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.