel in the Six Day War in 1967. Now 700,000 Israeli settlers live in the two territories – approximately 500,000 in the occupied West Bank and 200,000 in East Jerusalem.
Israel treats the two areas separately, seeing occupied East Jerusalem as part of its capital and the West Bank as a disputed territory whose fate must be decided in negotiations.
However, the international community considers both zones to be occupied territory. The Palestinians are looking for the West Bank as part of a future independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Ben & Jerry’s asked for comment.
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