As many have noticed, we’re not covering the ongoing catastrophe in Israel and Palestine. Last week, we discussed the statements made by King Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and that was basically one of the few lenses with which I am comfortable writing about the situation. I don’t want to add to the noise, nor do I want to spread misinformation, nor do I want to speak out of turn. That being said, I’ve been surprised to see just how many celebrities, brands, teams, businesses and groups have chimed in. Last week, I even wrote “Or better yet for celebrities, say nothing – there’s absolutely no reason why the world needs to know what Kylie Jenner thinks about Israel and Palestine.” And yet, celebrities kept commenting and kept issuing statements.
Gigi and Bella Hadid are two of the most famous people of Palestinian descent – their father, Mohamed Hadid, is Palestinian, born in Nazareth in 1948, the same year David Ben-Gurion established the state of Israel. Bella and Gigi have spoken for years about Palestinian rights. In the days following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israeli citizens, Bella has remained silent on everything. On October 10, Gigi made what I thought was an extremely measured statement, which she posted on IG and turned off the comments (the right thing to do). She specifically says that none of her dreams for Palestinians include harming any Jewish person, and she states clearly that she has Jewish friends, and she does not believe that being for Palestinian rights equals antisemitism. Here’s her post:
As I said, measured and completely above-board. I’ve seen public statements made by Jewish people and Israeli citizens which go a lot further and more political than Gigi. But whoever is running the Israeli government’s social media accounts decided to brazenly attack Gigi for her statement. This is one of the most unhinged things I’ve ever seen from a government social media account.
The official government account of the state of Israel calls out Gigi Hadid for sharing post about condemning the Israeli government:
“Have you been sleeping the past week? Or are you just fine turning a blind eye to Jewish babies being butchered in their homes? Your silence has… pic.twitter.com/tEELtcIbHK
— Pop Base (@PopBase) October 16, 2023
Again, this was from a government’s account. This is from the state of Israel’s Instagram account. Again, Gigi has been completely measured in all of her public statements. It’s bonkers.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Instagram.
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- New York, NY – Gigi Hadid wears her own brand ‘Guest in residence’ as she heads to the Tonight Show in NYC. Pictured: Gigi Hadid BACKGRID USA 8 SEPTEMBER 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: JosiahW / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York City, NY – Gigi Hadid at the WWD 2022 Honors Awards at Cipriani South Street in New York City Pictured: Gigi Hadid BACKGRID USA 25 OCTOBER 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Gigi Hadid poses for pictures as she arrives for a promo at her Guest In Residence official by Gigi Hadid pop-up in New York City. Guest In Residence is a luxury knitwear brand founded by Gigi Hadid. Pictured: Gigi Hadid BACKGRID USA 29 NOVEMBER 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Milan, ITALY – Gigi Hadid, the renowned fashion icon, exudes elegance as she graces the exclusive Luisa Via Roma event during Milan Fashion Week, turning heads with her impeccable style and undeniable star presence. Pictured: Gigi Hadid BACKGRID USA 21 SEPTEMBER 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
Same. I have a gut reaction to the situation, but my gut reaction is not in any way or shape helpful or useful, so i rather stay silent and quietly read up on things. that said, Gigi’s statement was so measured and emphathetic and she’s clearly heartbroken by it. It really is a BONKERR reaction from the Isreali’s government though, like 😬😬😬.
A lot of people may not have been following politics in Israel over the last decade, but they are lead by a Trump/Berlisconi type figure in Netanyahu and his cronies. The country has been slowly stripped of much of the democratic values and institutions that ostensibly once were a major part of Israeli society and government.
So it’s not a surprise that they have MTG or Boebert type idiots running their social media accounts. And these are the people running the war. Horrific
Is he being investigated for election fraud on top of everything else? He and his party have done what Trump and the Reps are trying to do to the US. The Tories are doing the same in the UK – I cannot wait for our GE next year.
There could definitely be some sad irony at play, given the very real possibility that Trump may well have helped facilitate the attacks (his stolen documents may have contained information concerning weaknesses in Israel’s defenses, which he could have passed to Russia, who passed it on to Iran, who provided support to Hamas).
That’s entirely possible, though in some ways there was nothing secret about how vulnerable Israel was. Bibi’s was entirely focused on avoiding prosecution by gutting democratic institutions, moving troops around to placate settlers, and hobbling civil society. It’s akin to trump paying his buddies to spend defense dollars on building a shit border wall and investigating hunter biden, all while real threats go ignored.
I would say most Israelis are NOT happy with Bibi and haven’t been for a while. Perhaps not the majority, but a large and vocal minority. There were a lot of protests even before October 7th and the feeling toward him has only worsened now. No one in my extended family likes him at this point, not even the ones who skew more conservative.
This is just a reflection of what the current government is. Her statement was reasonable and to go off on an American citizen like that is ridiculous.
Snaggletooth, that sounds like insightful commentary. Thanks.
I’ve been aware of that Trump/Berlusconi figure in Israel for years, in fact, many seemed to love Trump there. He keeps getting reelected though.
Country engaged in war but hopping on to social media to start beef with a model?
I’m one of the people that have decided to say absolutely nothing about this catastrophe. Why? Because I really don’t have ALL the facts that I need to make a fair assessment and thus judgement of this situation. That said, Gigi is entitled to her opinion without having any Israeli govt goons jump up her ass, it’s just her opinion, if you don’t like it scroll past. There was absolutely nothing that she wrote that warranted this absurd attack from the Israeli govt. That’s all I have on this thread and I’m outta here.🏃🏿♀️🏃🏿♀️🏃🏿♀️
It’s become very clear that whatever complex military strategies have been prepared for an attack like this, there is also a very comprehensive PR strategy planned by the government and it has been put into full force immediately.
