Israel/Palestine

Mosby

(17,585 posts) Sat Jul 31, 2021, 11:49 AM Jul 2021

Top German Foundation Dedicated to Fighting Neo-Nazis Condemns Ben & Jerry's 'Antisemitic' West Bank

A leading liberal German foundation dedicated to fighting far-right agitation against immigrants has forcefully condemned ice cream manufacturers Ben & Jerry’s for their “antisemitic” boycott of Israeli communities in the West Bank.

In an open letter to the company’s board published on Wednesday, the Amadeu Antonio Stiftung decried the move. “We cannot comprehend the decision to boycott Israel in this way,” the letter stated. “We are especially disappointed that the company is following the line of the antisemitic BDS boycott movement.”

...

boycott … neither advances the peace process, nor does it make life easier for Palestinians. On the contrary, it deepens tensions and aggression and further hardens the fronts,” it argued. “The boycott of your products — in the West Bank, of all places — shows how little thought is really given to the Arab population. Palestinians, of all people, can no longer buy your ice cream. What’s the point? What use is that to them? What do you wish to achieve with this?”

The foundation also expressed dismay that the decision in favor of a boycott was taken amid a climate of rising antisemitism globally.

“For years now, antisemitism has again been displayed more openly. It’s becoming increasingly aggressive, and disparate groups are uniting over their common denominator: a hatred of Jews,” the letter asserted. “It’s not only the far right: antisemitism also comes from the middle of society, from radical Islamic circles and from so-called critics of Israel on the left.”

https://www.algemeiner.com/2021/07/30/top-german-foundation-dedicated-to-fighting-neo-nazis-condemns-ben-jerrys-antisemitic-west-bank-boycott/

6 replies

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Highlight:

Top German Foundation Dedicated to Fighting Neo-Nazis Condemns Ben & Jerry's 'Antisemitic' West Bank (Original Post) Mosby Jul 2021 OP

When SodaStream was pressured into moving madaboutharry Jul 2021 #1

Gush Shalom presents: Settlement Products Wiki Israeli Aug 2021 #5

Two things can be true at the same time. madaboutharry Aug 2021 #6

Ben & Jerrys sold out to Multinationalist Corporate UNILEVER Budi Jul 2021 #2

Here's the deeper Corporate Political problem, & has nothing to do with ice cream. Budi Jul 2021 #3

Watch who Ben & Jerrys supports Politically in the US. Budi Jul 2021 #4

madaboutharry

(41,384 posts)

1. When SodaStream was pressured into moving

Reply to Mosby (Original post)

Sat Jul 31, 2021, 12:07 PM

Jul 2021

the factory back into Israeli borders, hundreds of Palestinians lost jobs that paid 2 and 3x what they could earn elsewhere in the West Bank. One man angrily told a reporter “What good does this do any of us?”

Israeli

(4,310 posts)

5. Gush Shalom presents: Settlement Products Wiki

Reply to madaboutharry (Reply #1)

Sun Aug 1, 2021, 03:32 AM

Aug 2021

a systematic informational research about businesses in the settlements and their products; businesses that have left the settlements and relocated to within the Green Line; and the misleading tactics with which businesses attempt to cover up and conceal their location in the settlements.

http://settlement-products.wikia.com/

"In recent years the settlers have been portraying themselves as the patrons of the Palestinian workers. Spokespersons for the settlers in the political arena routinely bemoan the fate of the Palestinian workers in the settlements, who might lose their jobs as the result of steps such as marking settlement products in Europe. However, perusing the Orange Pages directory, which is published by the settlers for the purpose of their own internal communications, reveals a picture that is quite the opposite," said Adam Keller, Gush Shalom spokesperson. The Gush Shalom team of volunteers, which has been working for the last few months on an extensive project to gather and list information about the factories and businesses in the settlements, discovered many businesses that openly proclaim their policy of not employing Arab workers - "the work is performed by Jewish workers only, "Hebrew labor!!!" (exclamation points in the original), "Hebrew labor from A to Z", "Produced by high quality Hebrew labor", "Do you require Hebrew labor? You've come to the right place!", "Reliability, dedication, good service and Hebrew labor", "Gracious service, Hebrew labor from the heart", and also paradoxical statements, such as "Hebrew labor, French speaking". It is obvious that among the target audience in the settlements, a business that employs only Jews and has a policy of excluding Arabs is attractive to potential clients."

Continued at : http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/events/1459092710/

madaboutharry

(41,384 posts)

6. Two things can be true at the same time.

Reply to Israeli (Reply #5)

Sun Aug 1, 2021, 06:41 AM

Aug 2021

There can be bad and wrong policies used by some. I was discussing one specific company that did it fact employ many Palestinian workers.

Budi

(15,325 posts)

2. Ben & Jerrys sold out to Multinationalist Corporate UNILEVER

Reply to Mosby (Original post)

Sat Jul 31, 2021, 12:16 PM

Jul 2021

Unilever plc is a British multinational consumer goods company headquartered in London, England. Unilever products include food, condiments, ice cream, wellbeing vitamins, minerals and supplements, tea..

Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever since 2000, is available in 35 countries globally

🤭 B & J's can drop the grassroots progressive schtick now.

Budi

(15,325 posts)

3. Here's the deeper Corporate Political problem, & has nothing to do with ice cream.

Reply to Mosby (Original post)

Sat Jul 31, 2021, 12:24 PM

Jul 2021

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.jpost.com/israel-news/ben-and-jerrys-is-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-a-meltldown-is-coming-675291/amp

Good read that reveals the political bias & internal stride to hurry & 'fix it' to avoid sanctions, because of UNILEVER's political choice of involvement in their Israel/Palestinian personal interjection.

SNIP
"The reality is much uglier."
"And I say this only because, for all its social-justice grandstanding, B&J has focused all its energy on Israel. Only Israel.
A question sent more than a week ago to the Unilever (Ben & Jerry’s parent company) media office asking specifically whether any other such boycotts have been considered by the company, or implemented, anywhere – in the whole wide world – has gone unanswered.

SNIP
IT WAS clear as day that of the 35 states with such legislation, more than a few would bite. And they have.
Several have announced they will be reviewing the nature of the boycott along with the investment standards set out in their state legislation.
A letter sent to Mr. Jope (Unilever) on July 23 from Liz Gordon, executive director of corporate governance in the Office of the State Comptroller of New York lay down the gauntlet.
Ms. Gordon oversees conduct of administrators of the New York State Common Retirement Fund investment portfolio.

The third-largest fund of its kind in the US, it is invested in assets on behalf of more than one million members, and in 2016 adopted a policy to address the BDS issue.

BDS activities may include actions that are intended to penalize, inflict harm on or limit commercial relations with the State of Israel.

Such conduct, in turn, may constitute a “threat to Israel, its economy and, as a result, the Fund’s investments.” ...
More..
https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.jpost.com/israel-news/ben-and-jerrys-is-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-a-meltldown-is-coming-675291/amp

Budi

(15,325 posts)

4. Watch who Ben & Jerrys supports Politically in the US.

Reply to Mosby (Original post)

Sat Jul 31, 2021, 12:31 PM

Jul 2021

It is always anti-Isreal anti-semetic leaning candidates.

Unilever ran with B & J's political ball and stepped in a heap that could cost them dearly.

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