Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked wrote to Christians United for Israel (CUFI) chairman Pastor John Hagee calling on CUFI to fight back against Ben & Jerry's boycott of Judea and Samaria.
"Dear Pastor Hagee and Ms. Diana Hagee," Shaked wrote, "as leaders of the movement to mobilize Christian support for the State of Israel, you have done so much to strengthen the Jewish State, and
to defend it from those who seek its delegitimization and destruction. As you well know, Israel is under attack from the anti-Semitic and terror-linked BDS campaign, which has recently succeeded in convincing Ben and Jerry’s to implement a discriminatory boycott against Jews living in their biblical homeland."
"Following BDS pressure, Ben and Jerry’s has declared that allowing its ice cream to be sold throughout the Land of Israel and Jerusalem is “inconsistent with its values”. By choosing to adopt a boycott against
Israel, while not taking similar measures in other areas of political tension, Ben and Jerry’s is employing double standards against the world’s only Jewish state," Shaked wrote.
"As I am sure you will agree, we must not be silent in the face of such an outrageous decision. We must make clear to Ben and Jerry’s, to its parent company, Unilever, and to all those seeking to delegitimize
Israel, that such actions are unacceptable and have consequences.
"I ask you to take firm action to counter Ben and Jerry’s disgraceful boycott, including by ensuring the full implementation of national, state and local counter-BDS and counter-discrimination legislation. I
also ask you to declare that the churches, organizations and communities which you lead will choose to purchase other ice cream brands, until Ben and Jerry’s reverses its shameful decision to side with the forces of hate and conflict. Antisemitism should never be part of our menu!
"Thank you again for your unwavering support and dedication to Israel. May you continue to know only peace, health and joy, in line with the words of Psalm 122: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May those who love you prosper,” Shaked concluded.
CUFI has sent a letter to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar urging him to apply Texas' anti-BDS law to Ben & Jerry's and its parent company, Unilever, using the Lonestar State's economic power to compel the company to reverse its decision to boycott Judea and Samaria.
On Wednesday morning Shaked visited the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory in central Israel, in a public show of support for the Israeli franchisee of the popular ice cream brand while speaking out against the international company's decision against Judea and Samaria.
In response to the report of the letter sent by Shaked, CUFI spokesman Ari Morgenstern said to Arutz Sheva: "We received no such letter or anything of the kind".