This was a miss. Gigi’s statement is very gentle and empathetic. Is it so harsh because she’s part Palestinian or because she’s a woman (it seems oddly misogynistic to me)? I cannot imagine the same response if Zayn tweeted the same (I know he’s not Palestinian btw, but I recall him speaking out previously, I assumed due to his connection to Gigi).
I thought Gigi’s post was thoughtful and well written. The Israel government post seems positively Trump-esque.
It actually is, but if Trump had been gutting the US government for two decades. Lord knows what kind of asshole the Netanyahu government would have running its social media but they’re guaranteed to be a corrupt fascist.
It really was—very thoughtful, measured, and well-written. I’ve always had a soft spot for her and this makes me like her even more.
You’re right, Gigi’s post was thoughtful and well-written, which is not an easy thing to do in a situation like this. And I don’t think the same could be said about Pop Base, the website introducing the Israeli govt’s response to her remarks (blithely and inaccurately) as “calling out” Gigi Hadid. The govt did more than that. And Pop Base adding that her post was “about condemning the Israeli government” was also not the sense I got from reading Hadid’s post either.
This is ridiculous.
So the Israeli government’s reaction to Gigi’s statement is pretty unhinged, but I think it’s also to be expected. Had social media existed at the time, I’m positive that anyone expressing the tiniest bit of sympathy for Afghan civilians when we began bombing that country after 9/11, would’ve elicited a similar, if not worse, reaction from the US government (and as it was, the Patriot Act was enough of an unhinged reaction in itself). I don’t mean to make excuses for it, just to say that calmness and rationality at times like these is a pretty tall order.
Yeah I think you’re right about that but it was a sentiment that MANY of us felt at the time. I think most of us thought we had to do something, but the reality of innocent lives being lost from invading wasn’t lost on us. I’m just anti-war, PERIOD. There are no winners.
I agree with Gigi, and she has spoken on this topic for years.
This is insane and could open Gigi and her daughter up to violence.
They were not attacking her for the statement you posted, it was a different post she shared that was critical of the Israeli government. So they were lashing out because she said you could condemn the Israeli government without being antisemitic.
Yup. Her initial post did not get a negative reply.
Coming here to raise that very point. Thank you. The assessment of the Israeli government’s response should be made from the post she shared because that’s what they were responding to, not her written statement.
I would still consider it an extreme and unhinged response to an innocuous statement by a model.
I scratch my head when i see such unprofessional and irrational responses from official government,organisations or religious accounts. Its like the way Scientology responds based purely off emotion.
The explanation is that the right wing gov of Israel probably put some douche who loves Andrew Tate and Charlie Kirk in charge of their social media. There are deeply unserious and corrupt people running the Israeli gov right now
Her statement was calm and empathetic. I applaud her for continuing to support innocent people who are caught in the middle of this centuries long war.
I am Jewish and consider Israel the only remaining barrier between us and another Holocaust. It’s deeply important to me. This last week has been painful and stressful.
Having said that, Gigi Hadid’s statement was measured and compassionate. It was far kinder than some of the things my “friends” have been posting lately.
It has been agonizing to watch Israel descend into the same kleptocracy that almost ruined America and is still threatening our democracy. I’m horrified that the worst possible people are in charge of the Israeli government at this moment and the pain and loss that will result because of it.
Palestinians can’t invade Palestine and the British gave away land that wasn’t theirs to give. Palestinians are experiencing a genocide that many Jewish people are speaking against, as people of faith. These facts aren’t anti-semitism.
She didn’t choose the Israel side outright in her statement and this was unacceptable to them so now they harass. It’s sad because it helps nothing it just keeps things going. She had sympathy for the innocent people hurt on both sides. It’s a very sad situation for both sides and all the people that were hurt.
i wish people can understand criticizing the Israeli government and their actions do not equate anti-semitism. you can support israel and also criticize their government. a government does not equal the jewish people. And it’s insane to me an official government website is attacking a celebrity….that’s some seriously unhinged stuff.
One of the reasons Netanyahu has to make criticism of the Israeli gov = anti semitism is because he’s so corrupt that he knows the moment people are allowed to speak the truth, that his corruption and fascist policies lead to this, it’s over for him. In Israel, there are a lot of voices criticizing the government but those people have been stripped of political power. It’s a lot more threatening to him for international criticism of his policies to put him under the spotlight.
The Israeli state is no more representative of Israelis than Hamas, one of Palestine’s two governing parties, is representative of Palestinians. Yet Palestinian people are often made to shoulder the atrocities committed by one extremist group. And I’m talking very specifically about how MSM covers this issue. We cannot discuss the conflict without context and understanding what has led to this moment.
I’ve done a very deep dive on the history of Israel and Palestine and am embarrassed about how little I knew before. I also now think the propaganda has been so strong that it convinced the public that this was too complicated and nuanced for the average person to understand. But it’s not. I won’t go into everything, but after what I’ve learned it’s insane to me that everyone isn’t giving thoughtful, measured responses like, Gigi. Blindly backing Israel means you don’t have the full history at all, which makes sense b/c both America, Israel, and Iran are part of the reason Hamas exists. And America gives so much money to Israel with this insane leader at the helm. And many who have spoken out for Palestine have lost jobs, been blscklisted, etc. I’ve never seen anything like this. I guess we all have to ask ourselves what side of history we are standing on and not be afraid to learn and then do what Gigi is doing – give balanced support to everyone suffering.