Israeli task force to create political, consumer and media pressure on Ben & Jerry’s
A display of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream
Michael Arria reports in Mondoweiss:
Ben & Jerry’s announced that it would stop selling ice cream in illegal Israeli settlements over a week ago but hysterical reactions to the news show no signs of stopping.
This week Axios reported that Israel had formed a special task force designed to pressure Ben & Jerry’s, and its parent company Unilever, into backing down. A classified Foreign Ministry cable seen by Axios declared, “We need to make use of the 18 months that are left until the decision comes into force and try to change it. We want to create long-term pressure on Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s by consumers, politicians, and in the press and social media in order to lead to a dialogue with the companies.”
Among other actions the memo reportedly tells Israeli diplomats “to encourage Jewish organizations, pro-Israel advocacy groups and evangelical communities to organize demonstrations in front of Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever offices” in an effort to pressure the corporations and their investors.
The Axios report also asserts that the Israeli Embassy in Washington and the Israeli Consulates pushed for states to implement their anti-BDS laws if possible and help pressure the company politically. On Twitter J Street Vice President Dylan Williams pointed out that such a call might have “possible Foreign Agents Registration Act implications if any of the US groups acted on the request.”