What a Cluster indeed: A Vermont organization that advocates for the rights of the Palestinian people has called on Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to live up to its socially progressive values and stop doing business in Israel until the Israeli government “ends its occupation and colonization of Palestinian lands.”
On Thursday, Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel (VTJP) issued a report titled “Peace, Love and Occupation: Ben & Jerry’s Economic Complicity in Israel’s Military Occupation and Illegal Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
The 20-page white paper — the name is a play on Ben & Jerry’s marketing slogan, “Peace, Love and Ice Cream”— accuses the company of not remaining true to its social mission because it manufactures ice cream in Israel, then sells it in Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
The organization is calling on the South Burlington-based ice cream giant — owned by British-Dutch conglomerate Unilever — to stop manufacturing, marketing, catering and selling “Vermont’s Finest” in Israel and Jewish-only settlements. VTJP is also asking Ben & Jerry’s to issue a statement “calling for an end to Israel’s occupation and settlement enterprise” and to appeal to other socially responsible companies to do the same.
Friday morning, a Ben & Jerry’s spokesman issued a statement indicating that that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
The Israeli/Palestinian conflict is between two nations. VTPJ is not advocating for peace and justice, they are choosing a side. Others choose sides too, but can we all be honest about what we’re doing?
The annoyingly politically correct being bashed by the even zanier politically correct. What fun.