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On Tuesday, Ben and Jerry\u2019s board of directors denounced the sale of products under its name in Israel’s West Bank. Last year, the ice cream company announced it was going to stop selling its ice cream in annexed east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, stating that the sales in the territories sought by the Palestinians are \u201cinconsistent with our values.\u201d For many in the international community, the settlements are largely considered illegal and an obstruction to peace, Associated Press<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n At the start of this year, Unilever, a London-based consumer goods company that bought Ben & Jerry\u2019s in 2000, announced it would sell its business interest<\/a> in Israel to a local company that would sell Ben & Jerry\u2019s ice cream under its Hebrew and Arabic name across Israel and the West Bank. In a statement on Tuesday, Ben & Jerry\u2019s independent board noted that Unilever\u2019s sale was made outside of the board\u2019s consent and any products sold by Blue & White Ice Cream Ltd. \u201cshould not be confused with products produced and distributed by Ben & Jerry\u2019s Homemade Inc.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBen & Jerry\u2019s position is clear: the sale of products bearing any Ben & Jerry\u2019s insignia in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is against our values,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n On Wednesday, Unilever stated it sold its Ben & Jerry\u2019s business interests in Israel last June.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe ownership of the brand is different, but the Ben & Jerry\u2019s product is no different to what\u2019s been enjoyed in Israel for many years,\u201d the company said in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In August, a federal judge turned down Ben & Jerry\u2019s request to block Unilever\u2019s plan to allow its products to be sold in east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. At the time, the judge stated that the ice cream company failed to demonstrate that Unilever\u2019s decision would negatively affect Ben & Jerry\u2019s social mission or confuse its customers. During Unilever\u2019s purchase of Ben & Jerry\u2019s in 2000, the acquisition agreement stated that even though the ice cream maker\u2019s board could make decisions about its social mission, Unilever would finalize its word on financial and operational decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n
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