NY Town to Enforce Anti-BDS Law Against Ben & Jerry’s

A town in Long Island, NY is looking to enforce their anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) law against Ben & Jerry’s and their parent company Unilever following their July 19 announcement they will cease operations in the “Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

Bruce Blakeman, City Councilman for Hempstead, announced in an open letter, “We stand with our Jewish neighbors against anti-Semitism and maintain a strong stance against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement. In fact, we were the first municipality in our region to adopt anti-BDS legislation, targeting the BDS movement that attempts to isolate Israel and other U.S. allies from the international community.” The law, which was adopted in 2016, bars the town from signing contracts with those that boycott Israel.

Ben & Jerry’s July 19 announcement shows that the ice cream company has an “anti-Israel stance,” Blakeman added, prompting the town “to cease any contracts and municipal business with Ben and Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever, as we [deploy] our strong anti-BDS legislation and demonstrate our commitment to Israel.” Blakeman, along with Town Supervisor Don Clavin and other community members, will be making an announcement at 10 a.m. EST on July 22 at Hempstead Town Hall.

Breaking: The Town of Hempstead in Long Island is moving to cut ties and municipal contracts with .@benandjerrys & parent company @Unilever after B&J targets Israel for #BDS.@TOHClavin @HempsteadTown @councilman_a Bruce Blakeman showing leadership. pic.twitter.com/gw55kyillo

— Chaskel Bennett (@ChaskelBennett) July 21, 2021

Stop Antisemitism tweeted that the announcement was “wonderful.” “Thank you @HempsteadTown for standing against antisemitism!”

Wonderful news – a town in New York has announced it will be enforcing their anti-BDS laws and will be stopping all contracts and municipal business with @benandjerrys(owned by @Unilever @unileverusa)

Thank you @HempsteadTown for standing against antisemitism! https://t.co/Q4gvTkW0xv

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) July 21, 2021

Sussex Friends of Israel similarly tweeted, “Dear @benandjerrys, You ain’t seen nothing yet! Bravo Hempstead. You are [heroes].”

Dear @benandjerrys,
You ain’t seen nothing yet!

Bravo Hempstead. You are hero’s. pic.twitter.com/nyZMPKnVx4

— Self Declared Zionists (@SussexFriends) July 21, 2021

Jason Greenblatt, former White House Middle Easty Envoy, also tweeted: “Bravo @HempsteadTown for taking the right stand in the Ben & Jerry’s-Unilever scandal. I hope other towns, states etc around the US follow your lead, including my own town, county & state in NJ. Meanwhile I’m enjoying other (kosher) ice cream brands.”

Bravo @HempsteadTown for taking the right stand in the Ben & Jerry's-Unilever scandal. I hope other towns, states etc around the US follow your lead, including my own town, county & state in NJ. Meanwhile I'm enjoying other (kosher) ice cream brands. Yum! https://t.co/SO6TE6m6WX

— Jason D. Greenblatt (@GreenblattJD) July 21, 2021

Israeli Ambassador to the United States and United Nations Gilad Erdan issued a letter to U.S. governors urging them to enforce their anti-BDS laws against Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever; currently, 33 states have such laws. George Mason International Law Professor Eugene Kontorovich argued in a July 21 Wall Street Journal op-ed that “in about a dozen states, state employees’ pension funds will be barred from investment in Unilever. In many other states, government entities will be barred from buying goods or services from Unilever. Moreover, since the 1970s, federal law has banned U.S. companies from participating in foreign boycotts of any country. If it turns out that the Palestinian Authority contacted Ben & Jerry’s or its officers and asked them to boycott, criminal penalties would be available against Unilever.”