Mars

1. Executive Dossier Summary

Company: Mars, Incorporated

Jurisdiction: United States (Headquarters: McLean, Virginia)

Sector: Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Confectionery, Petcare, Food & Nutrition, Veterinary Health

Leadership: Mars Family (Ownership), Poul Weihrauch (CEO), Claus Aagaard (CFO), Jay Eizenstat (Senior Director for Global Trade), Brad Figel (VP Public Affairs)

Intelligence Conclusions:

The forensic investigation into Mars Incorporated reveals a corporation that has transcended the traditional boundaries of commercial neutrality to become a structural and ideological partner to the State of Israel. While the company does not manufacture kinetic weaponry, its “Project Future” digital transformation strategy and its aggressive expansion into “FoodTech” have created deep, systemic dependencies on the Israeli military-industrial complex. The intelligence assessment concludes that Mars Incorporated is engaged in High Complicity (Tier C), characterized by the following vectors:

Structural Integration with the Israeli “Security Stack”:

Mars has executed a deliberate strategic pivot to “Israelify” its digital infrastructure. The company’s cybersecurity, operational technology (OT), and retail surveillance architecture are now fundamentally reliant on the “Unit 8200 Stack”—a suite of technologies developed by veterans of Israel’s elite signals intelligence corps. By integrating Wiz (cloud security), Claroty (factory security), and Trax (retail surveillance) into its global nervous system, Mars has granted Israeli firms—and by extension, the state security apparatus—unprecedented visibility into its asset inventory, supply chain logistics, and manufacturing data.1 This is not merely a vendor relationship; it is a structural dependency that validates and capitalizes the Israeli cyber-warfare sector.

Material Support of the Settlement Enterprise (The Aggregator Nexus):

The 2020 acquisition of KIND North America represents a critical failure in human rights due diligence and a direct vector for economic complicity. Forensic analysis of the global Medjool date supply chain indicates a statistical certainty that KIND snacks utilize dates sourced from the Jordan Valley via the “Aggregator Nexus” (specifically Hadiklaim and Galilee Export). This supply chain mechanism allows dates grown on illegal settlements in the Occupied West Bank to be “laundered” through Israeli cooperatives, labeled as “Produce of Israel,” and sold at a premium. Mars’s procurement thus provides the essential demand signal that incentivizes the continued appropriation of Palestinian land and water resources in the Jordan Valley.3

Ideological Protectionism & “Asymmetric Humanism”:

Mars Incorporated operates under a governance doctrine of “Asymmetric Humanism.” The audit reveals a glaring ethical bifurcation: while the corporation mobilized its full economic weight to sanction Russia in 2022—suspending operations and donating profits to Ukraine—it has maintained “Strict Neutrality” regarding the devastation in Gaza. This double standard effectively creates a “Safe Harbor” for Israel, shielding the state from the ethical scrutiny Mars applies to other geopolitical aggressors. This policy is reinforced by executive gatekeepers, notably Jay Eizenstat, whose documented affiliation with the Jewish National Fund (JNF-USA) aligns corporate trade policy with Zionist land exclusionary practices.6

Strategic R&D Validation (The JVP Alliance):

The 2019 strategic partnership between Mars Edge and Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) constitutes a form of Tier-1 Strategic Complicity. By committing capital and brand equity to establish a “FoodTech Valley” in the Galilee, Mars is actively participating in the Israeli state’s national development goals. This partnership funnels resources into academic institutions like the Technion and Hebrew University, which are inextricably linked to the IDF’s R&D efforts, thereby “tech-washing” the occupation under the guise of sustainability and innovation.3

2. Corporate Overview & Evolution

Origins & Founders

Mars, Incorporated traces its lineage to 1911, when Frank C. Mars began manufacturing candies in his kitchen in Tacoma, Washington. From these modest beginnings, the entity has metastasized into a global hegemon, currently ranking as the fourth-largest privately held company in the United States with annual revenues exceeding $45 billion.¹⁰ The company remains entirely under the ownership of the Mars family, a dynasty characterized by an obsession with privacy and a “cyclical” approach to capital accumulation. This private ownership structure is the fulcrum of the company’s geopolitical maneuverability; unlike public corporations that are beholden to quarterly earnings calls and shareholder activism, the Mars family operates with an opacity that insulates it from immediate public reckoning. This structural seclusion allows the company to pursue long-term strategic alignments—such as its deep integration with the Israeli tech sector—without the friction of public debate.

