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- October 13, 202618°
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- October 13, 202618°
Adidas’ choice of an Israeli soldier fuels boycott calls over Gaza’s children
Adidas faced backlash after featuring Israeli soldier Shaliv Biton, who lost his left leg after being wounded in Gaza, in a campaign for its single-shoe service. The company said the service was not exclusive to Israeli soldiers and was created for consumers worldwide who need only one shoe.
Adidas faced backlash on social media after featuring Israeli soldier Shaliv Biton, who lost his left leg during the war in Gaza, in a promotional campaign for its single-shoe service. Critics argued that the suffering of Palestinian children who lost limbs in Gaza was being ignored and called for a boycott of the company.
Biton, a former Nahal Brigade sniper, took part in the 2021 war on Gaza. During the fighting that Palestinians called the “Sword of Jerusalem” and Israel called “Guardian of the Walls,” he was seriously wounded when an anti-tank missile struck a military vehicle near the Gaza border. Omer Tavif, who was beside him, was killed.
Biton underwent more than 40 surgeries during a three-year rehabilitation process. After his left leg was amputated, he began playing sports and running again with a prosthesis.
The single-shoe service sparks controversy
Adidas included 11 people, including Biton, in a campaign for a service that allows people who need only one shoe to purchase a single shoe for half the price of a pair. Biton announced his collaboration with the company on Instagram on August 26, describing the launch of the service as “a dream come true.”
As campaign images were reposted, users recalled that Biton had lost his leg during the war in Gaza. Posts argued that Adidas had ignored the suffering of Palestinian children who lost limbs while choosing an Israeli soldier to promote the service.
One post placed footage of Biton running with his prosthetic leg next to a photograph of a Palestinian girl using crutches. Other posts referenced the company’s history in Germany by using an image of Adolf Hitler associated with Adidas products.
Some posts containing the criticism were viewed millions of times. Thousands of posts were shared under the hashtag “Boycott Adidas,” while some users claimed that the single-shoe service had been launched for Israeli soldiers who lost limbs in Gaza and called for a boycott of the company’s products.
Public figures voice criticism
Pakistani writer and poet Fatima Bhutto supported the boycott call with the word “Easy” on her X account, which has about 2.4 million followers. Palestinian activist Abeer al-Khatib said she would burn all the Adidas products she owns.
U.S. content creator Guy Christensen, who has about 3.7 million TikTok followers, also called for a boycott of Adidas, describing the company’s choice of Biton as “disgusting.”
Adidas says the service is global
In a statement following the backlash, Adidas said its single-shoe service was developed worldwide for athletes and consumers who want to purchase only one shoe. The company emphasized that the service was not exclusive to Israeli soldiers.
Adidas said the service was launched in Europe in January and later expanded to some markets in Asia and the Middle East, including Israel. The company said recent comments misrepresented the purpose of the service and stated that the initiative aims to increase access to its products worldwide.
Company’s decision on Bella Hadid returns to the spotlight
During the criticism, Adidas’s decision in 2024 to remove Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid from its “SL 72” advertising campaign also came under renewed discussion. Activists cited the use of an Israeli soldier in the new campaign and Hadid’s removal from the earlier campaign as evidence of what they described as the company’s double standards.
According to Palestinian figures, 73,470 Palestinians have been killed and 174,540 injured in Israel’s attacks on Gaza since October 8, 2023. Many people are said to remain under the rubble and on the roads, while these figures are not presented as an independently verified final toll.
The conflict in Gaza is rooted in a political dispute deepened by the establishment of Israel after hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced in 1948 and the occupation of the remaining Palestinian territories in 1967. Disagreement over the establishment of a Palestinian state continues.
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