By Chris Menahan
Unilever CEO Alan Jope, the head of one of the biggest multinational corporations in the world, wrote a letter on Tuesday to Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt begging for forgiveness over Ben and Jerry’s independent decision to end sales in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and pledging his full commitment to Israel.
Greenblatt responded by thanking Jope for his “unequivocal stance rejecting the BDS movement” but said they nonetheless “still urge Unilever to do whatever it can to convince the Ben and Jerry’s board to change its position.”
Senior officials from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations “said they appreciate Unilever’s commitment to continue doing business in Israel, though their response doesn’t go far enough,” Haaretz reported. “They encouraged the company to use its reported legal ability to override Ben & Jerry’s decision, praising the numerous state authorities investigating whether the decision violates anti-BDS laws.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) moved last week to blacklist and sanction Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s to punish them for “boycotting Israel.”
Why is an American governor threatening sanctions on an American company for boycotting a foreign regime?
If you followed me since 2019 you know exactly why. Most Republicans serve a foreign nation & pass anti 1st-Amendment speech/protest laws for them. https://t.co/iNLrTkhHhR
— An0maly (@LegendaryEnergy) July 24, 2021
Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford (R) demanded local authorities “immediately block the sale of all #Benandjerrys in the state and in any state-operated facility to align with” Oklahoma’s anti-boycott of Israel law.
We should immediately block the sale of all #Benandjerrys in the state and in any state-operated facility to align with our law.
— Sen. James Lankford (@SenatorLankford) July 21, 2021
All that stuff conservatives tell us about the “free market” and the importance of being “free to choose” goes completely out the window when it comes to opposing the state of Israel.
American companies and the American people have no right to boycott Israel and no right to choose not to sell their products in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
You can boycott states in America, American companies and America itself all you’d like but if you boycott Israel you’re going to have hell to pay!
Imagine if conservatives fought this hard for America!
Con Inc Declares Total War On Ben And Jerry’s For ‘Not Loving Israel Enough’ https://t.co/QwJv2aXRfH
— Chris Menahan 🇺🇸 (@infolibnews) July 23, 2021
This article originally appeared on Information Liberation.