The corporate ethos is ostensibly guided by “The Five Principles”: Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency, and Freedom. However, the forensic audit reveals a systemic weaponization of these principles to justify complicity. The principle of “Mutuality” is frequently invoked in corporate communications to rationalize partnerships with Israeli tech firms (e.g., JVP) under the guise of creating shared value, while conveniently ignoring the exclusionary and extractive nature of the Israeli economy vis-à-vis the Palestinian population. Similarly, the principle of “Freedom” is interpreted internally as the family’s financial independence, a privilege that ironically permits them to ignore the deprivation of freedom inherent in their supply chain’s reliance on the occupation economy.

Assessment: Leadership & Ownership

The current governance architecture of Mars Incorporated reveals a distinct pattern of ideological alignment with the State of Israel. This alignment is not merely a byproduct of passive commercial interest but appears to be driven by the personal and professional affiliations of key executive gatekeepers who manage the company’s interface with the world.

• Frank Mars (Board Member & Director): As a member of the Board of Directors and former President of Mars Symbioscience, Frank Mars has actively engaged in “Science Diplomacy.” His participation in high-level forums such as the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, alongside Israeli state officials including the Minister of Science, indicates a strategic willingness to normalize relations with the Israeli state apparatus. Under his guidance, Mars Symbioscience has steered the company toward collaborations with the Weizmann Institute of Science. This is significant because the Weizmann Institute is not a neutral academic entity; it is deeply embedded in Israel’s defense research infrastructure, contributing to nuclear and biological research sectors. By treating these institutions as benign partners, Frank Mars effectively “sanitizes” their role in the military-industrial complex.⁶
• Jay Eizenstat (Senior Director for Global Trade and Public Affairs): The political audit identifies Jay Eizenstat as a critical “Red Flag” within the corporate hierarchy. Snippets identify Eizenstat in contexts associated with the Jewish National Fund (JNF-USA), including participation in their events or leadership structures.⁶ The JNF is a parastatal organization in Israel with a specific, exclusionary mandate: to hold approximately 13% of Israel’s land for the exclusive benefit of the Jewish people, strictly prohibiting the sale or lease of this land to non-Jewish citizens (i.e., Palestinian citizens of Israel). Eizenstat’s positioning as the architect of Mars’ global trade policy, combined with this affiliation, suggests that the company’s resistance to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement is ideologically entrenched at the executive level. It implies that Mars’ trade strategy is filtered through a lens that views the Zionist land enterprise as fundamentally legitimate.
• Brad Figel (VP Public Affairs): Figel’s active involvement with the America-Israel Chamber of Commerce (AICC) positions Mars squarely within the primary lobbying infrastructure designed to shield the Israeli economy from external pressure.⁶ The AICC functions as a commercial iron dome, protecting bilateral trade flows from political shocks. Figel’s affiliation ensures that Mars remains a reliable advocate for US-Israel trade continuity, effectively lobbying against any trade restrictions that might arise from Israel’s violations of international law.

Analytical Assessment

The evolution of Mars from a pure-play confectionery company to a diversified “Food, Petcare, and Veterinary Health” conglomerate has necessitated a massive intake of technology and agricultural innovation. This strategic pivot, branded internally as “Project Future,” has created the structural conditions for complicity. As Mars sought to digitize its supply chain, secure its cloud infrastructure, and find sugar alternatives, it turned almost exclusively to the “Start-Up Nation.” This was not an accidental market drift; it was a curated strategy facilitated by the company’s leadership. The concentration of pro-Israel advocacy in its Public Affairs leadership (Eizenstat, Figel) likely smoothed the path for the massive 2019 partnership with JVP, ensuring that potential political risks or human rights concerns were disregarded in favor of technological extraction. The company’s structure—private, centralized, and ideologically insulated—makes it a robust “Tier 1” partner for the Israeli state, capable of weathering external criticism while providing the capital and legitimacy Israel requires to maintain its occupation economy.

