NEW YORK: The independent board of Ben & Jerry’s said the conflict in Gaza is a genocide, escalating a bitter feud between the ice cream maker and its longtime London-based corporate parent Unilever.
“Ben & Jerry’s believes in human rights and advocates for peace, and we join with those around the world who denounce the genocide in Gaza,” the board said in a statement viewed by Reuters. “We stand with all who raise their voices against genocide in Gaza — from petition-signers to street marchers to those risking arrest.”
Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s have been at odds since at least 2021 when the Chubby Hubby ice cream maker said it would stop selling in the Israel-occupied West Bank. Ben & Jerry’s sued its owner last year over its alleged attempts to silence it on Gaza and criticize US President Donald Trump. Its statement on Gaza is unusual for a major US brand.
A Unilever spokesperson said that the comments reflect the views of the independent social mission board of Ben & Jerry’s, and they do not speak for anyone other than themselves.
“We call for peace in the region and for relief for all those whose lives have been impacted,” the spokesperson said.
Unilever asked a US judge to dismiss Ben & Jerry’s lawsuit. The company is also in the process of separating out its ice cream business, including Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s, to an independent company this summer.
Ben & Jerry’s has said its year 2000 merger agreement with Unilever gave its independent board “primary responsibility” to pursue the company’s social mission. The crux of the dispute between Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever is how much leeway the board actually has.
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Unilever’s Ben & Jerry’s calls war in Gaza a ‘genocide’
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Unilever’s Ben & Jerry’s calls war in Gaza a ‘genocide’
- We stand with all who raise their voices against genocide in Gaza: statement
Spanish PM vows justice, defends rail safety after deadly accidents
- The back-to-back disasters in January shocked the country and raised doubts about the safety of train travel in Spain
MADRID: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez vowed Wednesday that justice would be done following two train accidents that claimed 47 lives last month, and insisted the country’s rail system “is safe.”
The back-to-back disasters in January shocked the country and raised doubts about the safety of train travel in Spain, which boasts the world’s second-largest high-speed network after China.
“The entire state is doing — and will continue to do — everything possible to support the injured and the victims’ families, clarify the causes of the accident, and, if necessary, ensure justice is done,” Sanchez told parliament.
Spain’s rail system “is not perfect, but it is safe,” the Socialist premier added, vowing to take all necessary measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Shock hit the rail sector after a collision between two high-speed trains in the southern region of Andalusia on January 18 resulted in the death of 46 people — one of Europe’s deadliest such disasters this century.
Two days later, a commuter train in the Barcelona region plowed into the rubble of a collapsed wall, killing the driver and injuring dozens.
The government reached a deal with railway unions on Monday to invest 1.8 billion euros ($2.1 billion) to improve maintenance, create 3,650 jobs, and strengthen public rail safety.
The agreement prompted unions to call off a three-day strike that had begun on Monday to demand greater safety for their profession.
The back-to-back disasters in January shocked the country and raised doubts about the safety of train travel in Spain, which boasts the world’s second-largest high-speed network after China.
“The entire state is doing — and will continue to do — everything possible to support the injured and the victims’ families, clarify the causes of the accident, and, if necessary, ensure justice is done,” Sanchez told parliament.
Spain’s rail system “is not perfect, but it is safe,” the Socialist premier added, vowing to take all necessary measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Shock hit the rail sector after a collision between two high-speed trains in the southern region of Andalusia on January 18 resulted in the death of 46 people — one of Europe’s deadliest such disasters this century.
Two days later, a commuter train in the Barcelona region plowed into the rubble of a collapsed wall, killing the driver and injuring dozens.
The government reached a deal with railway unions on Monday to invest 1.8 billion euros ($2.1 billion) to improve maintenance, create 3,650 jobs, and strengthen public rail safety.
The agreement prompted unions to call off a three-day strike that had begun on Monday to demand greater safety for their profession.
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