The state of Texas joined other states in taking action against Unilever and Ben & Jerry's for their decision to stop catering to Israeli customers.
CBN News said Texas is now the fourth state that is taking action against the two companies who have decided to stop selling its products in communities of Israeli settlement. Texas has announced adding Unilever, whose subsidiary is Ben & Jerry's, to its "list of companies that boycott Israel."
In a statement released last September 23, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Glenn Hegar said the state's action is in line with its Government Code Chapter 808 that pertains to companies or institutions that "boycott Israel." Hegar revealed that the decision comes after much review and research on the said companies' actions on the matter.
"As with any of our listing decisions, my office, in cooperation with our research providers, carefully reviewed statements and activities by both Ben & Jerry's and Unilever before concluding that they are suitable candidates for the Texas list," Hegar explained.
"Texas law is clear on this issue, and my office has long supported Israel through our Israel bond holdings as well as our lists of scrutinized companies with ties to Iran and those with ties to foreign terrorist organizations," he added.
The term "boycott Israel" is defined as "refusing to deal with, terminating business activities with, or otherwise taking any action that is intended to penalize, inflict economic harm on or limit commercial relations specifically with Israel or with a person or entity doing business in Israel or in an Israeli-controlled territory."
The Texas list of "Companies That Boycott Israel" include ASN Bank NV, Betsah Invest SA, Cactus SA, Co-Operative Group Limited, DNB Bank ASA, Guloguz Dis Deposu Ticaret Ve Pazarlama Ltd, Karsten Farms, KLP Kapital Forvaltnigh AS, and Kommunal Landspensionkasse Gjensidig Forsikringsselskap.
Hegar's office also compiles a list of companies with "ties to Sudan," Iran, and "Foreign Terrorist Organizations," as well as identifies "Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations."
The "Boycott Israel" laws are said to be set in place against racial discrimination although there are those who contest it saying that governments could not force people against their First Amendment right of free speech. There are currently 33 states who have passed such laws and similar executive orders, which originated due to a campaign led by pro-Israel Christian groups.
Accordingly, Ben & Jerry's announced in July that it will discontinue an agreement with its Israeli franchisees for the selling of their products in "Occupied Palestinian Territory." The said announcement reportedly angered businesses owned by Jews and led Israel Ambassador Gilad Erdan to write to the different state governors to implement the Boycott Israel laws. This is despite the said Ben & Jerry's announcement being not clearly classified as covered by the said laws.
Ben & Jerry explained the announcement was not a boycott of Israel but had to do with the expiration of its agreement by end of 2022 with those it does business with in the West Bank of Jerusalem. It clarified it will still do business in the East Jerusalem even though both areas have been claimed as a future state by Palestinians.
Unilever, being the parent company, it the one liable to the state for violation of the said law according to Foundation for Defense of Democracies Senior Adviser Richard Goldberg.
"This is dead to rights because you have a very formal, explicit announcement from Ben & Jerry's announcing, very clearly, that they are taking a step to inflict harm on an Israeli company. There really never has been a clearer case, and so high-profile, for a statement that would violate the BDS laws," Goldberg said in an interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
