Tens of Thousands Sign Petition Calling for Brands to End Partnerships With Models Gigi and Bella Hadid After Posts on Israel
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Gigi (left) and Bella Hadid backstage at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Photo: YouTube screenshot.
A petition launched last week that urges major companies to drop supermodels and sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid as brand ambassadors for spreading “misinformation” about Israel had garnered more than 66,000 signatures at the time of publication, with a goal of reaching 75,000.
The petition is addressed to a number of companies that have contracts with the sisters, including Victoria’s Secret, Maybelline, Burberry, Versace and Moschino.
“Gigi and Bella Hadid have been fanning the flames of antisemitism by spreading misinformation and perpetuating antisemitic tropes through their social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram,” the petition stated. “Posting that Israel practices ‘ethnic cleansing, military occupation and apartheid’ and claiming that it is not a country but a land settled by colonizers is not only historically inaccurate but patently antisemitic.”
The petition also mentioned the rise in antisemitic violence in Europe and the US since the onset of the Israel-Palestinian conflict earlier in May. It added, “we hope that your brand meets the magnitude of this moment by taking a stand against antisemitism and breaking its ties with individuals like Gigi and Bella Hadid who espouse such hateful and dangerous views. It is one thing to be critical of a country, it is quite another to claim that it does not have the right to exist. ”
Both supermodels have shared numerous messages on social media slamming Israel during the recent conflict. Bella participated in a pro-Palestinian rally in New York City on May 15, and that same day shared on Instagram a post in support of “Free Palestine” that accused Israel of “colonization, ethnic cleansing, military occupation and apartheid over the Palestinian people that has been going on for YEARS!”
Gigi showed her pro-Palestinian support in a series of posts to her Instagram stories, including artwork that featured the quote “You Will Not Erase Palestine.” She also shared on her Instagram page a post about “Palestinian oppression” under Israeli rule.
