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One of the co-founders of the famous ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has claimed that parent company Unilever prevented the launch of a new Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

The entrepreneur, that established the business alongside his partner, announced that he will personally create the controversial product as part of an individual collection showcasing issues Ben & Jerry's was barred from speaking out about.

Ongoing Dispute Between Founders and Parent Company

The recent development escalates the continuing tension among the world-famous ice cream maker with Unilever, the UK-based packaged goods giant which has owned Ben & Jerry's since 2000.

The co-founders have claimed that Unilever and their ice cream division the Magnum brand unlawfully blocked their company from "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

The Fruit Sorbet becoming a Symbol for Solidarity

Mr. Cohen revealed through an Instagram video that he's developing a new watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for public suggestions regarding the product's name plus potential ingredients.

“I'm accomplishing what they were prevented from doing,” Mr. Cohen declared from a cooking set. “I'm making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace for Palestinians and calls for repairing the damage that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians because of its colors, that mirror those of the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Current Changes

Several years ago, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of its products in territories under Israeli control, leading to the parent company selling the Israeli operation to a local licensee, thus allowing continued sales in disputed territories.

This upcoming dessert series is being developed under Ben's Best, the activist dessert company that originally created several years back to support ex- US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Changes and Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen indicated how he plans to develop additional ice cream flavors that address concerns which the company was silenced from speaking about openly due to Unilever.

This development comes after co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down his position at the company in September, following decades with the organization, citing worries that its independence was compromised following Unilever's decision to curb their advocacy work.

At that time, Mr. Cohen remarked that “My partner has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with our parent company was breaking it."

"My heart compels me to continue to work inside the company to fight for corporate autonomy so that it can fulfill the social mission, the values that it was founded on while upholding for over 40 years," he explained to journalists.

• Parent company restrictions on political advocacy
• Independent product development from company founders
• Watermelon flavor serving as political symbol
• Ongoing disagreements among corporate ownership versus ethical values