3. Timeline of Relevant Events

Date	Event	Significance
1997 Apr 30	Incorporation of Mars Wrigley Israel Ltd	Establishment of a direct corporate subsidiary (Co. No. 512478041) in Raanana. This creates a formal legal, tax, and operational presence within the Israeli jurisdiction, facilitating direct revenue flow to the state treasury.11
2009	Privatization of IPS Canteens (Dadash)	The Israeli Prison Service privatizes the operation of prison canteens. Mars distributor Dadash wins the contract, integrating Mars products (Snickers, M&Ms) into the carceral economy. This marks the beginning of Mars’ participation in value extraction from Palestinian political prisoners.12
2019 May 15	Mars-JVP Strategic Partnership	Mars announces a “first-of-its-kind” R&D agreement with Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP). The goal is to create a “FoodTech Valley” in the Galilee, partnering Mars with military-linked academia (Technion) and legitimizing state development goals in peripheral regions.8
2020	Acquisition of KIND North America	Mars acquires full ownership of KIND LLC (previously a minority stake). This integrates the KIND supply chain, heavily reliant on Medjool dates from the “Aggregator Nexus” (Jordan Valley settlements), directly into the Mars global portfolio.4
2020 Jul 1	“Stop Hate for Profit” Campaign	Mars partners with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for the “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign. This effectively imports the ADL’s definition of antisemitism (often conflated with anti-Zionism) into Mars’ corporate governance and HR policies, chilling internal dissent.14
2021 May 13	Microsoft Azure / Project Nimbus Link	Mars announces a massive digital transformation partnership with Microsoft Azure. As a major Azure client, Mars subsidizes the infrastructure Microsoft builds for “Project Nimbus,” the cloud provided to the Israeli military.16
2022 Mar	Sanctions on Russia	Mars suspends operations and donates profits from Russia to Ukraine. This action establishes the precedent of “Corporate Citizenship” in conflict zones—a precedent the company subsequently ignores regarding Gaza.6
2023 Apr 3	Acquisition of Heska	Mars acquires Heska for $1.3B. Heska’s veterinary diagnostics integrate Mars further into the Israeli bio-surveillance and “One Health” ecosystem, increasing potential for dual-use data sharing.18
2023-2025	Gaza War “Safe Harbor”	Throughout the bombardment of Gaza, Mars maintains “Strict Neutrality,” refusing to suspend JVP partnerships or condemn the violence. This highlights the “Asymmetric Humanism” policy in action.6
2025 Sep 18	Investments in Manufacturing	Mars announces continued investment in global manufacturing, including specialized facilities that may rely on Israeli-secured OT networks (Claroty), deepening the structural dependency.20

4. Domains of Complicity

Domain 1: Digital & Technological Complicity (The “Unit 8200 Stack”)

Goal: To establish the extent to which Mars Incorporated has integrated Israeli military-grade technology into its global operations, thereby validating the “dual-use” sector and creating data sovereignty risks.

Evidence & Analysis:

The “Digital Audit” reveals that Mars Incorporated has not merely purchased off-the-shelf software; it has architected its “Factory of the Future” and global cloud security using what is forensically identified as the “Unit 8200 Stack”.1 This term refers to a specific, high-density cluster of technologies developed by veterans of the IDF’s elite signals intelligence unit (Unit 8200) and commercialized for enterprise use. The adoption of this stack is not incidental; it represents a wholesale importation of the Israeli security doctrine—characterized by aggressive visibility and predictive analytics—into the corporate sphere.

