A dozen state attorneys general demanded that Ben & Jerry’s reverse its bocyott of Israel in the disputed territories, warning the company would continue to face financial consequences if it presses forward with its “economic warfare.”
“We, the attorneys general of our respective states, write today to express our grave concerns about Unilever’s decision to engage in a boycott of the State of Israel,” the attorneys general wrote in a letter to Ben & Jerry’s parent company, Unilever.
“Not only is Israel one of our nation’s closest and most reliable allies,” the letter continued, “but it is also the only democratic nation in the region and has long been a force for peace and stability,”
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Missouri joined the letter.
Several of these states have already taken action against Ben & Jerry’s. New York, New Jersey, Texas, Arizona, and Florida announced earlier this year that they would withdraw hundreds of millions of dollars in pension investments from Unilever, and others have begun to enforce anti-Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions laws against the company.
The attorneys general pointed out in their letter that Israel is the only country that Ben & Jerry’s has targeted, which looks a lot like “corporate anti-Semitism.”
“If Unilever is so interested in virtue-signaling, why not announce a boycott of countries like China, Russia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, or especially Iran, who has promised the complete destruction of Israel?” Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt wrote.
“As the chief legal officers of our states, we are charged with defending the laws passed by our state legislatures,” the letter continued, “and we also count it a high honor with the State of Israel against any and all illegal attempts by global corporations to engage in economic warfare against our ally.”
