The attorneys of Avi Singer, the owner and CEO of Ben & Jerrys Israel, today (Thursday) filed a lawsuit on his behalf in a court in New Jersey against Unilever Global, claiming that its demand not to sell the company's products in parts of Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria is against Israeli and American law. In his lawsuit, Singer asks the New Jersey court to intervene in the matter and determine that Unilever's requirement is contrary to American and Israeli law.
Avi Singer CEO of Ben & Jerrys in Israel, Photo: Arik Sultan
In July 2021, Unilever Global announced that it was demanding that Singer, who employs 169 workers in the periphery, stop selling parts of Jerusalem and the territories of Judea and Samaria, and in light of his refusal to demand - announced that the contract with him would not be renewed at the end of 2022.
Over the past six months, through cooperation with 33 U.S. states that have enacted anti-boycott laws on Israel, the State Department and Jewish communities have succeeded in getting states like New York, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Arizona and more to enforce boycott laws. Unilever which has led to the withdrawal of investments, holdings and pension funds worth about $ 1 billion so far.
Required to compensate, Unilever headquarters in Rotterdam, Photo: GettyImages
Meanwhile, Avi Singer's attorneys in the United States are asking the U.S. Federal Court to recognize the termination of Unilever's contract with Avi Singer as an illegal move.
In the lawsuit, Singer is asking the federal court to issue a restraining order against Unilever's request, thus allowing Singer to continue operating the Ben & Jerrys Israel plant, all over the country.
Also, in the coming weeks, Avi Singer's attorneys in the United States are expected to file a tort claim on his behalf in court to compensate for the enormous damages due to the termination of the contract after Singer's refusal to violate Israeli and American law.
The lawsuit was filed in New Jersey District Court, where Unilever's headquarters are located.
After the lawsuit was filed, CEO Avi Singer said: "The court is expected to prevent the termination of the contract with me following my refusal to accept Unilever's illegal demand, which is in complete violation of Israeli and American law.
"Unilever, which has suffered blow after blow since the scandalous and illegal declaration, will now have to face significant legal and public proceedings."
"The boycott of Israel comes at a heavy price and it is Unilever's time to recalculate the route and allow Ben & Jerrys Israel to continue selling ice cream in all parts of Israel. I call on Unilever's management: keep the ice cream out of politics," Singer concluded.
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