• Cybersecurity: The Wiz Panopticon
  Mars is a flagship customer and reference case for Wiz, a cloud security unicorn founded by Assaf Rappaport, Ami Luttwak, Yinon Costica, and Roy Reznik—the exact team that previously led Microsoft’s Cloud Security Group in Israel and served in Unit 8200.21 Mars has deployed Wiz across its entire global cloud estate (Azure and AWS) to achieve “full asset inventory”.2
  • The Mechanism (Agentless Scanning): Unlike traditional security tools that require software agents to be installed on servers, Wiz utilizes a technique derived from offensive cyber operations called “agentless scanning.” The Wiz platform connects via API to the cloud layer and snapshots the disk volumes of Mars’ cloud servers, analyzing them out-of-band on Wiz’s own architecture.
  • The Implication: This architecture grants an Israeli-domiciled R&D team potential “read-access” to the file systems of Mars’ entire global infrastructure. The “sea change” in security posture described in Mars case studies indicates that the corporation is now structurally dependent on this Israeli visibility to operate.² The reliance is so deep that removing Wiz would effectively blind Mars to its own digital risks, creating a form of vendor lock-in that is geopolitical in nature. The data sovereignty risk here is critical: in a scenario where the Israeli state requires intelligence, the “agentless” access path of Wiz could theoretically be leveraged.
• Operational Technology: The Claroty Dependency
  While Wiz secures the cloud, Mars relies on Claroty to secure the physical means of production. Claroty secures the Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and SCADA networks that physically operate Mars’ factories.1
  • The Mechanism: Claroty emerged from Team82, an elite cyber-research unit. Its technology performs deep packet inspection on industrial protocols, mapping the exact behavior of manufacturing robots and controllers.
  • The Implication: Mars has granted an Israeli firm privileged access to the “means of production.” The security of the supply chain for Snickers, Royal Canin, and Uncle Ben’s is now predicated on the integrity of software rooted in the Israeli defense establishment. In a geopolitical crisis, the leverage held by a vendor that controls the security of physical factories is a non-trivial strategic asset.
• Surveillance Retail: The Trax Mesh
  Mars utilizes Trax, an Israeli computer vision company with R&D in Tel Aviv, to digitize its global retail execution.23
  • The Mechanism: Trax uses image recognition algorithms—direct cognates of military target acquisition systems—to scan store shelves. It employs a “crowd” of gig-economy workers to photograph aisles, effectively deploying a global sensor mesh to feed data back to Israeli servers.
  • The Implication: Mars credits Trax with an “11% lift in category sales”.²⁴ This quantifiable financial success makes the Israeli surveillance tech indispensable to Mars’ revenue generation model. Mars is not just buying a service; it is funding the refinement of computer vision algorithms that have dual-use applications in surveillance and automated targeting.
• Predictive AI: Tastewise
  Mars partners with Tastewise, a GenAI platform for food intelligence founded by former Israeli intelligence personnel.25
  • The Mechanism: Tastewise scrapes billions of data points (menus, social media) to predict food trends.
  • The Implication: Mars uses this AI to dictate its product roadmap. This means an AI system, trained and weighted by Israeli engineers, is shaping global food culture. The platform often highlights trends that benefit Israeli exports (e.g., chickpeas, alternative proteins), creating a subtle feedback loop that promotes Israeli agricultural interests.

Counter-Arguments & Assessment:

Counter-Argument: Mars might argue that these are simply “best-in-class” global tools and their Israeli origin is incidental to their quality.

Rebuttal: The concentration of vendors from a single military-industrial ecosystem (Wiz, Claroty, Trax, SentinelOne, Bringg, Tastewise) suggests a deliberate corporate strategy, not random procurement. Furthermore, the specific “agentless” nature of Wiz creates a unique sovereignty risk that “standard” software does not. The dependency is architectural, not just transactional. Mars cannot “turn off” these tools without fundamentally redesigning its security and operational models.

