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Ben & Jerry’s Accuses Parent Company Unilever of Firing CEO Over Political Posts, Anti-Israel Activism

Tubs of ice cream are seen as a laborer works at a Ben & Jerry’s factory in Be’er Tuvia, Israel, July 20, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Ben & Jerry’s has accused parent company Unilever of firing its CEO in retaliation for the ice cream producer’s political activism on social media, which includes calling for a permanent ceasefire to end the Israel-Hamas war.

Ben & Jerry’s — which was founded in 1978 by Jewish childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield — and five directors of its independent board filed a lawsuit against Unilever and its US subsidiary, the New York-based corporation Conopco, in federal court in November 2024, claiming the companies are censoring its public advocacy. The ice-cream maker accused Unilever, a conglomerate based in London, and Conopco of violating its 2000 merger agreement, which created the independent board and gave it “primary responsibility for Social Mission Priorities and the Essential Integrity of the Brand.” Ben & Jerry’s has a history of outspoken advocacy on topics of social justice and human rights, including climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, and Black Lives Matter.

The Vermont-based ice cream company filed an amended complaint in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday that accused Unilever and Conopco of continuing to censor its political posts on social media. In one recent instance, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever “blocked” the company from posting a message in solidarity with pro-Hamas activist and former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil. Ben & Jerry’s wanted to write in support of free speech and link to a petition for Khalil’s release after he was arrested earlier this month by US authorities in accordance with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump cracking down on campus antisemitism and supporters of terrorist groups. Khalil’s deportation is pending a legal challenge by his lawyers.

Ben & Jerry’s also claimed Unilever stopped it from posting in December 2023 in support of a ceasefire to end the Israel-Hamas war that started two months earlier, after the deadly Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel. Unilever also allegedly stopped Ben & Jerry’s from posting on social media in support of Palestinian refugees in May 2024 because of the inappropriate timing of the message, since it would have coincided with an Iranian missile attack on Israel. Another claim is that Unilever did not let Ben & Jerry’s post in support of anti-Israel campus protests, which often turned violent, and their First Amendment rights in June 2024. Unilever’s response was that it had “reasonable concerns about the need to condemn the violence associated with the protests and support rights of Jewish students as well.”

“Unilever’s suppression of Ben & Jerry’s Social Mission has reached startling new levels of oppressiveness,” Ben & Jerry’s stated in its updated complaint this week. It also claimed Unilever was waging a “campaign of professional reprisals,” which led to the firing of Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever, who assumed the position in May 2023 after being a longtime tour guide for the company. Under Stever’s leadership, the company “outperformed Unilever’s ice cream portfolio” and was ranked #2 on the Brand 500 Authenticity Index in 2023 and 2024, according to Ben & Jerry’s.

“Contrary to their obligations under Section 6.14, Unilever has repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerry’s personnel, including CEO David Stever, should they fail to comply with Unilever’s efforts to silence the Social Mission. This month … Unilever followed through with their threats,” the lawsuit further stated.

Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever informed its board of directors about Stever’s firing on March 3, without following protocol outlined in the merger agreement, which says Unilever must consult with an advisory committee from the board before making decisions about the removal of a CEO. Ben & Jerry’s is accusing Unilever of removing Stever because of his “commitment to Ben & Jerry’s Social Mission and Essential Brand Integrity and his willingness to collaborate in good faith with the Independent Board, rather than any genuine concerns regarding his performance history.”

“Unilever has repeatedly failed to recognize and respect the Independent Board’ primary responsibility over Ben & Jerry’s Social Mission and Brand Integrity, including threatening Ben & Jerry’s personnel should the company speak out regarding issues which that Unilever prefers to censor,” stated the amended complaint this week. The lawsuit alleges that Unilever executives previously criticized Stever in his January 2025 performance review for “repeatedly acquiesce[ing] to the demands of the Independent Social Mission Board” by permitting certain social media posts.

Ben & Jerry’s wants the court to order Unilever to “prospectively respect and acknowledge” its independent board and its authority. It also wants Unilever to comply with the merger agreement and its policy regarding the appointment and firing of a CEO.

Ben & Jerry’s also claimed in its lawsuit this week that Unilever has violated its settlement agreement with the ice cream company by blocking its donations to two anti-Israel organizations: Jewish Voice for Peace and the Council on American Islamic Relations last year. Ben & Jerry’s is asking the court to order Unilever to pay the company $5 million that it will then disbursement to human rights and humanitarian organizations of its choosing.

Unilever defended itself by saying that it “exercised its right to withhold consent to donate” after researching JVP and CAIR, and discovering that both groups have made “made inflammatory comments” about the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre in Israel.

