Bella Hadid on Tuesday released a statement on her Instagram account a week after Adidas publicly apologized for a shoe campaign starring the model after outrage directed at it by Jewish and Israeli users claiming the known pro-Palestinian advocate was chosen to feature in an advertisement calling back on the 1972 Munich massacre in which 11 Jewish athletes were murdered.
Hadid wrote that she wasn’t aware of the Munich Olympics’ history and the murder of 11 Israeli athletes by the Black September Palestinian terrorist organization — marking a surprising statement from someone who has made herself a symbol and vocal spokesperson regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the past decade.
“I would never knowingly engage with any art or work that is linked to a horrific tragedy of any kind,” she wrote. “In advance of the campaign's release, I had no knowledge of the historical connection to the atrocious events in 1972.
“I am shocked, I am upset, and I am disappointed in the lack of sensitivity that went into this campaign. Had I been made aware, from the bottom of my heart, I would never have participated. My team should have known, adidas [sic] should have known and I should have done more research so that I too would have known and understood, and spoken up.”
“I do not believe in hate in any form, including antisemitism. That will never waiver, and I stand by that statement to the fullest extent.” The Palestinian-Dutch model also condemned making a connection between “the liberation” Palestine and the Munich Olympics massacre but did so while ignoring past terror attacks including October 7.
“Palestine is not synonymous with terrorism and this campaign unintentionally highlighted an event that does not represent who we are. I am a proud Palestinian woman and there is so much more to our culture than the things that have been equated over the past week.”
She concluded by writing, “I will forever stand by my people of Palestine while continuing to advocate for a world free of antisemitism. Antisemitism has no place in the liberation of the Palestinian people. I will always stand for peace over violence, any day. Hate has no place here, and I will forever advocate for not only my people, but every person world wide.”