Ben & Jerry's independent board accuses Unilever of preventing the ice cream brand from advocating for Palestinian rights.

Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's said in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that parent company Unilever has silenced its attempts to express support for Palestinian refugees and threatened to dismantle its board and sue its members over the issue.

In a complaint filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, Ben & Jerry’s alleged that Unilever had breached its agreement to allow the brand to pursue its own “social mission” by preventing it from calling for a ceasefire or voicing support for refugees.

FMCG giant Unilever has dismissed Ben & Jerry's claims that it has silenced the ice-cream group's attempts to support Palestinian refugees in the Gaza conflict. Reports from Reuters suggest Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit this week against Unilever,

In escalation of long-running tensions, the ice-cream brand says its parent company blocked statements in support of Palestinian rights.

The ice cream maker claimed in a lawsuit that its parent company tried to stop it from expressing support for Palestinian refugees.

The independent board of Ben & Jerry’s has accused its parent company, Unilever Plc, of silencing it on advocating for Palestinian rights, in contravention of an agreement between the two.