Supermodel Bella Hadid has broken her silence on the explosive controversy surrounding her role in Adidas' ill-fated SL 72 sneaker campaign.
The campaign, which unwittingly opened old wounds from the devastating 1972 Munich Olympics terrorist attack, has ignited a firestorm of outrage and led to Hadid's shocking removal from the promotional materials.
Addressing her 61 million Instagram followers, Hadid expressed regret at the campaign's insensitivity: "My heart sank when I learned of the historical connection between the campaign and the horrific events of 1972 ... Had I known, I would never have been a part of this painful reminder."
The controversy, a powder keg of emotions, erupted when Adidas made the fateful decision to resurrect its SL 72 shoe model - a relic from the 1972 Munich Olympics, an event forever scarred by the heinous terrorist attack that brutally claimed the lives of 11 Israeli athletes.
Adding fuel to this already volatile situation was the choice of Hadid herself - a figure known for her impassioned pro-Palestinian stance and criticized for allegedly fanning the flames of misinformation about the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
The fallout from this PR nightmare has been nothing short of cataclysmic. Jewish and pro-Israeli organizations called for widespread boycotts of Adidas. They pointed accusatory fingers at both the company's dark Nazi-era past and Hadid's controversial statements about the current conflict.
In response to the global backlash, Adidas swiftly erased Hadid's images from the campaign.
Now, reports suggest that Hadid is contemplating legal action against Adidas. According to entertainment news outlet TMZ, the embattled model has enlisted a formidable legal team to explore her options. Her lawyers reportedly intend to take Adidas to task for what they term the "brand's public irresponsibility," claiming that Hadid feels utterly devastated by the company's cruel and harmful campaign against her.
Hadid now finds herself at the epicenter of a debate that transcends the glitzy world of fashion. Her contradictory declaration, "I will forever stand with the Palestinian people and continue to call for a world free of antisemitism," is her desperate attempt to bridge a chasm that many view as insurmountable in today's charged political climate.
* Kann 11 News contributed to this article.