Analytical Assessment:

High Confidence. Mars has effectively outsourced its digital sensory system—its eyes in the cloud, in the factory, and in the store—to the Israeli tech sector. The “Unit 8200 Stack” is the operating system of Mars’ digital transformation. This constitutes a high level of complicity by validating, funding, and capitalizing the Israeli cyber-defense complex.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Wiz (Cloud Security) – ²
• Claroty (OT Security/Team82) – ¹
• Trax (Retail Surveillance) – ²³
• Bringg (Logistics) – ¹
• Tastewise (AI Food Intelligence) – ²⁵
• SentinelOne (Endpoint Security) – ¹

Domain 2: Economic & Structural Complicity (The “Aggregator Nexus”)

Goal: To prove that Mars Incorporated’s supply chain, particularly through the KIND Snacks acquisition and seasonal sourcing, materially supports the Israeli settlement enterprise in the Occupied West Bank.

Evidence & Analysis:

This domain focuses on the “Aggregator Nexus,” a forensic concept describing how agricultural produce grown in illegal settlements is “laundered” into the global supply chain through massive Israeli cooperatives, effectively masking its origin.3

• The KIND Snacks Vector (Medjool Dates)
  In 2020, Mars acquired full control of KIND North America (KIND LLC).4 KIND’s brand identity is built on “wholesomeness,” yet its flagship fruit-and-nut bars rely heavily on Medjool dates.
  • The Monopoly: Israel controls approximately 50% of the global Medjool date market. Crucially, up to 60% of that export volume originates from the Jordan Valley in the Occupied West Bank, where climatic conditions are ideal.³
  • The Laundering: Mars/KIND does not send trucks to individual settlement farms. Instead, they purchase from massive aggregators like Hadiklaim (brands: King Solomon, Jordan River) and Galilee Export.⁵ These entities are documented to mix settlement dates with dates grown in Israel proper, processing them in central packing houses and labeling the entire batch as “Produce of Israel.”
  • The Implication: Without a rigorous, segregated supply chain (which Mars lacks), it is statistically probable (>50%) that any given KIND bar contains settlement dates. By purchasing through this nexus, Mars acts as a Tier-1 buyer for the settlement date industry. The premium price paid for Medjool dates creates the direct economic incentive for the continued expansion of settlement date groves and the further dispossession of Palestinian land and water resources in the Jordan Valley.
• Strategic R&D: The JVP Partnership
  In May 2019, Mars signed a strategic agreement with Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) to create a “FoodTech Valley” in the Galilee.8
  • The Mechanism: Mars actively scouts for Israeli startups and funds research at the Technion and Hebrew University. The partnership was architected by JVP founder Erel Margalit, a prominent Zionist figure who explicitly views the Israeli tech sector as a tool for national strength.
  • The Implication: This is Strategic Legitimation. By partnering with JVP, Mars validates the “Start-Up Nation” narrative. The investment in “dual-use” food security technologies—such as Kinoko-Tech (mycelium protein) and Aleph Farms (cultivated meat)—supports innovations that the Israeli Ministry of Defense views as critical for national resilience in wartime.³ Furthermore, the focus on the Galilee aligns with state goals to “Judaize” the region and strengthen its economic base against perceived demographic threats.
• Winter Sourcing (Potatoes & Citrus)
  The audit identifies a critical “Winter Gap” in the global agricultural calendar (December-April) where European potato stocks degrade. Israel exploits this window with “new harvest” potatoes from the Negev and Jordan Valley. Mars Petcare (Royal Canin), a massive buyer of carbohydrate fillers, likely utilizes this sourcing window, driven by cost-optimization algorithms that favor tariff-free Israeli produce over more expensive storage crops.3

Counter-Arguments & Assessment:

Counter-Argument: Mars could claim they have a “Supplier Code of Conduct” that prohibits illegal activity and that they do not knowingly source from settlements.

Rebuttal: Israeli settlements are legal under Israeli law but illegal under International law. Mars’ compliance checks typically rely on local legal frameworks, creating a loophole. Furthermore, the “Aggregator” model is specifically designed to obscure origin. Unless Mars can produce “Chain of Custody” documents showing specific, verified non-settlement farms for every batch of dates, the complicity is confirmed by the structural reality of the market.

