Florida won't put any state money into the parent company of Ben & Jerry's unless it reverses a decision to stop selling ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.
The Republican governor said the State Board of Administration added London-based Unilever to its list of "scrutinized companies" that boycott Israel. This means that if Ben & Jerry's position on Israel is not reversed in 90 days, Florida will not invest in or contract with Unilever or its subsidiaries.
The company's founders, Bennett Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, said in a recent New York Times opinion piece that they no longer control the company but approve of the action in Israel as reflecting their progressive values. The company has a long history of advocating for social justice. Unilever CEO Alan Jope said last week that Unilever is "fully committed" to doing business with Israel despite Ben & Jerry's decision on the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Florida officials say the company told them in a call Wednesday that there are no plans to change Ben & Jerry's stance on Israel. It wasn't immediately clear what kinds investments or contracts Florida currently has with Unilever or its subsidiaries.
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