The largest American Ice Cream company, Ben & Jerry’s, has ended its sales in the Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The company said, in a statement: “We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT),” adding, “We hear and recognize the concerns shared with us by our fans and trusted partners.” It is noteworthy that Palestinian rights supporters in the US succeeded in forcing the company to withdraw its investments and stop its work in the occupied Palestinian territories after they launched successive campaigns to prevent it from operating in the Israeli settlements. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry welcomed the decision issued by Ben & Jerry’s, describing it as “ethical” and “legal”. At the same time, it condemned the attacks launched by Israel on companies, agencies and countries that have publicly expressed their support for the principles of international law, as they stopped their illegal dealings with its regime. The State Department called on the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to update the database of companies working with settlements, in accordance with the mandate entrusted to her based on Human Rights Council Resolution 36/31, due to the importance of this in assisting states to ensure that companies residing in their territories respect international law, and to assist them in ensuring that human rights are not violated. For further details, click here