Unilever chief says company 'fully committed' to Israel

JERUSALEM: The chief executive of

Unilever

on Thursday said the global consumer goods giant remains ``fully committed'' to doing business in Israel, distancing himself from this week's announcement by the company's Ben & Jerry's ice cream brand to stop serving

Israel

's

West Bank

settlements.

But CEO

Alan Jope

gave no indication that Unilever would force Ben & Jerry's to roll back its controversial decision.

The Ben & Jerry's announcement is one of the strongest rebukes by a well-known company against Israel's settlements, which are widely seen by the international community as illegal. The Israeli government has condemned the decision, accusing the company of joining a a global Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel and urging 35 American states with anti-boycott laws to punish Unilever.

In a conference call with investors,

Jope

said that Ben & Jerry's, which has a long history of social activism, had made the decision on its own.

He noted that under its purchase agreement with Ben & Jerry's in 2000, the company maintained broad independence over its social justice policies and that Unilever respected that arrangement.

``Obviously it's a complex and sensitive matter that elicits very strong feelings,'' he said. ``If there is one message I want to underscore in this call, it's that Unilever remains fully committed to our business in Israel.''

That includes a new 35 million euro ($41 million) razor factory and corporate offices and facilities that employ some 2,000 people, he said.

He said ``it is not our intent'' to regularly delve into such sensitive matters.

``It's been a longstanding issue for Ben & Jerry's,'' he said. ``We were aware of this decision by the brand and its independent board, but it's certainly not our intention that every quarter will have one quite as fiery as this one.''