Adidas

1. Executive Dossier Summary

Company: Adidas AG

Jurisdiction: Global HQ: Herzogenaurach, Germany; Operational Hub: Holon, Israel

Sector: Consumer Discretionary / Textiles & Apparel / Sports Technology

Leadership: Bjørn Gulden (CEO), Thomas Rabe (Chairman of the Supervisory Board)

Intelligence Conclusions

The forensic corporate intelligence assessment of Adidas AG reveals a corporation that has skillfully constructed a facade of political neutrality while simultaneously executing a strategy of deep-structural entrenchment within the Israeli economy and its military-industrial complex. While the brand has historically managed to evade “Tier 1” boycott status through high-profile but largely symbolic divestments—most notably the 2018 withdrawal from the Israel Football Association (IFA) sponsorship—the underlying reality is one of intensifying complicity.¹

The intelligence indicates that Adidas AG is not merely a passive economic actor in the region but an active beneficiary of the occupation economy. The “smoking gun” of this assessment is the January 31, 2024, acquisition of the remaining 15% interest in Adidas Israel Ltd., transforming the entity into a wholly-owned subsidiary.³ Executed amidst the heightened violence of the Gaza campaign and plausible genocide proceedings at the ICJ, this foreign direct investment (FDI) maneuver signals an absolute corporate confidence in the stability of the Israeli market and a rejection of the “Safe Harbor” risk protocols that the company applied swiftly to Russia in 2022.⁵

Key Intelligence Findings:

• Systemic Economic Integration with Settlement Profiteers: Adidas maintains a binding global licensing and distribution agreement with Delta Galil Industries, a firm unequivocally listed in the UN OHCHR database of business enterprises involved in settlement activities. This partnership integrates the settlement industrial complex—specifically logistics hubs in Barkan and retail branches in Ma’ale Adumim—directly into the Adidas global value chain. The corporation derives royalty revenue from an entity that exploits occupied land, effectively laundering settlement profits through its global balance sheet.¹
• Ideological Capture and Governance Failure: The forensic audit of the corporation’s political crisis management reveals a governance structure captured by Zionist ideological pressure. The July 2024 purge of Palestinian-American ambassador Bella Hadid from the SL72 campaign was not a marketing error but a calculated act of political capitulation. Investigating the chain of command points to Supervisory Board Chairman Thomas Rabe, whose parallel leadership at Bertelsmann/BMG reveals a documented pattern of censoring pro-Palestinian voices (e.g., Roger Waters) in response to lobbying by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). This confirms that Adidas prioritizes the mitigation of Zionist lobby pressure over its own diversity and inclusion mandates.⁵
• Technographic Allegiance to the “Unit 8200” Stack: Adidas has inextricably linked its digital sovereignty to the Israeli military-intelligence apparatus. The company’s “Project Future” digital transformation relies on a cybersecurity architecture (Wiz, Check Point, SentinelOne) designed and maintained by alumni of the IDF’s Unit 8200. Furthermore, through Hydra Ventures and the Adi Dassler Family Office, Adidas is actively capitalizing the next generation of Israeli dual-use technology, funding startups that repurpose military surveillance algorithms (like Trigo’s gait analysis) for civilian retail markets.¹⁰

The sum of these findings classifies Adidas AG not as a neutral bystander, but as a Tier C (High Complicity) actor. The company functions as a financial enabler of settlement industries, a normalizer of surveillance technology, and an ideological enforcer of the Israeli state narrative.

2. Corporate Overview & Evolution

Origins & Founders

The historical trajectory of Adidas AG, originating from the Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik in Herzogenaurach, Germany, provides the essential psychological context for its current geopolitical posture. Founded by Adolf “Adi” Dassler following the schism with his brother Rudolf (who founded Puma), the company emerged from the ashes of post-WWII Germany. This historical burden exerts a gravitational pull on modern governance decisions. The corporate culture is characterized by an acute, almost pathological, sensitivity to accusations of antisemitism. This distinct German corporate anxiety has been effectively weaponized by external pressure groups, such as the ADL and the Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs, who successfully conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism. This dynamic forces the corporation into a defensive crouch, where unwavering support for Israeli state narratives is viewed not as a political choice, but as a moral imperative to expiate historical guilt.⁵

Leadership & Ownership

The governance of Adidas AG is currently defined by a convergence of “Atlanticist” ideological alignment at the board level and “pragmatic” indifference to human rights at the executive level.

