Adidas Faces Global Boycott Calls Over Israeli Soldier's Ad Campaign

Global sportswear giant Adidas is facing widespread criticism and calls for boycotts after featuring Shalev Bitton, an Israeli soldier who lost a leg during Operation Guardian of the Walls, in a local advertising campaign. The controversy erupted on September 4th following the promotion of Adidas's Single Shoe Service, which allows customers needing only one shoe to purchase it at half the price of a pair. This service, launched earlier in January across Europe and expanded to Israel recently, was intended to assist individuals with limb differences.

Bitton, a former combatant in the Nahal Brigade's 931st Battalion, lost his left leg in May 2021 when an anti-tank missile fired from Gaza struck a military vehicle near the border, killing a fellow soldier. After extensive rehabilitation and fitting a prosthesis, Bitton returned to running. He shared his positive experience with the Adidas service on Instagram on August 26th, highlighting how it solved the issue of buying full pairs of running shoes when only one is needed.

However, Bitton's involvement quickly drew backlash from pro-Palestinian activists and accounts. A viral post on the X platform, formerly Twitter, claimed Adidas chose an Israeli soldier who lost a leg "during the war in Gaza," a statement that has been factually disputed as Bitton's injury occurred near the border, not within Gaza. This post garnered millions of views and thousands of shares.

Social media platforms were flooded with comparative images and memes contrasting Bitton with children in Gaza who have lost limbs, often accompanied by captions accusing Adidas of ignoring Palestinian amputees. The company's service was misrepresented in some videos as a program specifically for Israeli soldiers injured in Gaza, with calls to boycott Adidas intensifying.

Prominent pro-Palestinian accounts like Eye on Palestine joined the criticism, accusing Adidas of prioritizing an Israeli soldier over Palestinians. Influential figures, including Pakistani writer Fatima Bhutto, Palestinian activist Aber Khatib, and American influencer Guy Christensen, have publicly supported the boycott, with some stating they are discarding their Adidas products. As of now, Adidas has not issued a public statement regarding the boycott calls.