Adidas has sparked outrage for choosing anti-Israel supermodel Bella Hadid to market its re-released retro 1972 Olympic sneakers — the same year 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were killed by a Palestinian terrorist group at the Munich games.
Hadid, who is half-Palestinian on her father’s side, and her sister Gigi have faced criticism for being supporters of the Palestinian relief efforts since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The German athletic wear company announced Monday the re-launch of the classic SL 72 shoe ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
It also marks the 52nd anniversary of the “Munich Massacre,” when members of the Palestinian terrorist group Black September stormed the Olympic village and took the Israeli athletes and coaches hostage before they were eventually killed.
The State of Israel’s official social media account demanded answers from Adidas as to how Hadid could have been chosen to represent the shoe during such tense times.
“Guess who the face of [Adidas’] campaign is? Bella Hadid, a half-Palestinian model who has a history of spreading antisemitism and calling for violence against Israelis and Jews,” the account, run by the Israel Foreign Ministry, posted.
The pro-Israel American Jewish Committee also blasted the shoemaker for the insensitive ad campaign.
“For Adidas to pick a vocal anti-Israel model to recall this dark Olympics is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory. Neither is acceptable,” the organization tweeted.
“We call on Adidas to address this egregious error.”
In May, Hadid, 27, honored her Palestinian heritage at the Cannes Film Festival 2024, donning a dress made out of keffiyeh fabric — a checkered traditional Arab headdress that’s become a symbol of Palestinian solidarity and identity at protests.
In June, it was reported that Bella and Gigi Hadid planned to donate $1 million to support Palestinian relief efforts.
Some of the cash was expected to go to the UN’s embattled United Nations Relief and Works Agency aid agency, whose employees have been linked to Hamas.
UNRWA announced it January had fired nine of its 12 staffers who Israel alleged were involved in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that left roughly 1,200 dead, with another 253 kidnapped.
Bella previously marched on behalf of her brethren during protests in 2021.
Other faces of the ad campaign include French soccer star Jules Koundé, rapper and songwriter A$AP Nast, musician Melissa Bon and model Sabrina Lan, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The Post has reached out to Adidas for comment.
Hadid’s father, Mohamed Anwar Hadid, was born to a Palestinian Muslim family and has long been vocal about Palestinian rights.
He came under fire earlier this year after he sent an exploitative-laced message attacking New York Congressman Ritchie Torres — a progressive Democrat who supports Israel. Hadid later apologized.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
