Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a bold political statement amid an ongoing legal dispute with parent company Unilever.

“Ben & Jerry’s believes in human rights and advocates for peace, and we join with those around the world who denounce the genocide in Gaza,” said the company’s independent board in a statement shared with the Financial Times.

“We stand with all who raise their voices against genocide in Gaza — from petition-signers to street marchers to those risking arrest.”

The ice cream brand, which is due to be separated from Unilever later this year as part of a spin-off of the multinational’s ice cream division, has filed legal complaints in New York claiming that Unilever is trying to silence its activism and dismantle the board’s independence.

The dispute comes ahead of the creation of The Magnum Ice Cream Company, the soon-to-be independent entity that will house Unilever’s ice cream brands including Ben & Jerry’s. The new company will be listed primarily in Amsterdam, with additional listings in London and New York.

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It follows in the wake of long-running tension between the two parties, which first began when Ben & Jerry’s attempted to end product sales in Israeli-occupied territories in 2022.

Unilever rejected those efforts and is now in litigation with the board, saying it “supports efforts for a peaceful resolution and the end of violence to conflicts around the world” but would not comment further on the board’s position.

As part of Unilever’s original $326m acquisition of Ben & Jerry’s in 2000, the two parties agreed to maintain the brand’s independent board with authority over its “social mission”.

However, Ben & Jerry’s board now claims Unilever has breached that agreement, through measures such as ousting the brand’s CEO for allegedly not blocking political messaging, and axing funding to its charitable Foundation.

Last month, Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen was arrested in Washington DC, after staging a protest during a US Senate hearing to call attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

It is understood Unilever has not responded directly to the board’s latest claims but maintains that it is complying with its legal obligations and will continue the litigation process.