By LISA RATHKE

Ben & Jerry’s has sued its parent company Unilever, accusing it of blocking the ice cream maker from making statements supporting Palestinians in the Gaza war.

The suit, filed Wednesday in a New York federal court, claims the multinational conglomerate breached its contractual obligations with Ben & Jerry’s by threatening to dismantle the company’s independent board of directors, sue the board members, intimidate staff and censor the company “publicly”. expressing support for peace and refugee rights,” the lawsuit states.

London-based Unilever said in a statement that it rejects the claims of Ben & Jerry’s social mission committee. “We will defend our cause very strongly,” he said.

Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s, a longtime supporter of progressive social causes, in 2000, but distanced himself from the glacier’s decision in 2021 to stop sales in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and disputed East Jerusalem.

When Ben & Jerry’s was sold, the companies agreed that the ice cream maker’s independent board would be free to pursue its social mission, including long-standing support of liberal causes on issues such as racial justice, climate action, LGBTQ rights and campaign finance reform. But Unilever would have the final say on financial and operational decisions.

Unilever then announced in July 2022 that it was selling its stake in the Vermont ice cream parlor. to his Israeli licenseewhich would market Ben & Jerry’s products with labels in Hebrew and Arabic in East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. Ben & Jerry’s I tried to block the plan in court but failed.