Rep. Zeldin Statement on New York State Pension Fund's Decision to Divest from Unilever

Statement

PATCHOGUE, NY - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1), co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, just issued the following statement in support of the New York State Common Retirement Fund's decision to sell its approximately $111 million holding in Unilever Plc, the parent company of Ben & Jerry's, after the two companies publicly embraced the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel by targeting thousands of Jewish customers abroad with a discriminatory boycott:

"Unilever and Ben & Jerry's made the decision to target hundreds of thousands of Jewish customers abroad with a discriminatory boycott and unapologetically embrace the anti-Israel BDS movement. I applaud the New York State Pension Fund's decision to end its financial ties to Unilever. Governor Hochul needs to immediately sever any remaining financial ties New York State has to both Unilever and Ben & Jerry's and add both companies to the OGS list of institutions and companies participating in the BDS movement. Our state must follow its self-imposed standards, lead by example, and stand up to this anti-Israel and anti-Jewish discrimination."

In July, Congressman Zeldin called for New York State to follow the 2016 Executive Order that prohibits state agencies from conducting business with institutions or companies that promote BDS, and requires the Office of General Services (OGS) Commissioner to maintain and update a list of entities participating in BDS. As of August 2021, Unilever had still not been added to the list of companies and institutions participating in BDS.

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