Bella Hadid speaks out about the scandal surrounding her deleted Adidas campaign
Bella Hadid has taken to social media to comment on the scandal surrounding an Adidas advertising campaign featuring her: the brand had previously removed it after complaints. The 27-year-old model advertised the relaunch of the SL 72 sneaker line, which was created by Adidas for the 1972 Olympics in Munich. At those Games, the Palestinian terrorist organization Black September killed 11 members of the Israeli national team and a local police officer. As a result, the American Jewish Committee complained about the advertising campaign, noting that choosing a model of Palestinian origin for such a campaign was unethical. Adidas apologized, and Bella Hadid decided to sue the brand.
The model said it was important to her that people hear her comment on the incident personally, and noted that she would "never knowingly take on a project that is related to any terrible tragedy."
Bella said she was unaware that the campaign could be linked to these events. "Before the campaign, I had no idea about the historical connection to the horrific events of 1972. I am shocked, upset and disappointed by the lack of tact in this campaign. If I had known about this, I would never have taken part," she wrote on social media.
She also noted that she was hurt by the association of her participation in the campaign and her Palestinian heritage with the tragedy, emphasizing that there is "much more" to their culture than such a comparison.
Bella stressed that she does not support "hatred in any form, including anti-Semitism." "I will always stand with my people and will continue to advocate for a world free of anti-Semitism."
Bella Hadid has previously faced career problems due to her support for Palestine and public statements. The model lost many contracts, and in November 2023, Dior ended its cooperation with her amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine.
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