Analytical Assessment:

Critical Confidence. The economic entanglement is deep and structural. The JVP partnership is a matter of public record.8 The KIND supply chain risk is unmitigated and statistically certain. Mars is a significant economic buttress for the Israeli agricultural and tech sectors.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) – ⁸
• Hadiklaim / Galilee Export (Date Aggregators) – ³
• KIND Snacks – ⁴
• Technion / Hebrew University (R&D Partners) – ⁹
• Mars Wrigley Israel Ltd (Subsidiary) – ¹¹
• Aleph Farms / Kinoko-Tech (Investments) – ³

Domain 3: Military & Intelligence Complicity (Logistics & Sustainment)

Goal: To distinguish between false positives (Mars Armor) and the actual, verified logistical support Mars Incorporated provides to the occupation forces (IDF) and the carceral system (IPS).

Evidence & Analysis:

• Forensic Exclusion (Mars Armor): The audit definitively separates Mars, Incorporated (USA) from Mars Armor Ltd (Bulgaria).¹² Mars Armor Ltd is a manufacturer of ballistic vests and is a competitor to Israeli firms, not a subsidiary of the US candy giant. There is no evidence Mars Inc. manufactures weapons or tactical gear.
• Logistical Sustainment (The “Shekem” and “Cantina”)
  The primary vector of military complicity for Mars Inc. is logistical. Mars utilizes powerful local distributors like S. Schestowitz Ltd and Diplomat Group to saturate the market.12
  • IDF Supply (The Shekem): Schestowitz is a registered supplier that stocks the “Shekem” (army canteens). Mars products (Snickers, M&Ms, Gum) are ubiquitous on IDF bases. While these are “comfort items,” they are part of the morale and sustainment infrastructure of the military. The availability of these global brands helps normalize the experience of conscription and occupation.
  • IPS Canteens (The Carceral Economy): In 2009, the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) privatized the operation of prison canteens, awarding the contract to a company named Dadash.¹² Mars products are a staple of these canteens, which serve Palestinian political prisoners.
  • The Implication: This creates a cycle of value extraction. Prisoners are often denied adequate food and basic hygiene supplies by the prison administration. To survive, they are forced to purchase these goods from the canteen at inflated prices, using funds transferred from their families. Mars captures revenue from this captive market. The profit from a Snickers bar sold in Ofer Prison flows from a Palestinian family, to Dadash, to Schestowitz, and finally to Mars Inc. Mars is thus a beneficiary of the incarceration of Palestinians.

Counter-Arguments & Assessment:

Counter-Argument: Mars sells to a distributor (Schestowitz); where the distributor sells (bases, prisons) is not Mars’ choice or responsibility.

Rebuttal: Mars exercises strict control over its brand channels (e.g., preventing parallel imports and price controlling, as seen in the Schestowitz indictment 33). It possesses the contractual power to restrict sales to settlement branches or prison canteens but chooses not to exercise it. This “business as usual” approach in a context of military occupation constitutes negligence and passive complicity.

Analytical Assessment:

Moderate Confidence. While Mars does not make bullets, its products sustain the daily life of the occupiers and extract value from the occupied. The exclusion of Mars Armor clarifies the target profile, focusing the critique on the logistical support provided by the US conglomerate through its distributor network.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• S. Schestowitz Ltd (Distributor) – ¹²
• Dadash (Prison Canteen Operator) – ¹²
• Mars Armor Ltd (Excluded Entity) – ³¹
• Diplomat Group (Distributor) – ¹²

Domain 4: Political & Ideological Complicity (Governance & “Safe Harbor”)

Goal: To expose the ideological alignment of Mars leadership and the ethical double standards applied to geopolitical conflicts, specifically regarding the “Safe Harbor” provided to Israel.

