HERZOGENAURACH: Adidas, the global sportswear giant, has stirred controversy after withdrawing an advertisement featuring Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid following pressure from pro-Israel groups.
Adidas took the decision following criticism from pro-Israel groups, who accused Hadid of being “anti-Semitic” due to her support for Palestinian relief efforts.
The advertisement in question was part of a campaign promoting Adidas’ retro 1972 Summer Olympics sneaker, coinciding with the anniversary of the Munich Games incident, where 11 Israeli athletes and officials were killed by the Palestinian Black September group.
Adidas clarified that any connections made to the historical event were unintended and expressed regret over the sensitivity surrounding the campaign. The company announced it would be revising the remainder of the campaign in response to the backlash.
The decision to remove Hadid from the campaign has sparked outrage among pro-Palestinian advocates, who view it as capitulation to demands from pro-Israel factions. Bella Hadid, known for her vocal support of her Palestinian heritage and criticism of Israeli policies, has faced intense scrutiny and accusations of anti-Semitism from Israeli public figures and media outlets.
Journalist Mehdi Hasan denounced the criticism against Hadid as “straight-up anti-Palestinian racism and bigotry,” emphasizing that blaming Hadid for events predating her birth is unjust and discriminatory.
The backlash against Adidas’ decision has reverberated across social media, with mixed martial artist Jake Shields accusing Jewish organizations of targeting Hadid purely because of her Palestinian background. Shields referenced historical events and criticized the perceived hypocrisy in the treatment of Palestinian rights advocates.
Israeli journalist Yoseph Haddad condemned the campaign against Hadid as “unbelievable, hypocritical, and disgusting,” asserting that associating her with the Munich tragedy is unfair and misleading.
The NGO StopAntisemitism joined in the condemnation, labeling Hadid an “antisemite” and criticizing Adidas for choosing her to represent the Olympic shoe relaunch.
Meanwhile, Palestinian media outlets have characterized the backlash against Hadid as an “incitement campaign,” defending her right to express her views on Palestinian rights.