Thomas Rabe (Chairman of the Supervisory Board):

The investigation identifies Thomas Rabe as the primary vector of ideological complicity within the governance structure. Appointed Chairman in 2020, Rabe simultaneously serves as the CEO of the RTL Group and Bertelsmann. His tenure at Bertelsmann provides a critical window into his governance reflex. In 2023, Rabe oversaw the termination of BMG’s relationship with musician Roger Waters following a targeted lobbying campaign by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which explicitly weaponized Bertelsmann’s Nazi-era history to force compliance.9 This precedent suggests that Rabe views the protection of the corporation against Zionist critique as a paramount governance objective that supersedes artistic freedom or political neutrality. It is highly probable that Rabe’s influence was the decisive factor in the rapid and clumsy censorship of Bella Hadid in July 2024.5

Bjørn Gulden (CEO):

Bjørn Gulden, who assumed the CEO role in January 2023, brings a legacy of “business-first” resilience against ethical pressure. Previously the CEO of Puma SE, Gulden presided over that company during the peak of the global BDS campaign targeting Puma’s sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA). Despite years of protests, petitions, and reputational damage, Gulden maintained the sponsorship, arguing for the separation of sports and politics while effectively “sportswashing” the settlement enterprise. His eventual exit from the IFA deal was framed as a strategic consolidation (“fewer-bigger-better”) rather than an ethical admission.2 This history indicates that Gulden is immune to moral appeals and will only respond to material financial risk. Under his leadership, Adidas has deepened its investment in Israel (via the 2024 subsidiary buyout), confirming that he views the occupation economy as a stable and lucrative market worth the reputational cost.3

Institutional Ownership:

The shareholder structure reinforces this status quo. Major stakeholders include BlackRock (7.3%) and Norges Bank Investment Management (5.15%).13 The position of Norges Bank is particularly contradictory; while the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund ostensibly operates under strict ethical guidelines that have led to divestment from other settlement-linked entities, its continued heavy capitalization of Adidas—despite the company’s documented contractual ties to UN-blacklisted Delta Galil—represents a significant failure of ESG screening mechanisms. This institutional inertia provides the Adidas board with a buffer against activist pressure.5

Analytical Assessment

Structurally, Adidas AG has evolved from a remote exporter to a deeply embedded local stakeholder. The transition of Adidas Israel Ltd. from a joint venture (85%) to a wholly-owned subsidiary (100%) in January 2024 is a watershed moment in the company’s evolution.³ This eliminates the “plausible deniability” often afforded by local distribution partners. Adidas AG in Germany now directly owns, controls, and profits from every aspect of its Israeli operation, including the tax liabilities paid to the Israeli treasury and the retail footprint in contested areas. The corporate structure is no longer one of “trade”; it is one of “integration.” The leadership’s recurring engagement with Israeli venture funds (Hydra Ventures, HYPE Capital) and dependency on Israeli cybersecurity (Wiz, Check Point) further indicates a sustained economic dependency that aligns the company’s future growth with the technological success of the Israeli state.¹

3. Timeline of Relevant Events

The following chronological reconstruction reveals a sophisticated strategy of “public retreat, private entrenchment.” Adidas has adeptly managed public perception by exiting high-visibility sponsorships while simultaneously deepening its structural and supply-chain integration with the occupation economy.

Date	Event	Significance
2012	Jerusalem Marathon Sponsorship Withdrawal	Following threats of a boycott by the Arab League and sports ministers across the Gulf, Adidas withdrew its title sponsorship of the Jerusalem Marathon. This event established a critical precedent: Adidas responds to economic leverage when the threat to its broader market share (specifically in the Arab world) outweighs the value of the Israeli partnership. It demonstrated that the company’s “neutrality” is flexible when profits are at risk.14
July 2018	Termination of IFA Sponsorship	After a sustained global campaign by the BDS movement and Palestinian sports clubs, Adidas ended its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA). While the company publicly cited commercial reasons (“non-renewal”), the timing followed the delivery of 16,000 petition signatures. This move successfully “cleansed” the brand’s visible portfolio, allowing it to pass the reputational burden to Puma, yet did not alter its underlying retail or supply chain presence.1
June 2021	Delta Galil Global Licensing Agreement	In a move that effectively undid the ethical decoupling of 2018, Adidas signed a global licensing agreement with Delta Galil Industries. This deal empowered Delta Galil—a company listed in the UN Database for its settlement activities—to design, manufacture, and distribute Adidas underwear globally. This reintegrated the settlement industrial complex into the core revenue stream of the brand.6
Mar 2022	Exit from Russian Market	Following the invasion of Ukraine, Adidas acted with moral absolutism, suspending the Russian Football Union partnership and closing over 500 retail stores. The company absorbed a ~€250 million revenue loss. This established the “Safe Harbor” benchmark: aggressive state violence and illegal occupation justify total market withdrawal. The failure to apply this standard to Israel constitutes a discriminatory geopolitical double standard.5
2023	Strategic Investment in Wiz & Sports Tech	Adidas deepened its ties with the Israeli tech sector, becoming a marquee client for the cloud security firm Wiz (founded by Unit 8200 alumni) and utilizing Hydra Ventures to invest in the Israeli sports-tech ecosystem. This signaled a shift from selling sneakers to investing in the “Startup Nation” narrative.10
Jan 31, 2024	Acquisition of Adidas Israel Ltd.	In the midst of the Gaza war, Adidas AG acquired the remaining 15% of its Israeli subsidiary, moving to 100% ownership. This FDI maneuver signaled absolute confidence in the Israeli economy and a long-term commitment to the territory, rejecting any notion of risk-based divestment.3
July 2024	The Bella Hadid / SL72 Purge	Following a tweet by the Israeli government criticizing the inclusion of Palestinian model Bella Hadid in a campaign referencing the 1972 Olympics, Adidas immediately removed her and issued an apology. This demonstrated the company’s willingness to enforce Israeli state narratives and erase Palestinian identity to protect its brand standing with Zionist consumers.8
2025	Tel Aviv Marathon & “TLV” Shoe	Completing its pivot to “cultural normalization,” Adidas launched the “Adizero Boston 12 x TLV” shoe and sponsored the Tel Aviv Marathon. Sponsored by Bank Leumi (a settlement financier), this event serves as a prime vehicle for “Brand Israel” whitewashing, presenting Tel Aviv as a liberal, cosmopolitan hub detached from the reality of the occupation.1