A plaintiff included in the lawsuit against Unilever is Anuradha Mittal, chairman of Ben & Jerry’s independent board of directors. When Bloomberg News previously visited her office, it reported that it is decorated with a “Free Palestine” placard and a poster of two Palestinian men embracing next to a barbed wire fence. The poster included a message in Arabic that said, “Support the Intifada.” In 2018, on Israel’s Independence Day, Mittal tweeted, “The catastrophe continues #Nakba70 years later #palestine bleeds Boycott Divest Sanctions #israel.”

On Wednesday, Unilever filed a motion to dismiss Ben and Jerry’s complaint. The British conglomerate claimed in part that Ben & Jerry’s independent board members do not have the right to bring lawsuits on behalf of the company. Also, Ben & Jerry’s did not allege that it suffered any damages as a result of Unilever’s alleged breach of the settlement agreement, Unilever added.

Unilever noted that its issues with Ben & Jerry’s are a “direct result” of the board’s decision to get involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and share its opinions so publicly “without any regard to the negative impact” on both companies. Unilever insisted that if anything, Ben & Jerry’s decision in 2021 to stop selling its products in Israeli territories resulted in “severe consequences” for both companies.

In July 2020, Ben & Jerry’s independent board unanimously passed a resolution to end distribution of Ben & Jerry’s products in eastern Jerusalem and in the West Bank. The company made the announcement a year later in July 2021, saying in a released statement: “We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

The announcement led to “multiple lawsuits” in the US and Israel targeting Unilever for being in violation of laws against the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, as well as accusations of antisemitism, “severe” sanctions, and the divestment of “hundreds of millions of dollars” in Unilever’s stock, Unilever claimed in its motion to dismiss on Wednesday.

“Unilever … continues — to this day — to suffer the consequences of that decision. B&J’s and/or Unilever still remain on at least nine states’ anti-BDS lists and Indonesia has a ‘fatwah’ on Unilever. These are just two examples of the world-wide response to the Board’s decision that have negatively impacted B&J’s and Unilever,” the company stated. “Unilever continues to support B&J’s and its social advocacy work. Over time, the social mission of B&J’s shifted, but in recent years it has come to a head as B&J’s seeks to advocate for one-sided, highly controversial, and polarizing topics that put Unilever, B&J’s, and their employees at risk.”

In 2022, Unilever sold its Ben & Jerry’s property rights to a local distributor in Israel, who resumed selling the ice cream products in eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank with Hebrew and Arabic labeling. Ben & Jerry’s sued Unilever for its actions. The 2022 lawsuit ended with a settlement agreement that requires Unilever to “respect and acknowledge the Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board’s primary responsibility over Ben & Jerry’s Social Mission and Essential Brand Integrity” and “work in good faith with the Independent Board to ensure that both are protected and furthered.”

The post Ben & Jerry’s Accuses Parent Company Unilever of Firing CEO Over Political Posts, Anti-Israel Activism first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Marco Rubio Says US Denying Visas to Foreigners ‘Celebrating’ Assassination of Charlie Kirk

Marco Rubio speaks after he is sworn in as Secretary of State by US Vice President JD Vance at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, DC, Jan. 21, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the US is denying visas to foreigners who publicly celebrate the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a move he cast as part of a broader posture against extremist rhetoric.

While traveling in the Middle East, Rubio told reporters that the State Department has been denying visas to individuals glorifying Kirk’s murder online. He added that officials are also reviewing existing visas and that he expects some to be revoked.

“It isn’t just about Charlie Kirk. If you’re a foreigner and you’re out there celebrating the assassination of someone who was speaking somewhere, I mean, we don’t want you in the country,” Rubio said. “Why would we want to give a visa to someone who think it’s good that someone was murdered in the public square? That’s just common sense to me.”

When asked if the US has actually revoked any visas yet, Rubio responded, “We’ve revoked visas of people. I don’t know if we’ve revoked visas of people that are inside the country. We’ve most certainly been denying visas.”

Rubio also addressed the issue in a social media post on X while sharing a video from a Fox News interview during which he was asked if he planned to restrict visa access or revoke visas for those celebrating Kirk’s killing.

“America will not host foreigners who celebrate the death of our fellow citizens,” Rubio said in the post accompanying the video. “Visa revocations are under way. If you are here on a visa and cheering on the public assassination of a political figure, prepare to be deported. You are not welcome in this country.”

Kirk, a prominent conservative activist and founder of the influential Turning Point USA organization, was shot and killed last week while speaking at Utah Valley University. Authorities have formally charged 22‑year‑old Tyler Robinson of Utah with aggravated murder and several related offenses, including discharge of a firearm, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering.

Rubio’s announcement comes amid intensifying efforts by the Trump administration to expel foreigners who express support for violence or terrorism. The administration has launched an overhaul of the US visa system, part of what officials describe as an effort to root out individuals deemed a potential threat to the country. The sweeping measures include expanded social media vetting for new applicants, continuous monitoring of the 55 million current visa holders, and the revocation of thousands of student visas.

