United KingdomSpanish actor Javier Bardem has joined calls to boycott Adidas over an advertisement featuring Shalev Biton, a former Israeli soldier who lost his leg during military service in 2021. The ad showcased Biton using Adidas products, which critics argue is insensitive given the broader context of Israeli military actions in Gaza, where hundreds of Palestinians were killed and many more injured or maimed. Activists highlighted that Gaza now has the highest rate of child amputees globally due to ongoing conflict. The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel criticized Adidas for appearing to endorse a former IDF soldier, calling it an 'affront' to Palestinian victims. Adidas apologized for the controversy, stating it did not intend to cause offense.
Bias read (Progressive): The article frames Adidas’ decision to feature a former Israeli soldier in an ad as insensitive to Palestinian victims of Israeli military actions, emphasizing the high number of Palestinian amputees caused by Israeli operations. The language used, such as 'genocide,' 'affront to Palestinians,' and '
