Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry'sצילום: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Australia’s main kosher certification agency announced on Wednesday that it will be delisting Ben & Jerry’s ice cream from its list of approved products after the company announced this week that it would no longer sell its products in Judea and Samaria, caving to the BDS movement.

While Ben & Jerry’s kosher certification was not Australian, the Kashrut Aurhority (KA) had placed Ben & Jerry’s on a list of approved products with outside kosher seals.

In a statement, KA said it will be removing the American ice cream company from the list.

“The KA has listed this brand and all kosher products within the range for many years,” KA said. “That ended this week with its deletion, in support of those who proudly reside in Yehuda ve Shomrom (Judea & Samaria).”

“Yes, this is a small stance on a global scale, but one we have chosen to make,” they added.

They noted that Ben & Jerry’s products sold in Australia are certified kosher by American provider KOF-K, and will continue to be kosher when removed from the list.

The KA also promoted a local alternative ice cream company that is KA-certified.

“Bravo to Kashrut Authority of Australia & NZ for showing solidarity with residents of Judea & Samaria, by revoking kashrut license from (Ben & Jerry’s) over their Israel boycott,” said Arsen Ostrovsky, an Israel and Middle East political commentator. “Communities around the world are showing they will not stand idle in wake of B&J’s actions!”

Besides the KA, which is based in the Australian state of New South Wales, there is also a Melbourne kosher authority that also issues a similar list of kosher products that it has not itself certified.

While the Melbourne authority has not commented on the Ben & Jerry’s situation, a larger kosher supermarket in Melbourne, Kosher Kingdom, said on Tuesday that it would no longer be selling Ben & Jerry’s products. Its remaining stock will be discounted, reported the Yeshiva World.