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The co-founders behind the famous frozen dessert company Ben & Jerry's has announced that parent company Unilever blocked the launch of a new Palestine-themed ice cream flavor.

Ben Cohen, that co-founded the company with his partner, announced that he plans to independently develop this new flavor within a personal collection showcasing causes the company has been barred from speaking out about.

Longstanding Conflict Involving Founders versus Parent Company

The recent announcement intensifies the continuing disagreement between the internationally recognized ice cream maker and its corporate parent, the UK-based consumer goods giant which has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

Both founders have asserted how the parent company along with their ice cream division Magnum unlawfully blocked Ben & Jerry's from "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

Watermelon Sorbet as an Emblem of Support

Mr. Cohen revealed via an Instagram video that he's developing an innovative watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting consumer ideas regarding naming options and potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder stated in a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-based ice cream that advocates for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for addressing the harm that occurred in the region.”

The watermelon has become an emblem of support for Palestinians due to its colors, which mirror those of Palestine's national banner – red, green, black and white.

Historical Activism plus Recent Developments

Several years ago, the ice cream company ceased sales of its products in territories occupied by Israel, leading to the parent company transferring the Israeli operation to an Israeli distributor, thereby permitting ongoing distribution within the occupied West Bank.

This upcoming product line will be developed under Ben's Best, the socially conscious dessert company that originally created several years back to support ex- US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders with the product "Bernie's Back".

Management Shifts and Future Intentions

Mr. Cohen indicated that he plans to create other ice cream flavors that address concerns that Ben & Jerry's was prevented from addressing publicly due to corporate restrictions.

This development comes after partner Jerry Greenfield resigned from Ben & Jerry's recently, after decades with the organization, mentioning worries that its independence was compromised after corporate moves to restrict their advocacy work.

Previously, Mr. Cohen stated how “My partner has strong compassion and the ongoing dispute with Unilever was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience leads me to keep working inside the company to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that it can actualise its ethical purpose, the values which established its foundation and has maintained for decades," he told media outlets.

• Parent company limitations on social activism
• Independent flavor creation from company founders
• The fruit-based product serving as political symbol
• Continuing tensions between parent company and social mission