The independent board of directors of ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s accuses parent company Unilever of thwarting action for Palestine, despite agreements between the two. A complaint was filed with the court.
Ben & Jerry’s wanted to launch a public call for a ceasefire in Gaza, but according to the company, this was stopped four times by Unilever. However, agreements had been made that the branch could follow its own social policy, according to documents that the council submitted to a New York court on Wednesday. Unilever is said to have even threatened to dismantle the board and prosecute individual members. In addition, the British-Dutch food company also blocked a social media post showing support for Palestinians fleeing the conflict.
The head of Unilever’s ice cream division, Peter ter Kulve, says his company acted this way out of fear of the perception of anti-Semitism. “Our hearts go out to all the victims of the tragic events in the Middle East,” a spokesperson said. “We reject the claims made by Ben & Jerry’s and we will vigorously defend our case.”
A few years ago there was a stir when Ben & Jerry’s decided to no longer sell ice cream in the Israeli settlements on the West Bank. Israel then reacted furiously to the boycott and warned the American company of “serious consequences”. The whole issue eventually led to the ice cream division in Israel being sold to a local manufacturer.
Unilever is currently looking for a buyer for its entire ice cream division, which, in addition to Ben & Jerry’s, also includes the Magnum brand. Buyers may be deterred by making this conflict public, according to the financial news agency Bloomberg.