Republicans are calling for a boycott of Ben & Jerry’s following its announcement that it will cease selling its ice cream in Judea and Samaria, Fox News reported on Wednesday.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) urged Americans to "take a stand" against Ben & Jerry’s following the decision.
"I think it’s really important that Americans here send a message to Ben & Jerry’s by not buying their ice cream, quite frankly," Malliotakis said in an interview with former Democratic New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind. "To try to deprive people of their ice cream is really just outrageous and they shouldn’t be participating in what is the BDS movement."
In Pennsylvania, Republican State Rep. Aaron Kaufer called out the Unilever-owned ice cream makers and in a Tuesday letter urged the state’s governor, attorney general, and treasurer to enforce a law that prohibits the state from contracting with a firm unless it certifies that it will not engage in a boycott of a person or entity that does business within their jurisdiction.
The law specifically notes that it is in the interest of the US "to stand with Israel and other countries by promoting trade and commercial activities and to discourage policies that disregard that interest."
"Ben & Jerry’s surrendered to a continuous and aggressive campaign from extreme anti-Jewish and anti-Israel groups," Kaufer said in his letter, adding that Pennsylvania officials "must work together, enforce the law and stand with Israel."
Hikind, meanwhile, on Wednesday called for a boycott of other products manufactured by Unilever, which owns Ben & Jerry’s in the US.
“Our stand against UnileverUSA for their participation in BDS movement through Ben & Jerry’s must be taken to next level. Do not purchase Unilever products! Hellman’s mayo, Lipton tea, Dove soap & Axe. Say no to the anti-Semitic BDS. Anti-Semitism can’t be the flavor of the month,” he tweeted.
On Tuesday, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio criticized Ben & Jerry’s decision to boycott Judea and Samaria.
“I can say I will not be eating anymore Cherry Garcia for a while,” said de Blasio in a video shared on social media.
He called the company’s decision “sad.”
“I don’t know them well but I’ve met them over the years and I think they’re good people, with good values,” de Blasio said. “But this is a mistake. They shouldn’t do this.”
The mayor said that “BDS is a movement that will undermine peace in the Middle East.”
An online petition on change.org to boycott Ben & Jerry’s ice cream has garnered several thousand signatures.