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One of the co-founders behind the famous ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has stated how corporate owner the multinational conglomerate stopped the launch for an innovative Palestine-themed frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that co-founded the company with his partner, disclosed how he plans to independently develop the controversial flavor within an individual collection highlighting causes the company was barred from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Founders and Parent Company

The recent announcement intensifies the continuing tension among the internationally recognized dessert company and Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods corporation that has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

Both founders have asserted how Unilever along with their ice cream division the Magnum brand improperly prevented their company against "honouring its social mission".

Watermelon Flavor becoming a Symbol for Solidarity

The entrepreneur stated via social media how he is creating an innovative watermelon-flavored frozen dessert, asking for public suggestions for naming options plus potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they couldn't,” the founder declared in a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-based frozen dessert that advocates for lasting ceasefire in Palestine and calls for addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

This particular fruit has emerged as an emblem of solidarity with Palestinians due to its colors, that closely resemble the colors in the Palestinian flag – red, green, black and white.

Previous Activism and Recent Changes

In 2021, Ben & Jerry's ceased sales of their merchandise in areas under Israeli control, leading to Unilever selling the Israeli operation over to an Israeli distributor, thus allowing continued sales in the occupied West Bank.

The new dessert series will be created through Mr. Cohen's personal brand, the socially conscious ice cream brand which originally created several years back to support ex- political contender Senator Sanders via the flavor "Bernie's Back".

Management Changes plus Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen stated how he will develop additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on issues which the company was silenced from speaking about openly by corporate restrictions.

The announcement comes after partner Mr. Greenfield resigned his position at the company in September, after decades of involvement, citing worries regarding how the company's autonomy was undermined following corporate moves to restrict its social activism.

Previously, Ben Cohen commented that “My partner has strong compassion and this conflict with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

"My heart compels me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy so that the company can actualise its ethical purpose, the principles that it was founded on and has maintained for over 40 years," he told media outlets.

• Parent company limitations regarding political advocacy
• Personal product development by company founders
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Ongoing disagreements between parent company versus ethical values