Model Bella Hadid responded to criticism of her participation in an Adidas ad campaign that was linked to a 1972 terrorist attack during the Olympics. Hadid, who has Palestinian roots, stated that she was not aware of the connection and would not have taken part in the campaign if she had known. She expressed shock and disappointment over the lack of sensitivity that went into the campaign and vowed to advocate for a world free of antisemitism while standing by the people of Palestine.
The backlash against Hadid and Adidas began after the Israeli government criticized the campaign, citing Hadid’s previous pro-Palestinian advocacy. The American Jewish Committee also condemned the decision to feature Hadid in the ad. Adidas responded by pulling the ads and issuing an apology for any upset or distress caused by the unintentional connection to historical events.
Hadid emphasized in her statement that she condemns hate in any form and that antisemitism has no place in advocating for the liberation of the Palestinian people. She acknowledged that more research should have been done by her team and Adidas to avoid such a controversy. The decision to pull the ads has led some to call for a boycott of Adidas, while Hadid’s spokesperson stated that she has no further comment on the matter.
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