Frozen Rift: Ben & Jerry's Legal Clash with Unilever

Ben & Jerry's filed a lawsuit against parent company Unilever, accusing it of stifling their attempts to support Palestinian refugees. The lawsuit highlights a long-standing tension over Ben & Jerry's social mission and its actions in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Unilever denies these claims.

Ben & Jerry's has taken legal action against its parent company, Unilever, alleging that it has been prevented from supporting Palestinian refugees and expressing its social mission. In a lawsuit filed on Wednesday, the ice cream maker claimed that Unilever violated a 2022 settlement agreement that affirmed Ben & Jerry's independent stance.

The conflict traces back to a decision by Ben & Jerry's in 2021 to halt sales in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, citing it as inconsistent with their social values. This decision sparked friction with Unilever, leading to previous legal disputes that were supposedly settled last year.

According to the lawsuit, Unilever has opposed Ben & Jerry's selections of human rights groups for donations due to their critical stance on the Israeli government. Unilever refutes these allegations and maintains their previous position, stating there would be no further comments on the ongoing legal proceedings.

(With inputs from agencies.)