Kathmandu, Jul 21: Sportswear and footwear company Adidas has removed Bella Hadid from its shoe advertisements following criticism from Israel.

Bella Hadid, a renowned American model of Arab descent, has a Palestinian father, Mohammed Anwar Hadid. The German company Adidas had signed Bella Hadid to promote their retro sports shoe, the SL 72 Trainers. These shoes were originally launched in 1972 during the Munich Olympics and were recently reintroduced by Adidas.

Israel raised objections to Hadid’s involvement, citing her Palestinian heritage and activism. In an official statement, Israel remarked, “Guess who is the face of this campaign? Bella Hadid, who herself is a half-Palestinian model. She has a history of advocating violence against Israelis and Jews.” The statement also highlighted the tragic events of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists, suggesting the insensitivity of associating Hadid with a product commemorating those games.

Israel further pointed out that Hadid is a supporter of Palestine and had contributed to Gaza relief efforts earlier this year. In response, Adidas apologized and announced it would “rework” the remaining advertisements featuring Hadid.

Adidas issued a statement saying, “We understand that this is connected with a historical event. There was no intention to do so and we apologize for any inconvenience caused.” The company expressed regret for the oversight and assured that steps would be taken to address the concerns raised.