Gigi Hadid called the Israeli-Palestinian conflict an “unjustified tragedy.”
The Israeli government’s official Instagram account slammed model Gigi Hadid for a post she shared about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas on her Instagram Story. “There is nothing Jewish about the way the Israeli government treats the Palestinians. Condemning the Israeli government is not anti-Semitic and supporting the Palestinians is not supporting Hamas,” her message said.
The State of Israel Report responded, saying that its silence was very clear about its position in the conflict. She had expressed her support for the Palestinian struggle while condemning the violence taking place as a result of the attacks. “Did you sleep last week? Or can you just turn a blind eye as Jewish babies are slaughtered in their homes? Your silence has been very clear about where you stand. We see you,” the Israeli government wrote on Sunday.
They also shared their version of the image, similar to Ms. Hadid’s, drawing comparisons between ISIS and Hamas. “There is nothing courageous about the mass murder of Israelis by Hamas. Condemning Hamas for what it is (ISIS) is not anti-Palestine and supporting Israelis in their fight against barbaric terrorists is the right thing to do,” they added.
Israel’s government also shared a photo of a room covered in blood with toys and children’s clothes on the floor. They added: “If you don’t condemn this, your words mean nothing.”
The 28-year-old, who is herself of Palestinian descent, has long been an advocate for the ‘Free Palestine’ movement along with her sister Bella Hadid. Last week, she spoke out about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, calling it an “unjustified tragedy.”
The model said she feels a responsibility to her Jewish friends to make it clear that she does not support the harm of any Jewish person. She also said she believes that being pro-Palestine does not equate to being anti-Semitic. “I have deep empathy and heartbreak for the Palestinian struggle and life under the occupation; it is a responsibility I bear every day. I also feel a responsibility to my Jewish friends to make it clear, as I have done before: while I have hopes and dreams for the Palestinians, “none of them include the harm of a Jewish person,” she wrote previous week on Instagram.
“Terrorizing innocent people is inconsistent with and does not benefit the Free Palestine movement. The idea that it does has fueled a painful, decades-long cycle of back-and-forth reprisals (which no innocent citizen can stop). (Palestinian or Israeli, deserves to be victimized) and helps perpetuate the false idea that being pro-Palestine = being anti-Semitic,” Ms. Hadid added.
She shared her condolences with both the Palestinians and the Jews and wished them strength and love. “There are many complex, personal and valid feelings, but every human being deserves basic rights, treatment and safety, regardless of their nationality, religion, ethnicity or where both are located,” she concluded.
