{"id":306233,"date":"2021-07-22T23:25:28","date_gmt":"2021-07-22T20:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/longtime-ben-jerrys-worker-quits-over-west-bank-sales-ban\/"},"modified":"2021-07-22T23:25:28","modified_gmt":"2021-07-22T20:25:28","slug":"longtime-ben-jerrys-worker-quits-over-west-bank-sales-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/longtime-ben-jerrys-worker-quits-over-west-bank-sales-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"#Longtime Ben & Jerry’s worker quits over West Bank sales ban"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Longtime Ben & Jerry’s worker quits over West Bank sales ban<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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A longtime Ben & Jerry\u2019s contractor publicly announced she would no longer work with the ice cream company after its decision this week to halt sales in Israeli-occupied territories.<\/p>\n

\u201cEffective immedia<\/a>tely, I have quit my job of 21 years at Ben & Jerry\u2019s, over the statement on Israel,\u201d the employee, Susannah Levin, said in a Facebook post<\/a> on Tuesday. <\/p>\n

She added that \u201canti-Zionism IS the new anti-semitism.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy company\u2019s response is part of this despicable trend and I will have no part of it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Levin\u2019s LinkedIn page adds that she was an Albany, NY-based freelance graphic designer for Ben & Jerry\u2019s since 2000. <\/p>\n

Her decision came after the Vermont-based ice cream maker caved to pressure by online protesters and announced the sales ban on Monday. <\/p>\n

A representative for Ben & Jerry\u2019s declined to comment on the matter.<\/p>\n

The company announced earlier this week that it will let its partnership agreement with its Israel-based licensee lapse at the end of the year. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry\u2019s ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT),\u201d the company\u00a0said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The term Occupied Palestinian Territories has been used for years to describe the areas occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip<\/a>, according to\u00a0the European Council on Foreign Relations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ben & Jerry\u2019s clarified that it\u2019s not pulling out of Israel, where it will continue to sell ice cream \u201cthrough a different arrangement.\u201d<\/p>\n

The move drew ire from Israeli politicians, kosher grocery stores in the US and elsewhere, and US lawmakers. <\/p>\n

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday said about the announcement that the \u201cboycott of Israel is a new sort of terrorism, economic terrorism.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"People
Susannah Levin\u2019s decision came after Ben & Jerry\u2019s caved to pressure by online protesters<\/figcaption>
David Ryder\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned the head of Ben & Jerry\u2019s parent company, Unilever, Tuesday that the announcement\u00a0could carry \u201csevere consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the US, Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma called for a ban on all Ben & Jerry\u2019s sales in his state, saying it would be in line with state laws.<\/p>\n

Oklahoma\u00a0passed\u00a0an anti-boycott of Israel law in 2020, which prevents Oklahoma from doing business with any company that is engaged in a boycott of Israel.<\/p>\n

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We should immediately block the sale of all #Benandjerrys<\/a> in the state and in any state-operated facility to align with our law.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Sen. James Lankford (@SenatorLankford) July 21, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The London-based consumer goods giant Unilever, which acquired Ben & Jerry\u2019s in 2000, has sought to distance itself from the announcement, saying that the decision was made independently by Ben & Jerry\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnilever remains fully committed to our business in\u00a0Israel,\u201d Unilever CEO Alan Jope said Thursday on a conference to discuss its second-quarter earnings. \u201cThis was a decision that was taken by Ben & Jerry\u2019s and its independent board in line with an acquisition agreement that we signed 20 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jope added that while the brand remains independent, the company does not intend to make an announcement \u201cquite as fiery as this one\u201d every quarter.<\/p>\n

\"Ben
Ben & Jerry\u2019s risks alienating customers, investors and even its own staff. <\/figcaption>
Christiana Botic for The Boston Globe via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But with this week\u2019s announcement, the company already risks alienating customers, investors and even its own staff. <\/p>\n

The matter was discussed briefly at an all-hands meeting of Unilever\u2019s beauty and personal care business unit, according to images of the Microsoft Teams presentation that were shared with The Post. <\/p>\n

In the meeting, the company reiterated its stance that the announcement was made independently by Ben & Jerry\u2019s, and that Unilever stands by its business operations and relationships in Israel, according to a source who was at the meeting. <\/p>\n

And Jewish employees of Unilever have been discussing the matter in a private group chat, with some expressing frustration over Unilever\u2019s handling of the situation, the source said. <\/p>\n

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I urged them to act against @benandjerrys<\/a> decision to not sell its products in the eastern part of Jerusalem and Judea & Samaria. We will make clear to Ben & Jerry\u2019s that its antisemitic decision will have consequences. 2\/2<\/p>\n

\u2014 Ambassador Gilad Erdan \u05d2\u05dc\u05e2\u05d3 \u05d0\u05e8\u05d3\u05df (@giladerdan1) July 20, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

And in the meantime, various states, including Florida and Texas, are reviewing laws to determine whether they can divest investment funds, such as public pensions, from Unilever for boycotting Israel. <\/p>\n

There are 35 US states that have signed laws that are aimed at preventing state funds from investing in companies that boycott Israel. <\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Israel\u2019s ambassador to the US Gilad Erdan sent a letter to the governors of those states calling on them to take action against Unilever for Ben & Jerry\u2019s announcement.\n <\/p><\/div>\n