Unilever chief says company 'fully committed' to Israel

The chief executive of Unilever has distanced himself from the decision by the company's Ben & Jerry's ice cream brand to stop serving Israel's West Bank settlements

JERUSALEM -- The chief executive of Unilever on Thursday said the global consumer goods giant remains “fully committed” to doing business in Israel, distancing himself from this week’s announcement by the company’s Ben & Jerry’s ice cream brand to stop serving Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem. But CEO Alan Jope gave no indication that Unilever would force Ben & Jerry’s to roll back its controversial decision. The Ben & Jerry’s announcement is one of the strongest steps by a well-known company against Israel’s settlements, which are widely seen by the international community as illegal. The Israeli government has condemned the decision, accusing the company of joining a Palestinian-led boycott campaign against Israel. It has urged 35 American states with anti-boycott laws to punish Unilever. In a conference call with investors, Jope said that Ben & Jerry’s, which has a long history of social activism, had made the decision on its own.