The Ben and Jerry’s co-founder protested against the genocide in Gaza and the US favoritism with Israel.

Protest at the Capitol:

Ben Cohen was among seven protesters who shouted that while Congress spends billions on weapons for Israel, poor children in both Gaza and the U.S. suffer. He yelled before being handcuffed by Capitol Police “Congress kills poor kids in Gaza by buying bombs and pays for it by kicking kids off Medicaid.”

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Charges and Message:

Police arrested the group for disrupting the hearing. Cohen was charged with a fine of $500 or 90 days in jail, or both. Despite the arrest, Cohen remained undeterred. He urged lawmakers to stop blocking food aid to starving children in Gaza. Cohen believes that his protest reflected the anger of many Americans. He said, “Most people in this country are disgusted by what our government is doing with our money and in our name.”

A recent Pew Research Center poll shows growing dissatisfaction of Americans, especially Democrats, with the US to support Israel. He described it as a deep moral failure. He stated, “When we support the killing of tens of thousands, we betray our values as a country and as human beings.”

Calling for peace, not war:

Cohen is not satisfied with the US’ budget division. He mocked the US for spending nearly half of its budget on the military. He argued that if even part of that money were used to improve lives globally, there would be far less conflict. He compared global conflict to a child acting out: “If a three-year-old hits someone, we say, ‘Use your words.’ Nations should do the same, solve problems without killing.”

A long history of activism:

Cohen, a Jewish, proved that not all Jews are like Netanyahu. Cohen himself has been against Israeli government policies. Cohen is using his brand to make powerful statements. As he supported Ben and Jerry’s sales in the occupied West Bank and Gaza in 2021 and said halting their sales conflicted with their values.

In a recent interview, Cohen said the U.S. has a “strange” relationship with Israel. He said, We’re the world’s biggest arms dealer. We support the slaughter. And if someone protests, we arrest them. What does that say about our values?”

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza:

Israel’s brutality is increasing day by day in Gaza. According to UN-backed reports, over 51,000 people have died in Gaza since Israel began its military response to Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Gaza is now at the brink of famine. The Gaza population is now deprived of basic necessities of life. Almost a quarter of the population is experiencing extreme catastrophe.