State Department: “We Firmly Reject” BDS

A spokesperson for the State Department said during a July 20 press briefing that the State Department “firmly rejects” the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

The spokesperson, Ned Price, was asked about the Biden administration’s take on the recent announcement from Ben & Jerry’s to stop selling their products to Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“I don’t have a reaction to offer regarding the actions of a private company, but more broadly, what I will say is that we firmly reject the BDS movement which unfairly singles out Israel,” Price said. “While the Biden-Harris administration will fully and always respect the First Amendment rights of our citizens of the American people, the United States will be a strong partner in fighting efforts around the world that potentially seek to delegitimize Israel and will work tirelessly to support Israel’s further integration into the international community.”

https://twitter.com/AdamMilstein/status/1417636671999385603?s=20

The American Jewish Committee praised the State Department in a tweet. “We thank the @StateDept for its steadfast opposition to the BDS movement, which is rooted in antisemitism. Antisemitism must be rejected in all its forms, including anti-Zionism.”

We thank the @StateDept for its steadfast opposition to the BDS movement, which is rooted in antisemitism.

Antisemitism must be rejected in all its forms, including anti-Zionism.https://t.co/E2L2RYBIsj

— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 21, 2021

Price’s remarks come after Ben & Jerry’s issued a statement on July 19 stating that “it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and they would be staying “in Israel through a different arrangement.” However, Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board of Directors released their own statement saying that their parent company, Unilever, didn’t ask them for approval for the part of the statement regarding staying in Israel.

Various grocery stores and supermarkets have since announced that they will stop selling Ben & Jerry’s products from their respective stores.