New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli announced on October 28 that the state will be divesting from its $110 million in Unilever holdings over Ben & Jerry’s Israel decision.
Ben & Jerry’s had announced in July that they are going to cease doing business in the “Occupied Palestinian Territory”; Unilever is the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s. Unilever CEO Alan Jope has stated that the company does not support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and does not plan to ever support it.
Nevertheless, DiNapoli’s office concluded that Ben & Jerry’s Israel decision amounted to “BDS activities” and will therefore be divesting its state pension funds from Unilever. New Jersey and Arizona have also announced that they will be divesting from Unilever over the matter.
Jewish groups praised DiNapoli’s decision.
“Comptroller DiNapoli has demonstrated that boycotting Israel has consequences,” American Jewish Committee Chief Legal Officer Marc Stern said in a statement. “Unilever’s failure to undo Ben & Jerry’s misguided decision to stop selling its ice cream in the West Bank contravenes state government laws across the United States.”
The Simon Wiesenthal Center tweeted praise for DiNapoli’s announcement against Ben & Jerry’s “illegal boycott of East Jerusalem and West Bank.”
SWC hails announcement by @NYSComptroller Tom DiNapoli that its pension fund will divest from @Unilever over @benandjerrys illegal boycott of East Jerusalem and West Bank. https://t.co/GaIGFiSDfS
— SimonWiesenthalCntr (@simonwiesenthal) October 29, 2021
Stop Antisemitism tweeted to Jope, “Boycotts work both ways.”
Today NY State announced the restriction of $111 million in @Unilever assets over @benandjerrys antisemitic BDS boycott.
Last month NJ and Arizona announced the divestment of $168 million and $153 million, respectively, in Unilever assets.
Boycotts work both ways @alanjope
— StopAntisemitism.org (@StopAntisemites) October 29, 2021
StandWithUs Co-Founder and CEO Roz Rothstein urged Unilever in a tweet to overrule Ben & Jerry’s Israel decision. “You can, and you should. Before this gets worse.” Rothstein had written a letter to Unilever earlier on October on behalf of StandWithUs and the Israeli-American Coalition for Action arguing that Unilever actually has the power under their contractual agreement with Ben & Jerry’s to veto them on this matter.
New York pulls $111M in pension funds from Ben & Jerry's over boycott of Israel-occupied territories
UNILEVER: Reverse the Ben & Jerry's Boycott of #Israel @unileverusa @benandjerrys You can, and you should. Before this gets worse. https://t.co/uczJsAr2i5 via @nypost— Roz Rothstein (@RozRothstein) October 29, 2021
Former New York Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind, who heads the Americans Against Antisemitism watchdog, said in a video that New Yorkers are “grateful” for DiNapoli’s decision. “We are so proud of your actions and the actions of your office in doing the right thing,” he said, adding that Ben & Jerry’s Israel decision was “unacceptable.” But Hikind wanted to know why Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, hasn’t addressed it yet.
“What doesn’t she get that the comptroller clearly gets?” Hikind said. “What is she waiting for? Why isn’t she doing the right thing and divesting from Unilever, Ben & Jerry’s, that the state of New York does not purchase anything from them?”
I want to thank my friend @NYSComptroller Tom DiNapoli who followed through on his investigation of @Unilever and @benandjerrys for having the courage to do what’s right.
Governor @KathyHochul, when will you address your legal obligation to act on this matter? Do what’s right. pic.twitter.com/pWGkEZp77R
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) October 29, 2021
