Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s and an active progressive advocate, expressed to AFP that he was representing many Americans who are outraged by what they see as “genocide” in Gaza after his removal from a US Senate hearing on Wednesday.
The 74-year-old was among a group of demonstrators who disrupted Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s testimony regarding his department’s budget.
As they chanted, “Congress is funding bombs to kill children in Gaza,” lawmakers were simultaneously moving to cut Medicaid, while some business leaders and philanthropists were taken away in handcuffs by Capitol police.
I told Congress they were buying bombs and killing poor kids in Gaza, and they’re paying for it by kicking poor kids from Medicaid in the US. This was the response of the authorities. pic.twitter.com/uof7xrzzwm
– Ben Cohen (@yobencohen) May 14, 2025
Upon leaving, Cohen urged legislators to push for Israel to allow food access to “starved children.”
“Things got to a point where we had to act,” Cohen stated in a post-release interview, condemning the US’s $20 billion military support to Israel as outrageous, particularly at a time when social programs are being cut back at home.
“Most Americans disagree with how our country is spending our resources and representing our names,” he remarked.
Public sentiment towards Israel is increasingly critical, especially among Democrats, as highlighted by a recent Pew Research Center survey.
Cohen emphasized that this issue is not just about funding; it’s also a matter of moral and “spiritual” integrity.
“To tolerate and even contribute to the slaughter of tens of thousands is not what we should stand for as a nation,” he asserted.
“Had we invested half that money in bettering conditions globally, I believe there would be far less friction.” He referenced a parenting analogy, noting that while conflicts exist between nations, they can be resolved without violence.
A long-time critic of Israeli policies, Cohen previously joined other notable Jewish figures in opposing the AIPAC lobby through an open letter last year. “I recognize my prominence allows me to express this, but I want to clarify the perspectives of many who feel similarly.”
The conflict in Gaza escalated following Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023. This has resulted in 1,218 casualties on the Israeli side, according to an AFP count based on official data.
Meanwhile, Israeli actions have reportedly claimed at least 52,928 lives in Gaza, as per the Hamas-run Health Ministry, a figure that the UN considers credible.
The situation in Gaza is dire, with a “significant risk of hunger” reported. After more than two months of a blockade on aid, the entire population is facing a food crisis, with 22% experiencing what has been termed a humanitarian “catastrophe,” as warned by an independent food security monitor this week.
