Ben & Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen posted on Instagram that brand owner Unilever had prevented the company from making a flavor in support of Palestine, so "I'm doing it myself."
He said that the flavor would be based on watermelon, which The Times of Israel noted has become a symbol of Palestinians on social media in recent years due to its colors resembling those of the Palestinian national flag.
In his post, Cohen asked the public to send in ideas for a name for the flavor and for additional ingredients, as well as suggestions for ideas for the design on the ice cream container.
"I've got a watermelon and an empty pint of ice cream - and I need your help," he wrote.
Cohen, who has been a harsh critic of Israel, also noted that Unilever had prevented an attempt to stop selling the brand in "the occupied territories," referring to a push four years ago to boycott Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Cohen told The Guardian that Unilever is engaged in a "corporate attack on free speech" and "corporate butt kissing" of President Donald Trump, explaining that Ben & Jerry's independent board approved the Palestine-supporting flavor a year ago.
The Magnum Ice Cream Company, Unilever's division that owns Ben & Jerry's, confirmed that the idea was scrapped.
Cohen has launched a "Free Ben & Jerry's" campaign to persuade Unilever to sell the brand to a group of socially minded investors who he says have pledged to permit it to continue its "social mission."
In September, co-founder Jerry Greenfield stepped down from Ben & Jerry's after decades at the company, citing concerns that its independence had been compromised following Unilever's decision to curb its social activism, according to the BBC.
U.K.-based Unilever bought Ben & Jerry's in 2000 for $326 million, but agreed that the brand would maintain an independent board that could speak out on social justice issues, The Times of Israel reported.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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