The company announced last July it would no longer sell its ice cream in the occupied Palestinian territories, saying it was "inconsistent with our values," although it said it would sell its products in Israel.
In this file July 20, 2021, photo, trucks are parked at the Ben & Jerry's ice-cream factory in the Be'er Tuvia Industrial area in Israel.
(Tsafrir Abayov / AP)
Ben & Jerry's has lost its bid to block its parent company Unilever from selling its ice cream in Israel occupied West Bank, which the US firm said would run counter to its values.
The company, known for its political activism, took the unusual step of seeking an injunction after London-based Unilever announced it had sold its interest in the ice cream to an Israeli license-holder.
However, a US federal judge ruled on Monday the ice cream company had "failed to demonstrate" that the move to sell the goods in the Israeli-occupied settlements caused it "irreparable harm."
In July last year, Vermont-based Ben & Jerry's announced it would no longer sell its ice cream in occupied Palestine's territories, which Israel seized in 1967, saying it was "inconsistent with our values," although it said it would keep selling its products in Israel.
However, Israeli license-holder Avi Zinger had continued to produce the ice cream in his factory in the suburbs of Tel Aviv and distribute it to the Israeli settlements, going against the company's decision.
Hundreds of thousands of Jewish settlers live in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem in communities found illegal under international law.
READ MORE: Why Ben & Jerry's decision scares the fudge out of Israel's leaders
Why is Ben & Jerry's ending sales in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories? pic.twitter.com/cqvFfo9NPt
US court: Too speculative
On July 5, Ben & Jerry's asked that any agreement allowing distribution or sale of its products in the occupied West Bank be dissolved and that any further such transaction go before its board of directors to be given a green light.
Unilever's decision was "made without the consent of Ben & Jerry's Independent Board," and goes against the merger agreement that gave the board the ability to protect the founder's values and reputation, the complaint said.
However, US District Court Judge Andrew Carter Jr in Manhattan said the idea the company's messaging could be marred or customers could become confused about its core values was "too speculative."
Founded in the United States in 1978, Ben & Jerry's is known for championing progressive causes, including protecting the environment and promoting human rights, and has frequently released special ice cream flavours to support causes or in protest.
Contacted by AFP news agency on Monday, Ben & Jerry's declined to immediately comment on the decision.
Unilever did not respond to an AFP request for comment.
Source: AFP
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, from the regional Janata Dal (United) party, resigns after his party colleagues recommended leaving the coalition with Bharatiya Janata Party.
The BJP is still expected to win the 2024 general election for a third straight term unless disparate opposition parties are able to come together to overcome Modi's popularity.
(Ajit Solanki / File / AP)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party has lost power in Bihar, the third most populous state in India, after its regional ally broke ranks to join an opposition alliance that now has the majority to form the next government.
Bihar sends the fourth most number of elected lawmakers to parliament and Tuesday's fall in government in the state is a rare setback for Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which dominates politics in the country.
Bihar's coalition collapsed ahead of the 2024 general election, which the BJP is still expected to win for a third straight term unless disparate opposition parties are able to come together to overcome Modi's popularity.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, from the regional Janata Dal (United) party, told reporters he resigned after his party colleagues recommended exiting the BJP coalition.
He accused the BJP of trying to undermine his party, a charge the BJP denied.
Kumar said his new alliance, with the regional Rashtriya Janata Dal as its biggest constituent, had a comfortable majority and that a new government would be form ed soon.
The BJP said Kumar had betrayed it and the people of Bihar, after having together won the last state election in 2020.
The BJP coalition won 39 out of the 40 parliamentary seats in Bihar in the 2019 general election, helping Modi win one of the biggest mandates in India in decades.
"I am sure the people of Bihar will teach Nitish Kumar a lesson," said state BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal.
"We will keep fighting. We will not only do well in 2024, but also win more than two-thirds of the total assembly seats in the next state election in 2025."
