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The co-founders of the well-known ice cream brand Ben and Jerry's has claimed that parent company the multinational conglomerate stopped the introduction of an innovative pro-Palestinian frozen dessert product.

Ben Cohen, that established the business with Jerry Greenfield, announced that he plans to independently develop this new product as part of a personal collection highlighting causes Ben & Jerry's has been prevented from addressing publicly.

Longstanding Dispute Involving Founders and Corporate Owner

This latest development deepens the continuing tension between the internationally recognized ice cream maker and Unilever, the UK-based consumer goods corporation that has owned Ben & Jerry's for over two decades.

Both founders have claimed that the parent company along with its ice cream arm Magnum improperly prevented their company against "fulfilling its ethical commitments".

Watermelon Flavor becoming a Symbol for Solidarity

Mr. Cohen announced via an Instagram video how he's developing a new watermelon-flavored sorbet, requesting consumer ideas regarding naming options plus potential ingredients.

“I'm doing what they were prevented from doing,” the founder commented in a cooking set. “I'm creating a watermelon-flavored frozen dessert that calls for permanent peace in Palestine while demanding repairing the damage that was done there.”

This particular fruit has become an emblem for support for the Palestinian people because of its coloration, that mirror those of the Palestinian flag – the distinctive four-color pattern.

Historical Activism and Recent Changes

Several years ago, the ice cream company ceased sales of its products in areas under Israeli control, resulting in the parent company transferring the Israeli operation to a local licensee, thus allowing continued sales in disputed territories.

The new dessert series is being created through Ben's Best, the activist ice cream brand that originally created in 2016 to support former US presidential candidate Senator Sanders via the product "Bernie's Return".

Leadership Shifts and Upcoming Plans

The founder revealed how he will create additional frozen dessert varieties focusing on issues which the company was prevented from addressing publicly due to Unilever.

This development comes after co-founder Mr. Greenfield stepped down from the company recently, after decades of involvement, citing concerns that the company's autonomy had been compromised following Unilever's decision to curb its social activism.

Previously, Ben Cohen remarked how "Jerry has a really big heart and this conflict with our parent company was deeply distressing him."

“My conscience leads me to continue to work within the organization to advocate for corporate autonomy ensuring that the company can achieve its ethical purpose, the principles which established its foundation while upholding for decades," he explained to journalists.

• Corporate owner restrictions on social activism
• Independent product development by company founders
• Watermelon flavor as social statement
• Continuing tensions among corporate ownership and ethical values