Ben & Jerry’s board of directors has called for a ‘permanent and immediate ceasefire’ in Gaza, risking a new row with parent company Unilever amid its long-running dispute over Israel.
‘Peace is a core value of Ben & Jerry’s,’ the company’s board chair Anuradha Mittal told the FT. ‘From Iraq to Ukraine [the company] has consistently stood up for these principles. Today is no different as we call for peace and a permanent and immediate ceasefire.’
The ice cream company said the statement had been made by its independent board, while Mittal said the board was confident its stance on the war was ‘consistent with the history and values of our company’.
It comes after the brand tried to stop sales of its popular ice cream in the occupied Palestinian territories in 2021, which Unilever resisted by selling the Israeli arm to a local licensee.
Ben & Jerry’s responded by taking the rare step of suing its subsidiary, but a US federal judge ruled the ice cream company had ‘failed to demonstrate’ the move to sell the goods in the areas caused it ‘irreparable harm.’
Mittal, who also runs progressive think tank the Oakland Institute, has shared a number of pro-Palestine posts since Israel launched its war in Gaza
!['Peace is a core value of Ben & Jerry's,' the company's board chair Anuradha Mittal told the FT](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/16/16/80090639-12969517-image-a-8_1705421988349.jpg)
‘Peace is a core value of Ben & Jerry’s,’ the company’s board chair Anuradha Mittal told the FT
![The ice cream company said the statement had been made by its independent board](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/16/16/80089153-12969517-The_ice_cream_company_said_the_statement_had_been_made_by_its_in-a-1_1705421906967.jpg)
The ice cream company said the statement had been made by its independent board
This was despite the company saying sales in the West Bank and elsewhere were ‘inconsistent with our values.’
Mittal, who also runs progressive think tank the Oakland Institute, has shared a number of pro-Palestine posts since Israel launched its war in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7 attacks, which saw around 1,200 Israelis killed.
More than 24,000 people have been killed in the Israeli bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza in the last 100-plus days, according to the Hamas authorities.
Earlier this month, Mittal shared a video of a sit-in protest against the killing of Palestinian civilians, captioning the post ‘we are shutting it down’ in reference to the California Assembly.
She has also got a Twitter banner which reads ‘Cease Fire Now! Solidarity with Gaza’ and has shared posts saying the US is complicit in relentless Israeli bombing.
Ben & Jerry’s said in a statement: ‘We are aware that the Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board of Directors has released a statement in support of peace and a ceasefire in Gaza.
‘The statement is on behalf of the independent Board and the company has no additional comment at this time.
‘Ben & Jerry’s has a long history of supporting peace and peace building.’
The independence of the Ben & Jerry’s board was enshrined when the company, which is known for its iconic ice cream flavours like Phish Food and Cookie Dough, was bought by Unilever in 2000.
The company has gained a reputation for activism, partnering with the likes of Stephen Colbert, Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapinoe and ‘Squad’ Congresswoman Cori Bush.
![Smoke billows after an Israeli strike over Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on December 20, 2023 (file image)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/16/16/80089151-12969517-Smoke_billows_after_an_Israeli_strike_over_Rafah_in_the_southern-a-2_1705421906969.jpg)
Smoke billows after an Israeli strike over Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on December 20, 2023 (file image)
In September of 2021, they debuted a flavor in support of a $10 billion bill by Rep. Bush that would replace police officers with social workers and other first responders in incidents of mental health and substance abuse.
The cold brew-flavored ice cream, complete with marshmallow swirls and fudge brownies, was developed in partnership with black-owned coffee and tea company Blk & Bold and New York’s Greyston Bakery, known for its brownies.
‘The flavor supports the vision of the world in which every community is safe and everyone including black and brown people can thrive,’ said the company’s ‘head of activism’ Jabari Pall.
Ben & Jerry’s also partnered with the Movement for Black Lives for the new flavor.
In 2020, the company teamed up with former NFL star Colin Kaepernick for a nonfat frozen yogurt called Change the Whirled. Proceeds went to his social justice organization Know Your Rights Camp.
Its popular Chubby Hubby flavor was renamed ‘Hubby Hubby’ in 2009 in support of Vermont legalizing gay marriage.
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