September 17, 2021

Shoaib Khan
Acting Director, Investment Division
State of New Jersey Department of the Treasury P.O. Box 290
Trenton, New Jersey 08625

Dear Mr. Khan:

I am writing to voice Americans for Peace Now’s strong opposition to the decision to divest New Jersey State pension fund assets from Unilever PLC.

As a pro-Israel American Jewish organization that cares deeply about Israel’s future, we object because this step undermines efforts to enable Israel to live in peace and to maintain its character as a democracy and a Jewish state.

P.L. 2016, c.24 (N.J.S.A. 52:18A-89.13) and the decision to uphold this law undermines efforts to achieve a peaceful and just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By applying the same standard of treatment to the territories captured in 1967 as it does the state of Israel, this law undermines the distinction between the two, contributing to the erasure of the Green Line and leading Israel down the path to apartheid.

The United States does not recognize the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as part of the state of Israel. For a future two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and, indeed, for the future of Israel as a democracy and a Jewish state, it is vital that the distinction between sovereign Israel and the settlements be maintained.

The law is a clear attempt to conflate Israeli settlements with Israel and is a divergence from longstanding bipartisan US foreign policy. I urge you to reconsider your decision to divest public pension funds from Unilever PLC.

Sincerely,

Hadar Susskind
President and CEO Americans for Peace Now