Dear Friends,
What do you imagine when you think of an Israeli settlement? Do you envisage fresh communities and new-build houses built on barren wasteland? We don’t. We see theft, state-backed colonialism, and hope chipped away. The reality is that for every settlement that is built, and for every part of the West Bank that is annexed, peace drifts further away.
Last year, Ben & Jerry’s released a statement announcing that they would stop selling their ice cream in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. A relatively small stand against breaking international law, but one that we welcomed with open arms. Fast forward to today, and the multinational behind Ben & Jerry’s, Unilever, broke their commitment to the Ben & Jerry’s brand which allowed its Board members to continue to lead the product’s ethics. The distribution contract was renewed to an Israeli company, and the decision was overturned. Hooray, Chunky Monkey is now on sale in Almog or Susiya, or any other illegal settlement. It’s only ice cream though, right? What’s the harm? The harm is clear for us all to see - occupation and settlements have become increasingly accepted and legitimised, while expansion passes by with barely a blink from Israeli society, and reasonable international opposition is dismissed as antisemitism.
The proposed settlement of E1 has been on the table for some time amongst Israeli lawmakers. The construction, which would separate East Jerusalem from the West Bank, would realistically end any hope of establishing a Palestinian state. The E1 settlements are supposedly a ‘red line’ for the Biden administration, but we have seen red lines fade to pink before. The unthinkable is edging closer, creeping forward little by little, and we need to act. As President Biden prepares to come to Israel this week, we are urging him not to ignore the issue of settlement expansion, to be firm and public with his absolute condemnation of occupation, and to demand that Israel adheres to International law. Now more than ever, we need total clarity, not hand wringing, gestures or hollow words.
There are glimpses of light. Norway for example, mandating the labelling of products sold which are produced by Israeli settlements. These are measures which will only help to reach a peace agreement sooner. Occupation must surely end, just as it began. But we need to be active and not accept even the seemingly small acts which delays peace, incites violence, and pushes us further apart. Despite all that separates us, we are working together, and will continue until justice and humanity are restored. Join us.
In Peace & Solidarity from Israel/Palestine