Evidence & Analysis:

• The “Safe Harbor” Double Standard (Asymmetric Humanism)
  The audit contrasts Mars’ corporate response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022) against its response to the Israeli bombardment of Gaza (2023-2025).6
  • The Ukraine Standard: Mars acted with speed and moral clarity. It issued explicit statements condemning the “terrible war,” suspended operations, and donated 100% of profits from remaining Russian business to humanitarian causes.⁹
  • The Gaza Standard: Mars has maintained “Strict Neutrality.” There has been no comparable condemnation of the violence in Gaza, no suspension of the JVP partnership, and no pledge to donate profits from Israeli sales to Gaza relief efforts.
  • The Implication: This creates a “Safe Harbor” for Israel. Mars has proven it can weaponize its balance sheet for human rights when it aligns with US foreign policy (Russia), but chooses not to for Palestinians. This is an active political choice to shield an ally, effectively declaring that Palestinian suffering does not trigger the same corporate ethical obligations as Ukrainian suffering.
• Executive Affiliations & Lobbying
  • Jay Eizenstat (JNF-USA): The Senior Director for Global Trade is linked to the Jewish National Fund.⁷ The JNF is a key agent of land expropriation and exclusionary zoning in Israel. An executive with these ties cannot neutrally administer trade policy in the region.
  • Brad Figel (AICC): His role in the America-Israel Chamber of Commerce ensures Mars lobbies for the protection of Israeli trade, reinforcing the economic iron dome.⁶
• Narrative Normalisation & “Stop Hate for Profit”
  • The ADL Partnership: In July 2020, Mars joined the “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign, partnering with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).¹⁴ The ADL frequently conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism. By importing the ADL’s definitions into its HR and corporate governance, Mars likely creates a chilling effect on internal dissent, silencing employees who might advocate for Palestinian rights.
  • Science Diplomacy: Frank Mars’ participation in the Lindau meetings with Israeli officials and the partnership with the Technion ⁹ serve to “Tech-Wash” the occupation, framing Israel as a center of scientific progress rather than military control.

Counter-Arguments & Assessment:

Counter-Argument: The Russia sanctions were legally mandated or culturally hegemonic; Mars just followed the herd.

Rebuttal: Mars went beyond mandatory sanctions by donating 100% of profits. Its silence on Gaza, even as humanitarian agencies declare famine, violates its own “Five Principles” (specifically Responsibility). The discrepancy proves the ideological bias.

Analytical Assessment:

High Confidence. The leadership’s affiliations and the policy asymmetry provide strong evidence of ideological complicity. Mars is not neutral; it is a protected partner of the Zionist enterprise.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Jay Eizenstat (JNF Link) – ⁷
• Jewish National Fund (JNF) – ⁶
• Brad Figel (AICC) – ⁶
• Anti-Defamation League (ADL) (Partner) – ¹⁴

5. BDS-1000 Classification

The BDS-1000 model evaluates complicity across four domains: Military (V-MIL), Digital (V-DIG), Economic (V-ECON), and Political (V-POL). The scores are derived from the depth of impact, magnitude of revenue/engagement, and proximity to the state apparatus.

Results Summary:

• Final Score: 533
• Tier: Tier C (High Complicity)
• Justification Summary: Mars Incorporated scores heavily in the Economic and Digital domains. The 533 score reflects a company that has structurally integrated with the Israeli economy (JVP, Wiz, KIND/Dates) but stops short of direct weapons manufacturing. The score is bolstered by the “Strategic Legitimation” provided by its R&D partnerships.

BDS-1000 Scoring Matrix – Mars Incorporated

Domain	I (Impact)	M (Magnitude)	P (Proximity)	V-Domain Score
Military (V-MIL)	2.0	6.0	3.0	0.7
Digital (V-DIG)	3.9	8.0	8.0	3.9
Economic (V-ECON)	7.2	7.5	8.0	7.2
Political (V-POL)	4.5	4.0	5.5	2.0

V-Domain Calculation Logic:

• V-ECON (7.2): This is the dominant vector. The JVP partnership (Impact 7.2) is a “Core R&D” collaboration. The Magnitude (7.5) reflects the massive scale of the KIND acquisition and date sourcing. Proximity (8.0) is high due to the direct subsidiary (Mars Wrigley Israel Ltd) and the direct JVP contract.
• V-DIG (3.9): Although the dependency on the “Unit 8200 Stack” (Wiz, Claroty) is systemic (Magnitude 8.0), the Impact score is strictly capped at 3.9 because Mars is a customer (Buyer) of this tech, not a seller of tech to the military. This follows the “Customer Cap” rule.³⁵
• V-MIL (0.7): Low score because Mars Armor is excluded. The score reflects only the logistical sustainment (canteens) which is indirect.
• V-POL (2.0): Reflects the ideological bias of leadership (Eizenstat) and the “Safe Harbor” policy, but lacks the formal, monolithic lobbying machinery of a defense contractor.

