Sportswear giant Adidas has found itself in the middle of a controversy after it removed an advertisement featuring Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid.
The decision came following criticism from pro-Israel groups, who accused Hadid of being “anti-Semitic” due to her support for Palestinian relief efforts.
The ad campaign was designed to promote Adidas’ retro 1972 Summer Olympics sneaker, coinciding with the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Games massacre, in which 11 Israeli athletes and officials were killed by the Palestinian Black September group.
In a statement, Adidas said the connections to the tragic historical event were “completely unintentional” and that the company was “revising the remainder of the campaign.” The brand also reiterated its belief in “sport as a unifying force around the world” and its commitment to “championing diversity and equality.”
Adidas said it would be “revising the remainder of the campaign” with immediate effect.
But the move to remove Hadid’s ad has angered the pro-Palestine side, who view it as the brand caving into demands from Israel supporters.
Hadid, who is known for her outspoken support of her Palestinian heritage and criticism of Israel’s actions, has faced harsh criticism from Israeli and Zionist public figures and media outlets.
Critics have accused the pro-Israel campaigners, including the American Jewish Committee, of unfairly targeting Hadid and her father, Mohamed Hadid, for their advocacy of Palestinian rights.
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Journalist Mehdi Hasan called the criticism against Bella Hadid “straight-up anti-Palestinian racism and bigotry,” highlighting the problematic nature of blaming the Hadids for a massacre that occurred decades ago.
“This is straight up anti-Palestinian and racism and bigotry,” Hasan wrote on X. “Bella Hadid has absolutely nothing in common with the 1972 terrorists — other than the fact that she is Palestinian. Blaming people for the crimes of others who share their race or ethnicity is pure racism and bigotry,” he said.
The sentiment was echoed by many others who are condemning this latest campaign against Bella.
American mixed martial artist Jake Shields wrote, “Jewish organisations got Bella Hadid cancelled simply because she’s Palestinian. In 1946 ships full of Jewish immigrants landed from Poland and arrived in Palestine. They needed a home so her dad and grandfather took in a family and fed them for two years. In 1948 the family decided that they wanted the home and ran them out of their own home with guns. They fled to Syria.”
Yoseph Haddad, an Israeli journalist and influencer, condemned the campaign as “unbelievable, hypocritical, and disgusting” for associating Hadid with the 1972 Olympics tragedy.
The StopAntisemitism NGO echoed Haddad’s sentiments, labeling Hadid an “antisemite” who was chosen to represent the 1972 Olympic shoe relaunch. Local Palestinian media, however, characterized the backlash as an “incitement campaign” against Hadid and Adidas.
Some social media users defended the collaboration, arguing that Hadid cannot be blamed for an attack that occurred before she was born. Others seized the opportunity to call for Israel’s ban from the Olympics, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
