Ben & Jerry’s co-founder eyes new pro-Palestinian ice cream

Co-founder of the iconic ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s says the parent company, Unilever, blocked him from releasing a Palestinian-themed flavor, adds he will launch a pro-Palestinian ice cream independently.

By World Israel News Staff

Ice cream maker and Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen announced Tuesday plans to launch an independently marketed Palestinian-themed ice cream, after accusing the parent company of the Ben & Jerry’s brand of blocking a similar plan in the past.

In an Instagram video, Cohen reiterated his support for the Palestinian cause, welcoming the Gaza ceasefire while advocating for reconstruction and an end to Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria, and an end to the IDF deployment in the Gaza Strip.

“Here I am making something that’s actually pretty important,” Cohen said. “You know, the scale of suffering of the Palestinian people over the last two years has been unimaginable.”

“So the ceasefire is a welcome relief. But there is much more work to do to rebuild. Palestinians are still living under occupation, still recovering from years of suffering, especially Palestinian children.”

“They deserve dignity, safety, and the same rights that every human being should have.”

Cohen resigned from Ben & Jerry’s last month over long-running disagreements with its parent company, Unilever, which sells Ben & Jerry’s through its ice cream line, dubbed Magnum.

According to the 74-year-old businessman and left-wing donor, Unilever blocked a previous plan to release a special Palestinian-themed ice cream flavor, meant to highlight Cohen’s support for the Palestinian cause and criticism of Israel.

“A while back, Ben & Jerry’s tried to make a flavor to call for peace in Palestine, to stand for justice and dignity for everyone.”

“But they weren’t allowed to. They were stopped by Unilever Magnum, the company that owns Ben & Jerry’s. Just like when Ben & Jerry’s tried to stop selling ice cream in the occupied territories, they were blocked again by their parent company.”

Cohen announced that he is planning to release a pro-Palestinian sorbet, using watermelon as a base.

Since the Hamas invasion of Israel and subsequent massacres of 1,200 people, the watermelon has become a popular symbol of support for Palestinian rejectionism of the Jewish state, mirroring the colors of the Palestine Liberation Organization flag – red, green, black, and white.

“I’m doing what they couldn’t. I’m making a watermelon-flavored ice cream that calls for permanent peace in Palestine and calls for repairing all the damage that was done there.”

“I am doing this to shine a light on the experience of Palestinian people, and children in particular, so the world does not look the other way.”

Cohen said he was open to suggestions for the recipe, name, and label design for the upcoming sorbet line.

Shortly after Cohen released the video, the BBC contacted Unilever, which did not respond to Cohen’s comments.