Back in 2020, Bella — along with her sister Gigi and pop star Dua Lipa — faced criticism for supporting Palestinian rights during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
During a recent interview on journalist Noor Tagouri’s The Rep podcast, Bella — who is of Palestinian descent — talked about the fallout she faced from her public support of Palestinian people.
Bella, who is currently 25 years old, said that if she had started vocally supporting Palestine when she was 20, she “would not have gotten the same recognition and respect that I have now.”
She also specified the extent of the personal and professional backlash that she’s received as a result of her support.
“I had so many companies stop working with me,” she revealed. “I had friends that completely dropped me, like even friends I had been having dinner with at their home on Friday nights, for seven years, like now just won’t let me at their house anymore.”
Bella further addressed the full-page New York Times ad accusing her, Dua, and Gigi of antisemitism, saying that the paper “sold their soul” by publishing the spot bought out by the World Values Network organization.
She also addressed Israel’s tweet that spoke out against her views. “I mean, Israel on Twitter tweeted at me,” she said.
And Bella also reaffirmed her commitment to being outspoken when it comes to supporting Palestine. “I have this overwhelming anxiety of not saying the right thing and not being what everybody needs me to be at all times,” she said.
“But I’ve also realized that I have done my education enough, I know my family enough, I know my own history enough. And that should be enough.”
Listen to the entire podcast episode here.
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