NEW YORK: Ben & Jerry’s was sued on Thursday by its longtime Israeli ice cream manufacturer, which said the company illegally severed their 34-year relationship after halting sales in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
Avi Zinger said Ben & Jerry’s refused to renew the license for his American Quality Products Ltd. because he would not abide by the company’s decision to stop selling its products in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and parts of East Jerusalem.
Ben & Jerry’s and its parent Unilever Plc declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed with the US District Court in Newark, New Jersey.
Founded in 1978 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in a renovated gas station, Ben & Jerry’s has long positioned itself as socially conscious, and retained independence to pursue that mission after being acquired by Unilever in 2000.
But the sales boycott announced in July sparked a backlash, including divestments by pension funds and accusations of anti-Semitism by some Jewish groups.
According to Thursday’s complaint, Ben & Jerry’s had “repeatedly promised” Zinger it would renew its license with his 169-employee company beyond its scheduled Dec. 31, 2022 expiration, but caved to pressure from Israel’s opponents.
Zinger, an Israeli citizen, said the only reason for the reversal was his “refusal to comply with their unlawful demand that plaintiffs violate Israeli law by boycotting parts of Israel.”
His lawsuit seeks an injunction maintaining the status quo until the case is resolved, plus unspecified damages.
Most countries consider Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories illegal, which Israel disputes.
In announcing the boycott, Ben & Jerry’s said selling ice cream in those territories was “inconsistent with our values.”
Ben & Jerry’s accounts for about 3 percent of the global ice cream market.
Cohen and Greenfield, who are Jewish, are not involved in Ben & Jerry’s operations.
They wrote in the New York Times in July that they supported Israel but opposed its “illegal occupation” of the West Bank.
The case is Zinger et al v Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc. et al, US District Court, District of New Jersey, No. 22-01154.
Ben & Jerry’s is sued by Israeli ice cream maker over boycott
https://arab.news/rrqm6
Ben & Jerry’s is sued by Israeli ice cream maker over boycott
- Avi Zinger said Ben & Jerry's refused to renew the license for his American Quality Products Ltd
- Ben & Jerry's accounts for about 3% of the global ice cream market
Who will triumph at the BAFTAs? ‘Hamnet’ has the home advantage
- ’Hamnet’ favored for BAFTA best film award
- ’One Battle After Another’ will pose strong challenge
LONDON:“Hamnet” could edge ahead of “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” to win the top prize at the BAFTAs, as the heartbreaker about Shakespeare, his wife Agnes and the death of their son is likely to win over British voters, experts said.
Action-packed dark comedy “One Battle After Another,” directed by US filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, leads the field with 14 nominations ahead of Sunday’s ceremony, followed by vampire thriller “Sinners,” which has received the most nods for next month’s Oscars.
But “Hamnet,” directed by previous Oscar winner Chloe Zhao and based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell, is the bookmakers’ favorite to take the best film award at the BAFTAs.
“I think it’s going to be about ‘Hamnet’,” said Tim Richards, founder and chief executive of Vue cinema group.
“’One Battle After Another’ is another extraordinary film, but ‘Hamnet’ ... just feels like the kind of movie that BAFTA will go for.”
The 79th British Academy Film Awards will be held in London on Sunday evening, hosted by Scottish actor, TV presenter and director Alan Cumming.
CHLOE ZHAO VERSUS PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
Ian Sandwell, movies editor at Digital Spy, said BAFTA loved to recognize its own.
“So I wouldn’t be surprised to see (’Hamnet’) walk away with best film and maybe even Chloe Zhao challenging Paul Thomas Anderson in director as well, and then the acting awards,” he said.
Richards said if “Hamnet” wins best film, Anderson could receive best director, or vice versa, as BAFTA divides the top awards between “two extraordinary films.”
For leading actress, Jessie Buckley is a shoo-in for her performance as Shakespeare’s wife, according to bookmakers.
Leading actor is harder to call, with Timothee Chalamet vying with Leonardo DiCaprio and Michael B. Jordan for their respective performances in “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners.”
Sandwell said Chalamet had been picking up awards, including a Golden Globe, in the run-up to the BAFTAs for the table-tennis movie “Marty Supreme.” “It would be his first (BAFTA), so it probably will happen,” he said.
But Sandwell said he would love to see Robert Aramayo walk away with the prize for his acclaimed performance as Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson in “I Swear.”
“Sometimes BAFTAs throw out a surprise in these leading actor categories to give it to a local lad, and it would be absolutely brilliant to see him win on the night,” he said.
In the supporting acting categories, the race is open but bookmakers currently favor Stellan Skarsgard and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas from Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value.”
One notable movie — “KPop Demon Hunters” — is not nominated because it did not have a theatrical release in Britain before it was available to stream on Netflix.
But the singing stars of the animated feature will perform their global hit “Golden” at the awards.