Several of the online posts praising Kirk’s assassination have emerged from the Middle East, with individuals condemning the slain political activist over his vocal support for Israel. During his life, Kirk repeatedly spoke in defense of the Jewish state and expressed support for its military campaign in Gaza.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau concurred with Rubio’s statement, calling on consular officials to prevent the distribution of visas to anyone “praising, rationalizing, or making light of” the murder of Kirk.

Rubio has not explained the standards the State Department is using to determine what qualifies as “celebrating” the assassination. Some critics have speculated that this ambiguity could set up legal challenges from advocacy groups, who are already warning about the First Amendment and due process implications.

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‘Down With Fascists’: Columbia Activist Who Said ‘Zionists Don’t Deserve to Live’ Celebrates Charlie Kirk’s Murder

Khymani James, Columbia University student who filmed himself saying Zionists should be murdered. Photo: Screenshot

A former leader of the anti-Israel movement at Columbia University expressed full support for the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week.

Khymani James, who made the posts, was a “campus a leader in the pro-Palestinian student protest encampment” at Columbia, according to The New York Times.

In the aftermath of Kirk’s assassination, James posted on X, “More. MORE!!!,” referencing the killing. He followed up that post by saying, “Down with all the fascists 😍.” (He later also called California Gov. Gavin Newsom a fascist.)

In another post, James wrote, “‘Be careful what you post’ and it’s people rightfully celebrating the inevitable and just fate of fascists. anywho… NO ONE MOURNS THE WICKED 😩🤣.”

In addition to the posts he wrote, James also reposted statements such as “Thoughts and prayers for the bullet,” “rest in piss,” and “saw that s–t and started giggling and kicking my feet and shouting YOOOOOO.”

In James’s biography on the social platform X, he notes, “Anything I said, I meant it. DEATH TO EMPIRE.”

This is not the first time James has rhetorically supported violence. Last year, he was on video saying, “Zionists don’t deserve to live,” and proclaiming that people should “be grateful that I’m not just going out and murdering Zionists.”

He also said, “I don’t fight to injure or for there to be a winner or a loser. I fight to kill.”

The comments triggered widespread backlash, and James was suspended by Columbia. The incident also resulted in what was widely seen as an apology for James on behalf of Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), one of the most notorious anti-Israel campus groups in the US. Months later, however, the group retracted its previous apology.

“All CUAD organizers were complicit in not maintaining our political line, keeping the statement public on our Instagram, and in neglecting the mental and physical safety of Khymani,” the post read. CUAD apologized for causing “irrevocable harm” to him.

Despite James’s comments about the possibility of murdering Zionists, CUAD’s post claimed that he was criticized and socially ostracized for “fight[ing] back against state violence.”

James also responded to this post, writing on X, “Thank you to my comrades for posting this beautiful, powerful letter. I never wrote the neo-liberal apology posted in late April, and I’m glad we’ve set the record straight once and for all. I will not allow anyone to shame me for my politics.”

“Anything I said, I meant it,” he concluded.

Kirk, 31, was shot and killed during a speaking event at Utah Valley University, where he was engaging in dialogue with students. He is survived by his wife and two young children. A young Utah man — Tyler Robinson, 22 — was taken into custody last week as the suspected shooter, about 33 hours after the assassination, according to state and federal law enforcement.

Kirk was an outspoken supporter of Israel and advocate against antisemitism. He regularly debated students on the subject of Israel and brought his ideas to young people at a time when, according to recent polling, that age group was turning decidedly against the Jewish state.

“There’s a dark Jew hate out there, and I see it,” Kirk told a student during a podcast episode which aired earlier this year. “Don’t get yourself involved in that. I’m telling you it will rot your brain. It’s bad for your soul. It’s bad. It’s evil. I think it’s demonic.”

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Spain’s PM Sánchez Faces Backlash for Fueling Anti-Israel Hostility Amid Surge in Antisemitic Incidents

Cycling – Vuelta a Espana – Stage 21 – Alalpardo to Madrid – Madrid, Spain – Sept. 14, 2025: Barriers are smashed by anti-Israel protesters during Stage 21. Photo: REUTERS/Ana Beltran

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is facing backlash from his country’s political leaders and Jewish community, who accuse him of fueling antisemitic hostility after incidents at the Vuelta a España disrupted the prestigious cycling race.

Amid a sharp rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes and anti-Israel sentiment, Lorenzo Rodríguez, mayor of Castrillo Mota de Judíos in northern Spain, accused the country’s leader of “fueling a discourse of hatred” against Israel and the Jewish people.

“The government is fostering antisemitism that will prove deeply damaging for Spain,” Rodríguez said in an interview with the local outlet El Español.

