Adidas is under fire for taking down a Bella Hadid ad after backlash from pro-Israel groups

Adidas is getting slammed from both corners after removing an ad featuring Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid after criticism from pro-Israel groups. The pro-Palestine side has been angered by the brand caving in to demands from Israel supporters.

The campaign, designed to promote the retro 1972 Summer Olympic Games sneaker, coincided with the 52nd anniversary of the Munich Games massacre. The event saw 11 Israeli athletes and officials killed by the Palestinian Black September group.

“We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events — though these are completely unintentional — and we apologise for any upset or distress caused,” Adidas said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. “As a result, we are revising the remainder of the campaign. We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to champion diversity and equality in everything we do.”

Pro-Israel campaigners, including the American Jewish Committee, have lashed out at Adidas for featuring Bella, calling her support for Palestinian relief efforts in Gaza ‘anti-semitic’.

The criticism also extends to her father, Mohamed Hadid, for his advocacy for Palestinian rights. Israeli journalist Yoseph Haddad’s comments on social media further fuelled the backlash. Haddad called the campaign “unbelievable, hypocritical, and disgusting.”

But blaming the Hadids for a massacre from decades ago is unfounded and perpetuates harmful narratives against Palestinians. Especially when the model has always advocated for peace in the Middle East, not just for Palestinians but for all lives affected by the violence.

Journalist Mehdi Hasan rightly pointed out the problematic nature of the criticism against Bella, labelling it as “straight-up anti-Palestinian racism and bigotry.”

He noted that blaming Bella for the actions of a group of people from decades ago based on her ethnicity is a clear example of racial prejudice. “This is straight up anti-Palestinian and racism and bigotry,” Hasan wrote on X. “Bella Hadid has absolutely nothing in common with the 1972 terrorists — other than the fact that she is Palestinian. Blaming people for the crimes of others who share their race or ethnicity is pure racism and bigotry.”

The sentiment was echoed by many others who are condemning this latest campaign against Bella as a form of cancel culture rooted in ethnic discrimination.

For those calling Bella and her father ‘anti-semitic’, American mixed martial artist Jake Shields wrote, “Jewish organisations got Bella Hadid cancelled simply because she’s Palestinian. In 1946 ships full of Jewish immigrants landed from Poland and arrived in Palestine. They needed a home so her dad and grandfather took in a family and fed them for two years. In 1948 the family decided that they wanted the home and ran them out of their own home with guns. They fled to Syria.”

Mohamed spoke about the incident in an interview with Anadolu last year.

The response to Adidas’ decision has highlighted the ongoing struggle for Palestinian voices to be heard and respected. As one blogger noted, Bella is being boycotted not for any wrongdoing but for her identity and her advocacy for her people.

The swift removal of her campaign from Adidas’ platforms has been seen by many as a brand yielding to pressure from those who equate being Palestinian and standing up for Palestine to anti-semitism.

The backlash is also indicative of a broader issue: the association of Palestinians and Muslims with terrorism. This association also plays into dehumanising Palestinians and undermines legitimate calls for peace and justice in Gaza.

The controversy is a stark reminder of the prejudices that still exist. Blaming Bella for a massacre that occurred before she was born, purely based on her ethnicity, is not only unjust but also detrimental to the cause of peace. If anything, Bella has consistently advocated for peace and human rights for all, and she should be commended for her efforts, not vilified.