Dua Lipa has spoken out against a full-page advertisement that ran in the New York Times on Saturday accusing her and models Gigi and Bella Hadid of “anti-Semitism†for their public support of anti-occupation and Free Palestine movements amid the recent violence in Gaza and East Jerusalem that left over 240 Palestinians and 12 Israelis dead. The ad, which was produced and paid for by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s World Values Network, featured photos of Lipa and the Hadids superimposed on an image of Hamas rockets, with large lettering stating, “Bella, Gigi and Dua, Hamas calls for a second Holocaust. CONDEMN THEM NOW.†The text in the lower portion of the ad claims that “the three mega-influencers have vilified the Jewish state†by spreading “disgusting libel.†Gigi and Bella’s father is Palestinian, and Lipa is currently dating their brother, Anwar.
On Saturday, Lipa responded to the ad in a statement posted to Twitter, writing, “I utterly reject the false and appalling allegations that were published in the New York Times advertisement,†and that “the World Values Network are shamelessly using my name to advance their ugly campaign with falsehoods and blatant misrepresentations of who I am and what I stand for. I stand in solidarity with all oppressed people and reject all forms of racism.†Lipa also clarifies, “I believe that everyone — Jews, Muslims, and Christians — have the right to live in peace as equal citizens of a state they choose.â€