Image source, Getty Images
- author, Emma Sanders
- role, Culture reporter
US model Bella Hadid has spoken out about her appearance in an Adidas advertising campaign which the company criticised for its “unintended” link to the 1972 Munich Olympics.
“I am shocked, upset and disappointed by the lack of sensitivity that has gone into this campaign,” said Hadid, who is half Palestinian.
The advertising campaign for the retro trainers, “SL72,” references the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes and one German police officer were killed in an attack by the Palestinian group “Black September.”
Hadid, 27, is a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and made a donation to support Gaza war relief efforts earlier this year.
Hadid said in an Instagram Story on Monday night that she would “never knowingly be involved in any art or work that is connected to a horrific tragedy of any kind.”
“Before announcing my campaign, I knew nothing about the historical connection to the brutal events of 1972.”
“Peace over violence”
She continued: “I am shocked, upset and disappointed at the lack of care that has gone into this campaign. If I had known in my heart, I would never have participated.”
“My team should have known, Adidas should have known, I should have done more research, known, understood and spoke out.”
The campaign, released earlier this month, showed Hadid holding a bouquet of flowers to celebrate the re-release of the sneaker, which first debuted in 1972, the same year as the Munich Olympics.
Hadid continued: “Everyone’s intention was to create something positive and bring people together through art, but a lack of understanding on the part of all involved undermined the process.”
“I do not believe in any form of hatred, including anti-Semitism. That has never wavered and I fully support that statement.”
“It pains me to link the liberation of the Palestinian people with such a tragic attack.
“Palestine is not synonymous with terrorism. This campaign has unintentionally highlighted events that do not represent us.”
Hadid described herself as a “proud Palestinian woman.”
“I will forever stand with the Palestinian people and advocate for a world free of anti-Semitism,” she continued.
“Anti-Semitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people.
“I will always prioritize peace over violence. There is no place for hatred here. I will forever advocate not only for my people, but for all people around the world.”
In an earlier statement on Instagram, Adidas Originals said any connection to the 1972 attacks was “unintended” and the German company apologised for “upset and distress caused to communities around the world”.
“We made an unintentional error,” the statement said, adding that they were “correcting the campaign.”
When the ad was released, Hadid faced some criticism, including on social media.
However, other users defended the model and called for a boycott of Adidas following the move to drop the campaign.
The conflict in Gaza began when Hamas militants launched unprecedented attacks on Israel, leaving some 1,200 people dead and 252 taken back to Gaza as hostages.
Israel responded by launching a military operation in Gaza with the aim of destroying Hamas and freeing the hostages.
The health ministry in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip said on Monday that more than 39,000 people have been killed in the nearly 10-month war between Israel and Palestinian militants.
