Ben & Jerry’s: Cold war
Indigenous rights belong to those who are the indigenous peoples, defined by Wikipedia as “the original people of a land that has been conquered and colonized by outsiders.” The native people of the land of Israel are of course the Jews. Although our homeland has been conquered and occupied by the Romans, Crusaders, Arabs and others, we are still here on our sacred ground fighting for our native rights.
By trampling on our inalienable rights and siding with the Arab colonizers, Ben & Jerry’s proves yet again how morally confused they are.
Now they declare (“Ben & Jerry’s melts under BDS pressure to stop selling in settlements,” July 20) that they will boycott the communities in parts of Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria where we, the native people, live, but will continue to peddle their unhealthy product only in those areas of our homeland where Jews cannot live.
If that is their misguided decision, I suggest that in true Ben & Jerry’s style, they add flavors celebrating their immoral stand that will be popular in those areas, such as Bus-Bombing Berry, Pay-toSlay Pecan, Qassam Rocket Raspberry, Incendiary Balloon Boysenberry, Terror Tunnel Tutti Frutti, Pineapple ExPLOsion, Chubby Hamas... the possibilities are endless and exciting – although they all leave a bad taste in your mouth.
FAY REDNICK Jerusalem
So International Ben & Jerry’s won’t market their products in the so-called “occupied Palestinian territories” (OPT). This is being hailed as a great victory for the BDS movement.
Wrong. If this is the best BDS can do after years of furious activism, we, Israel, are in good shape indeed. For now, Israel Ben and Jerry’s will continue to market the ice cream everywhere and there are other delicious brands as well, such as Haagen-Dazs, Turkey Hill, the healthier Halo Top (only 280-360 calories per pint; try their Black Cherry – unbelievable).
As usual, the Palestinians will suffer most – another BDS-inspired nail in their delusional coffin that “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea.” Palestine will begin to be free only when their delusional leaders climb out of their black holes, relinquish their grandiose dreams and perhaps have a pint of ice cream. Live a little rather than promote death and destruction.
YIGAL HOROWITZ, PHD
Beersheba
What a juxtaposition. The same day that Ben & Jerry’s announces the boycott of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, our peace partner, the PA, is charging one of its citizens with the crime of “normalizing with Israel” for performing in Ariel to a group of Palestinian workers (whom the PA called “settlers and prostitutes”).
Now that the ice cream maker has set themselves up as arbiters of all that’s good, maybe they can also wade into other land disputes across the globe, and free up the folk at ICC to begin learning to make ice cream.
DAVID SMITH
Ra’anana
My guess is that Ben & Jerry’s will ultimately realize their mistake after getting bogged down in legal, financial and image repercussions that they – in their innocent and misguided idealism – didn’t anticipate, and will abandon their effort, like Airbnb did, to discriminate against certain Jews.
This will harm the racist BDS movement, as other companies wishing to harm Israel with a boycott because they are imbued with irrational falsehood-based Israel hatred will learn the lesson and realize that it is in their own best interest not to act out their fantasies.
Meanwhile, I urge all American readers – Jews and Christians – to stand up for the truth and what is morally right. Stop buying Ben & Jerry’s (there are so many yummy and more economical alternatives in US supermarkets) and write to that company and to your congressmen to make your feelings known.
ELAINE MILLER
Ashdod