Following Adidas’s removal of Bella Hadid from their latest Munich Olympics-themed campaign after backlash from Israel, the Palestinian model Bella Hadid announced hiring legal counsel to sue Adidas due to their ‘lack of accountability’, as she is accusing the company of leading a damaging and cruel campaign against her, according to the “Identity” Magazine.
Adidas had previously announced that it had pulled supermodel Palestinian-American Bella Hadid from an advertising campaign for retro shoes referencing the 1972 Munich Olympics after facing criticism from Israel, according to the “Egyptian Streets” website.
The criticism stemmed from referencing the 1972 Munich Games, where Palestinian attackers killed 11 Israeli athletes.
Israel’s official account on X accused Hadid of hostility towards Israel, citing her vocal support for Palestinians and recent financial contributions to Gaza relief efforts.
Adidas acknowledged the sensitivity of the historical connections, issued an apology, and announced it would revise the campaign. The German sportswear giant had originally chosen Hadid to promote its SL72 trainers, which were launched in conjunction with the 1972 Olympics and recently relaunched to revive classic designs. However, images of Hadid modelling the shoes sparked controversy on social media, with Israel linking her involvement to the Munich attacks.
Bella Hadid, whose father is Palestinian real estate mogul Mohamed Anwar Hadid, has been a prominent advocate for Palestinian rights. In May, she expressed sorrow on Instagram over the plight of Palestinians and criticized the global response.
Recently, Bella and her sister Gigi, a fashion model, donated USD 1 million (EGP 48.2 million) to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza, where ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties and devastation.
The Gaza conflict escalated following an attack by Hamas gunmen on Israel, which marked the start of a months-long war in Gaza. The violence has resulted in substantial loss of life, with over 38,900 reported killed in Gaza, according to health authorities.
