Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani recently revealed in a video that, prior to the company’s public boycott of Israel, he personally encouraged Ben & Jerry’s co-founders to halt ice cream sales in the West Bank. This resurfaced footage shows Mamdani, a Queens MP who advocates for boycotts against Israel, addressing co-founder Jerry Greenfield during a press event on June 2, 2021.
“I conveyed to Jerry my disappointment regarding the company’s involvement in Israel,” Mamdani stated. This interview clip was shared on Facebook by the Muslim Democrat Club in New York.
Mamdani expressed concern over Ben & Jerry’s operations in Israeli settlements, highlighting their partnerships with supermarkets deemed to benefit from the occupation: “I want to see alignment with these values. I want to see them stop selling in Israeli settlements,” he added.
In response, Greenfield indicated that the company had historically supported “American social justice,” which Mamdani claimed contradicted their silence on Palestinian issues. “We will end licensing agreements with all Israeli supermarkets profiting from these settlements. We stand firmly for justice,” he asserted.
Shortly after, Ben & Jerry’s announced plans to cease sales in the occupied territories, prompting discussions about their corporate values.
A pro-Israel activist described Mamdani’s long-standing advocacy for ice cream boycotts as a reflection of anti-Semitism. Former CUNY board member Jeffrey Wiesenfeld labeled him as a “toxic anti-Semite.” Similarly, Brooklyn Congressman Kalman Yeger remarked that while Mamdani didn’t create Jewish hatred, he certainly capitalizes on it.
In light of these events, New York State Secretary Tom DiNapoli revealed that he withdrew $111 million in investments from Unilever due to the boycott against Ben & Jerry’s presence in the West Bank.
The political atmosphere remains tense, with former mayoral primary candidate Khaomo signing an executive order to limit state dealings with entities engaging in BDS activities. Following him, Gov. Kathy Hochul indicated the potential to revive such measures and cut connections with Unilever.
Controversially, last month, the Ben & Jerry Independent Committee referred to the Gaza conflict as “genocide,” stirring further debate. Meanwhile, Mamdani recalled a 2021 discussion where he and fellow lawmakers urged Greenfield to support a ban on the West Bank following a civil rights event.
Throughout the interview, Mamdani encouraged advocates to push politicians and community leaders to support BDS, insisting that mere vocal support for issues like apartheid isn’t sufficient for change.
Mamdani’s campaign did not address the resurfaced video clip on Tuesday. Following his election to the New York State Legislature in 2020, he had also advocated for boycotting Cornell Tech for its partnership with the Israeli Technion University, stating that it relates to the BDS movement.
He emphasized that Technion has contributed to the development of weapon technologies used by the IDF, further underlining his perspective on the BDS framework in New York City.
