Ben Cohen, co-founder of the iconic Ben & Jerry’s ice cream brand and a longtime progressive activist, was arrested on Wednesday at the United States Capitol after disrupting a Senate hearing with an impassioned protest against U.S. support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. His arrest came during a session where Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was testifying on budget matters, including proposed Medicaid cuts.
Cohen, 74, shouted from the gallery, “Congress pays for bombs to kill children in Gaza,” drawing attention to the stark contrast between U.S. military aid to Israel and proposed reductions in health services for America’s most vulnerable populations. Capitol Police quickly intervened, handcuffed him, and escorted him from the chamber.
He later told AFP that he was acting on behalf of millions of Americans who feel betrayed by how U.S. taxpayer money is being used abroad. "It got to a point where we had to do something," Cohen said following his release. He called it "scandalizing" that Congress could approve "$20 billion worth of bombs" for Israel while cutting social programs like Medicaid.
Cohen’s comments and arrest underscore growing unrest among American citizens about the United States' foreign policy, particularly its military aid to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Since the war began following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis, Israel’s retaliatory strikes have left more than 52,000 Gazans dead, most of them civilians, according to figures from Gaza’s health ministry, which are recognized as credible by the UN.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels. A recent UN-backed report warns that the entire population is facing food insecurity, with at least 22 percent enduring famine-like conditions. Cohen’s plea to the Senate was clear: urge Israel to allow vital food and medical aid into the besieged region.
Beyond the budget figures, Cohen framed the issue as a profound moral failure. “Condoning and being complicit in the slaughter of tens of thousands of people strikes at the core of us as far as human beings and what our country stands for,” he said. Highlighting that nearly half of the U.S. discretionary budget is spent on defense and military operations, he argued for redirecting funds to improve lives domestically and globally.
“Imagine what would happen if even half of that money went toward making the world a better place,” he said. “There’d be a lot less conflict.” Drawing on a parenting analogy, Cohen said, “You go to a three-year-old who hits and say, ‘Use your words.’ Nations should do the same resolve conflicts without killing.”
Ben Cohen has long been a vocal critic of Israel’s policies in the Palestinian territories. In 2024, he joined a coalition of Jewish voices to oppose the powerful pro-Israel lobby AIPAC. “I know I have a platform,” he said. “When I speak, it gets heard but I speak for millions who feel the same way.”
His protest and arrest have reignited debates in political and humanitarian circles about the ethical implications of U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts, particularly when domestic needs are simultaneously being undercut. As public opinion in the U.S. continues to shift with growing disapproval of Israel’s military actions, especially among Democrats, according to a Pew Research Center poll activists like Cohen are pressing harder for policy change, demanding accountability from elected officials and advocating for global compassion over militarism.
