Defending the ice cream maker’s decision to boycott Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the former Jewish founders of Ben & Jerry’s called it “one of the most important decisions the company has made in its 43-year history.” Bennett Cohen and Jerry Grenfield, who sold the company decades ago and do not control its operations, wrote that they support Israel but oppose its “illegal occupation” of the West Bank. They stressed that the decision taken by their previous company is not a rejection of Israel, but rather a rejection of the Israeli policy “which perpetuates the illegal occupation, which constitutes an obstacle to peace and violates the basic human rights of the Palestinian people who live under occupation.” They said it was commendable that a company with progressive values had made this decision, noting that the move was part of a long line of positions to that end. They defended the company against accusations of anti-Semitism, and also indicated that it did not specifically support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement which targets Israel. For further details, click here
