Palestinian-American supermodel Bella Hadid yesterday apologised after fans in the Middle East were insulted by a picture she posted on her Instagram story.
On Sunday Hadid posted a picture of her shoes while in an airport. The sole of her boot was facing UAE and Saudi airplanes, an offensive gesture in Arab culture, with the caption “anotha one”. She came under fire from fans who thought she was insulting the kingdom and the Emirates as a result of their actions in Sudan. Social media users aired their displeasure by launching the hashtag #BellaHadidIsRacist.
However in length posts on Twitter and Instagram today, in both English and Arabic, Hadid explained that the story had “nothing to do with politics” and that she didn’t mean to “disrespect these airlines, let alone these amazing countries.”
Emphasising pride in her own Arab heritage, she expressed her love for “the great Middle East” and clarified that her intention has only been to “spread love and the true beauty of [Middle Eastern countries]”. She concluded by pledging to “be more responsible when bringing awareness to all causes.”
https://twitter.com/bellahadid/status/1140696913962053632
READ: Gigi Hadid’s brother releases music video filmed in Palestine
Bella Hadid has constantly used her almost 25 million followers on social media platforms to raise awareness about pressing global issues. Last week, she posted on Instagram about the Sudanese protests.
Hadid has also been outspoken about Palestine, attending a protest in London and taking to Instagram when US President Donald Trump unilaterally declared Jerusalem Israel’s undivided capital in December 2017.
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