“Sánchez’s moves are less about serious foreign policy and more about deflecting attention from his trials and failures in governance,” he continued. “Spain isn’t leading anything — it’s merely whitewashing Hamas and other terrorist groups.”

On Sunday, anti-Israel protests forced the finale of the Vuelta a España cycle race to be abandoned as police tried to quell demonstrations against the participation of an Israeli team.

In his interview, Rodríguez blamed Sánchez for fostering a hostile climate in Spain, saying the country is witnessing “hatred toward an entire people.”

He also criticized the Spanish leader for failing to take a strong stand on other international crises, including those in Russia and Venezuela.

“We all recognize that the Palestinian people are suffering, but the solution cannot be to blame the Jewish people,” Rodríguez said.

“People are afraid. There’s growing concern because our town was recently targeted,” he continued. “We are being singled out and threatened even though we have nothing to do with this war.”

Before the incidents on Sunday that led to the race’s cancellation, Sánchez expressed “admiration for the Spanish people mobilizing for just causes like Palestine” through their protests.

Madrid’s Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida strongly condemned Sánchez’s statement, accusing him of encouraging hostility and fueling tensions.

“The prime minister is directly responsible for this violence, as his statements this morning helped instigate the protests,” Martinez-Almeida said after the race was canceled.

“Today is the saddest day since I took office as mayor of this great city,” he continued.

Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Vox party, also criticized Sánchez’s remarks, accusing him of stoking division to maintain his hold on power.

“The psychopath has taken his militias to the streets,” Abascal wrote in a post on X. “He doesn’t care about Gaza. He doesn’t care about Spain. He doesn’t care about anything. But he wants violence in the streets to maintain power.”

Shortly after the incidents, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCJE) publicly denounced the violence, urging authorities to respond quickly and decisively.

“Violence and intimidation have no place in a democratic society and cannot be excused under the guise of freedom of expression,” FCJE said in a statement.

“These violent demonstrations fuel hatred and contribute to a concerning rise in antisemitism in Spain, which we have been warning about over the past two years,” the statement read. “It is unacceptable that violence is justified on ideological grounds and hostility is directed toward the Jewish community”

Since the start of the war in Gaza, Spain has become one of Israel’s fiercest critics, a stance that has only intensified in recent months, coinciding with a shocking rise in antisemitic incidents targeting the local Jewish community — from violent assaults and vandalism to protests and legal actions.

On Monday, Sánchez called for Israel to be barred from international sports events after pro-Palestinian activists disrupted the finale of the Vuelta cycling race in chaotic scenes in Madrid.

“The sports organizations should ask whether it’s ethical for Israel to continue participating in international competitions. Why was Russia expelled after invading Ukraine, yet Israel is not expelled after the invasion of Gaza?” Sánchez said while speaking to members of his Socialist Party.

“Until the barbarity ends, neither Russia nor Israel should be allowed to participate in any international competition,” the Spanish leader continued.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Sánchez’s remarks, labeling him “an antisemite and a liar.”

“Did Israel invade Gaza on Oct. 7th or did the Hamas terror state invade Israel and commit the worst massacre against the Jews since the Holocaust?” the top Israeli diplomat wrote in a post on X.

The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas started the war in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, when it led an invasion of southern Israel, murdered 1,200 people, and kidnapped 251 hostages while perpetrating widespread sexual violence against the Israeli people.

Israel responded with an ongoing military campaign aimed at freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas’s military capabilities and political rule in Gaza.

As part of its anti-Israel campaign, Spain announced on Tuesday that it will boycott next year’s Eurovision Song Contest if Israel participates, citing the country’s military offensive against Hamas in the war-torn enclave.

Last week, Sánchez also unveiled new policies targeting Israel over the war in Gaza, including an arms embargo and a ban on certain Israeli goods.

The Spanish government announced it would bar entry to individuals involved in what it called a “genocide against Palestinians,” block Israel-bound ships and aircraft carrying weapons from Spanish ports and airspace, and enforce an embargo on products from Israeli communities in the West Bank.

In one of its latest attempts to curb Israel’s defensive campaign in Gaza, Spain has canceled a €700 million ($825 million) deal for Israeli-designed rocket launchers, as the government conducts a broader review to systematically phase out Israeli weapons and technology from its armed forces.

Saar has denounced Sánchez’s latest actions, accusing the government in Madrid of antisemitism and of pursuing an escalating anti-Israel campaign aimed at undermining the Jewish state on the international stage.

“The government of Spain is leading a hostile, anti-Israel line, marked by wild, hate-filled rhetoric,” Saar wrote in a post on X, accusing Sánchez’s “corrupt” administration of trying to “divert attention from grave corruption scandals.”

“The obsessive activism of the current Spanish government against Israel stands out in light of its ties with dark, tyrannical regimes — from Iran’s ayatollahs to [Nicolás] Maduro’s government in Venezuela,” the Israeli diplomat continued.

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