Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee and leading state financial officers are calling on Unilever to reverse Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream’s recent economic boycott of Israel.
“I was proud to lead Arizona as the first state in a national effort to divest from woke company Ben & Jerry’s for their anti-Semitic, discriminatory boycott of Israel, divesting $143 million in September,” said Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee.
However, recent legal analysis indicated that Unilever, as the parent company, can override the decision made by Ben & Jerry’s as its subsidiary.
In the letter to the Unilever Board, Treasurer Yee along with Treasurers from six other states wrote: “Your company has sought to deflect responsibility for Ben & Jerry’s boycott by suggesting that you have no authority over your subsidiary’s decision in this case. Key legal experts have recently attested to Unilever’s authority and discretion after reviewing the Ben & Jerry’s acquisition agreement…We, the undersigned, respectfully request a response that provides full clarification and transparency regarding Unilever’s ability to override the discriminatory boycott of Israel initiated by Ben & Jerry’s in light of the aforementioned letter and an explanation of why Unilever has yet to do so.”
“This is an example of how radical, woke politics can lead companies down the slippery slope of anti-Semitic, discriminatory efforts against Israel. Divesting Arizona public funds from Unilever holds these companies accountable for their actions. Arizona won’t do business with companies that exhibit discriminatory behavior, especially when it is an attack on America’s longtime ally and friend Israel. It is time for Unilever to divest itself from Ben & Jerry’s,” said Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee.