Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Ben Cohen Says Unilever Blocked Palestine-Themed Ice Cream. Cohen says parent company Unilever blocked plans for a new watermelon ice cream flavour, which colours show “solidarity with Palestine.” Cohen announced he will independently launch the flavour as part of a personal project, highlighting causes the brand has been stopped from addressing publicly. Known for its activism, Ben & Jerry’s has frequently spoken out on political and humanitarian issues — including the Israel-Gaza conflict. The BBC has contacted Unilever for comment. The move marks the latest escalation in tensions between Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever, which bought the company in 2000. Cohen said the firm had “unlawfully blocked” Ben & Jerry’s from honouring its social mission. In a video posted online, he revealed plans for a watermelon-flavoured sorbet, a nod to the colours of the Palestinian flag, saying: “I’m doing what they couldn’t, I’m making a watermelon flavoured ice cream, that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing all the damage that was done there.” Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT