Abbott slams Ben & Jerry’s for Palestine support: ‘Disgraceful’

Texas is weighing its options for sanctions against Ben & Jerry’s after the company announced its decision to not sell its products in Israeli-occupied areas.

Earlier this week, the famous ice cream maker announced it would cease sales of its products in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in east Jerusalem.

“We believe it is inconsistent with our values for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to be sold in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT),” Ben & Jerry’s said in a statement.

Several GOP leaders have since called for a boycott of the socially-outspoken company, including Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), who wrote on Twitter, “If Ben & Jerry’s wants to have a meltdown & boycott Israel, OK [Okla.] is ready to respond.”

Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott is now joining Lankford in his calls for action, with a representative of Abbott’s calling the move “disgraceful,” according to The Huffington Post.

The state’s comptroller, Glenn Hegar, is evaluating what actions Texas can take in protest of Ben & Jerry’s. The state has a law in place that allows for financial sanctions against companies that boycott Israel. However, the ice cream company is not pulling its products from all of Israel, the Post notes, just certain areas.

“I’ve directed my staff to determine whether any specific action taken by Ben & Jerry’s or Unilever would trigger a listing under under that law,” Hegar said in a statement to the outlet.

If the Unilever-owned company applies under the law, Hegar vowed his office “will take all appropriate and required actions.”