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Israel Orders Its Diplomats to Feud With Ben & Jerry’s

The country’s government is worried the ice cream company’s decision not to sell in occupied West Bank territory will set a precedent.

The government of Israel has formed a special task force devoted to its beef with Ben & Jerry’s, Axios reports. The ice cream maker announced earlier this month that it would stop selling its products in occupied West Bank territory starting in January 2023. The country’s government is worried the company’s decision will set a precedent and plans to mount a campaign to have the decision reversed. The Israeli Foreign Ministry relayed a classified message to its diplomatic outposts in the U.S., Canada, and Europe to begin to pressure Ben & Jerry’s and parent company Unilever. The directive also called for diplomats to engage Jewish organizations in condemning the ice cream company. The cable read, “We need to make use of the 18 months that are left until the decision comes into force and try to change it. We want to create long-term pressure on Unilever and Ben & Jerry's by consumers, politicians, and in the press and social media in order to lead to a dialogue with the companies.”