Bella Hadid angers Israeli media after being made the face of Adidas Olympics campaign

Social media seized the opportunity of the announcement to advocate for Israel's ban from the Olympics.


Pop Culture & Art July 19, 2024
Courtesy: AFP

Bella Hadid has faced criticism from several Zionists after being named the face of a new Adidas shoe.

The model, known for her outspoken support of her Palestinian heritage and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, was featured on posters promoting the retro-inspired shoe.

However, the advertisements and social media posts quickly faced harsh criticism from Israeli and Zionist public figures and websites.

Yoseph Haddad, an Israeli journalist and social media influencer, criticized Hadid in a post on the social media platform X.

"Adidas decided to pay tribute to the shoes that were first launched at the Munich Olympics in 1972…the same Olympic games during which 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in a massacre- and who was hired to model these shoes? Bella Hadid, the person supporting Hamas terrorists who committed a massacre I Israel just 9 months ago," Haddad posted, calling the campaign "unbelievable, hypocritical, and disgusting."

The StopAntisemitism NGO's page on X also supported his comments.

"Antisemite Bella Hadid was chosen by Adidas as the face for the 1972 Olympic shoe relaunch. The same Olympics in which Jews were butchered by Palestinian terrorists," read a post from the NGO.

Local Palestinian media called the remarks an "incitement campaign," while others applauded the model and Adidas for their collaboration.

"I’m pretty sure Adidas did a Palestinian edition samba way back in the day. Would be cool if they brought that back for Bella Hadid ambassador launch," a social media user wrote.

Some argued that connecting Bella Hadid to the 1972 Olympics attack was unfounded since it occurred before she was born.

Some also seized the opportunity of the announcement to advocate for Israel's ban from the Olympics, citing the ongoing war on Gaza that has devastated the enclave and destroyed entire neighborhoods.

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