Unilever rejects claims of abandoning Ben & Jerry’s trademark in West Bank

Unilever has issued a response after an Israeli NGO moved to seize the Ben & Jerry’s trademark in the occupied West Bank, following the parent company’s decision to end sales in illegal settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Shurat HaDin Israel Law center has claimed that Ben & Jerry’s has “abandoned” their trademark in the occupied West Bank, however, Unilever disagrees.

“Unilever unequivocally rejects all your assertions set forth therein including that Unilever has abandoned its trademark rights for Ben & Jerry’s in what you refer to as the Judea and Samaria region of Israel,” a letter dated August 12 reads, signed by Natalia Cavaliere, in response to a letter sent by Shurat HaDin’s President Nitsana Darshan-Leitner that says:

“The Shurat HaDin Law Center has now registered a commercial entity with the Israeli registry of corporations called “Judea and Samaria’s Ben & Jerry’s.”

“We intend to use the Ben & Jerry’s name and match the Vermont company’s current ice cream line, as well as add on new flavors and products.”

“We are confident we can expand the business into each community in the territory you have abandoned.”

The plan involved selling “Judea and Samaria’s Finest Frozen Chosen People” complete with a portrait of Theodor Herzl, the founder of the Zionist movement.

“Please note that we deem any use of the trademark or tradename Ben & Jerry’s to be a violation of our intellectual property rights,” the letter by Unilever stated.

Rejecting the notion that their decision to end sales in the occupied West Bank is an antisemitic, the letter ends, “Finally, and most importantly, Unilever and Ben & Jerry’s reject completely and repudiate unequivocally any form of discrimination or intolerance. Antisemitism has no place in any society.”

The Well-known American firm announced lately that it will no longer sell its products for settlements in the West Bank and the eastern part of Jerusalem.

The firm, known for its progressive activities, has been silent on social media since last May, when ‘Israel’ were bombarding the besieged Gaza strip, killing over 250 Palestinians, most of them were children and women.

The company said in a statement on its website “it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).”

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