Ben & Jerry’s Co-Founder Ben Cohen Launches “Watermelon Flavor” Campaign Accusing Ice Cream Brands of Silencing Pro-Palestinian Voices

VERMONT (VINnews)-Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and a longtime political activist & Israel hater, has launched an online campaign urging supporters of the Palestinian cause to help create a “watermelon flavor” and design packaging for an imagined pro-Palestinian ice cream product.

Cohen claims—without evidence—that Magnum Ice Cream blocked Ben & Jerry’s from releasing a flavor intended to “support peace in Palestine.” He is now calling on activists to “show MagnumGlobal what creativity and solidarity can do,” urging them to suggest names, ingredients, and package designs featuring the watermelon symbol often used by anti-Israel groups.

“This is a challenge for everyone who believes individuals and companies should not be silenced in talking about Palestine,” Cohen declared in a promotional post, framing the campaign as a protest against corporate suppression of pro-Palestinian messaging.

Cohen announced that a fan-submitted concept by participant Laura Davis had been selected as the “flavor winner,” although the product is not associated with any actual ice-cream manufacturer and exists only as part of the activist effort.

Cohen, who has a long record of public criticism of Israel, is once again leveraging his celebrity and business legacy to push highly charged political narratives. The campaign—like several of his previous initiatives—aims to pressure global companies while portraying Israel and its supporters as responsible for “silencing” dissent.

Critics also point to the irony of politicizing consumer products under the banner of “free expression,” saying such efforts deepen divisions rather than promote peace or constructive dialogue.

Despite gaining attention on social media, Cohen’s initiative remains a symbolic protest—another example of brand activism being used to advance anti-Israel messaging under the guise of a consumer-driven campaign.