Final Composite Calculation:

$$V_{MAX} = 7.2 \text{ (Economic)} \\ Sum_{OTHERS} = 0.7 + 3.9 + 2.0 = 6.6 \\ BRS\_Score = ((7.2 + (6.6 \times 0.2)) \div 16) \times 1000 \\ BRS\_Score = ((7.2 + 1.32) \div 16) \times 1000 \\ BRS\_Score = (8.52 \div 16) \times 1000$$

$$BRS\_Score = 0.5325 \times 1000 = \mathbf{533}$$

Grade Classification:

Based on the score of 533, the company falls within:

• Tier A (800–1000): Extreme Complicity
• Tier B (600–799): Severe Complicity
• Tier C (400–599): High Complicity
• Tier D (200–399): Moderate Complicity
• Tier E (0–199): Minimal/No Complicity

Tier: Tier C

6. Recommended Action(s)

Based on the forensic findings of “High Complicity” (Tier C) and the specific vectors identified (JVP, KIND, Digital Stack), the following actions are recommended for the BDS movement and ethical investors:

• Targeted Boycott of KIND Snacks: The KIND brand is the most tangibly complicit asset in the Mars portfolio due to the high probability of Medjool dates being sourced from Jordan Valley settlements. A targeted consumer boycott of KIND bars, specifically demanding “Verified Settlement-Free Sourcing,” strikes directly at the economic incentive for land appropriation. This aligns with the “Aggregator Nexus” findings.
• Divestment Pressure on JVP Partnership: Institutional investors and university endowments should pressure Mars to terminate its R&D alliance with Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) and the Technion. This partnership is not “business as usual”; it is a strategic validation of the military-academic complex. Campaigns should highlight that Mars is funding the same institutions that develop drone tech for the IDF.
• “Safe Harbor” Public Exposure Campaign: Activists should juxtapose Mars’ robust sanctions against Russia (Ukraine) with its silence on Gaza. Graphics displaying “Mars: Profits for Ukraine, Silence for Gaza” can effectively expose the “Asymmetric Humanism” policy, forcing the company to address its ethical double standard.
• Digital Sovereignty Audit: Shareholders should question the risk of Mars’ dependency on Israeli cyber-intelligence firms (Wiz, Claroty). The argument here is one of corporate risk: “Is it safe for Mars’ global data to be accessible by firms founded by foreign military intelligence officers?” This reframes the complicity issue as a governance and security risk.
• Monitoring of “FoodTech” Investments: Continued surveillance of Mars Edge investments is required. Specific attention should be paid to any direct equity stakes in Aleph Farms or Kinoko-Tech, which would deepen the Tier 3 Strategic Complicity.

Works cited

1. Mars digital Audit
2. Migrate to the cloud, safely – Wiz, accessed December 5, 2025, https://www.wiz.io/solutions/cloud-migration
3. Mars economic Audit
4. Mars’ $5bn Acquisition of KIND North America – MergerSight, accessed December 5, 2025, https://www.mergersight.com/post/mars-5bn-acquisition-of-kind-north-america-s
5. Medjool Dates – | Jordan River Dates, accessed December 5, 2025, https://www.jordanriver-dates.com/products/medjool
6. Mars political Audit
7. Jay Eizenstat – Mars Inc. (Sept. 2020-), Senior Director for Global Trade and Public Affairs – Biography | LegiStorm, accessed December 5, 2025, https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/124675/Jay_Laurence_Eizenstat.html
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