Adverts featuring the model for Adidas’s relaunch of a shoe from the Munich Olympics – when Israeli athletes were killed by terrorists – were pulled, after pro-Israel groups called them offensive. Hadid has a Palestinian father and has been a critic of Israel’s war against Hamas.
Adidas has apologised to Bella Hadid after the supermodel was removed from a campaign that referenced an Olympics at which Israeli athletes were killed by pro-Palestinian terrorists.
Adverts featuring the US supermodel for a relaunch of an Adidas shoe from the 1972 Munich Olympics were pulled on Friday, after pro-Israel groups called them “sick” and offensive.
Hadid – whose father is Palestinian – has been outspoken against Israel’s war on Hamas.
After reports suggested Hadid was considering legal action against Adidas, the company has now issued an apology to the model, and a number of others.
“Connections continue to be made to the terrible tragedy that occurred at the Munich Olympics due to our recent SL72 campaign,” it said on its Adidas Originals Instagram feed.
“These connections are not meant, and we apologise for any upset or distress caused to communities around the world. We made an unintentional mistake.
“We also apologise to our partners, Bella Hadid, ASAP Nast, Jules Koundé, and others, for any negative impact on them and we are revising the campaign.”
Palestinian terrorists from the group Black September killed 11 Israeli athletes and a German police officer at the 1972 Games.
The American Jewish Committee said Adidas was using “a vocal anti-Israel model” for the campaign, which they said “is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory”.