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.

The ice cream brand, known for its activism, sued parent company Unilever, alleging it was blocked from calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

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

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

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

Ben & Jerry’s said in the lawsuit it has tried to call for a ceasefire, support the safe passage of Palestinian refugees to Britain, back students protesting at US colleges against civilian deaths in Gaza, and advocate for a halt in US military aid to Israel. The court filing was first reported by Reuters.

The independent board of Ben and 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.

Ben & Jerry’s has claimed Unilever threatened to dismantle its independent board and “silenced” the brand over its support for Palestinian refugees, in the latest legal flare-up between the ice cream brand and its parent company.

Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's said in a lawsuit that parent company Unilever has threatened to dismantle its board and sue its members.

Beloved ice cream maker sues parent company over accusations it breached an agreement giving Ben & Jerry's responsibility over 'social mission'

It is not the first time tensions have been frosty between Ben & Jerry's and its parent company over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.