4. Domains of Complicity

To fully understand the liability of Adidas AG, we must dissect its operations through four distinct investigative lenses. Each domain reveals a layer of complicity that, when taken together, forms a systemic web of support for the occupation.

Domain 1: Economic & Structural Complicity (V-ECON)

Goal: Establish whether Adidas AG generates revenue from, or provides economic legitimacy to, entities operating within illegal settlements or the occupation economy.

Evidence & Analysis:

The “Economic Complicity” of Adidas is not incidental; it is contractual, systemic, and expanding. The investigation isolates three primary mechanisms of economic support: the Delta Galil nexus, the 2024 subsidiary buyout, and the franchise network.

1. The Delta Galil Nexus: Profit-Sharing with the Settlement Enterprise

The most acute vector of complicity is the 2021 Global Licensing Agreement with Delta Galil Industries Ltd..6

• The Entity: Delta Galil is not a neutral supply chain partner. It is a major Israeli industrial firm designated by the UN OHCHR and Who Profits as a settlement profiteer. The company maintains a logistical and operational presence in the Barkan Industrial Zone (West Bank) and operates retail branches in illegal settlements including Ma’ale Adumim and Pisgat Ze’ev (East Jerusalem).⁷
• The Contract: Under the terms of the 2021 agreement, Delta Galil is licensed to design, manufacture, and distribute Adidas-branded underwear and intimates for global markets (EMEA, APAC, North America).
• The Financial Pipeline: This is a royalty-bearing agreement. Adidas AG receives a percentage of sales generated by Delta Galil. Because corporate revenue is fungible, Adidas is effectively receiving a cut of a total revenue pool that includes profits derived from the exploitation of occupied land, resources, and captive markets. There is no mechanism to “ring-fence” the royalty payments to ensure they are free from settlement-derived capital. Adidas is, materially, a beneficiary of the settlement economy.
• Laundering Legitimacy: By granting Delta Galil the right to use the “Badge of Sport” and “Originals” trademarks, Adidas engages in “reputational laundering.” It allows a company blacklisted by the UN to cloak itself in the respectability of a global Tier-1 sports brand, normalizing its business operations and shielding it from isolation.¹

2. The 2024 Subsidiary Buyout: Strategic Entrenchment

On January 31, 2024, Adidas AG acquired the remaining 15% non-controlling interest in Adidas Israel Ltd., converting it into a wholly-owned subsidiary.3

• Timing as Intent: Executing this acquisition during a period of active conflict (the Gaza war) and legal scrutiny (ICJ genocide hearings) serves as a definitive statement of corporate intent. It signals to the Israeli state and the market that Adidas views the risk of complicity as negligible compared to the value of market capture.
• Direct Liability: As the 100% owner, Adidas AG is now the direct taxpayer to the Israeli treasury. Corporate taxes paid by Adidas Israel Ltd. flow directly into the state budget, which funds the IDF and the settlement infrastructure. The parent company can no longer claim that local operations are the purview of semi-autonomous partners; the “corporate veil” has been pierced by their own acquisition strategy.¹

3. Retail Geography and Franchise Partners

Adidas expands its retail footprint through franchisees like Electra Consumer Products, a subsidiary of the Electra Group.

• The Partner: Electra Group is a primary contractor for the Israeli Ministry of Defense, heavily involved in the construction of checkpoints, the separation wall, and settlement infrastructure. By partnering with Electra, Adidas channels retail profits through a conglomerate that physically builds the apparatus of apartheid.¹⁴
• Settlement Presence: The investigation confirms the presence of Adidas-branded retail activity in settlement malls, specifically the Adumim Mall (Ma’ale Adumim) and the Hadar Mall (Talpiot, West Jerusalem). Whether these points of sale are operated by the subsidiary or the franchisee, the brand’s physical presence normalizes the commercial viability of illegal settlements, treating annexed territory as indistinguishable from the metropole.¹⁸

Analytical Assessment:

The evidence demonstrates a deliberate strategy to “outsource” visible complicity while “insourcing” financial gain. By divesting from the IFA (a public symbol), Adidas shifted its complicity to the supply chain (Delta Galil) and the corporate structure (subsidiary buyout), where it is less visible to the consumer but financially more significant. The structural integration with a UN-blacklisted firm creates a definitive, quantifiable link to the settlement enterprise.

• Confidence: High.
• Impact: Systemic Financial Support.

Counter-Arguments & Assessment:

• Argument: “The Delta Galil agreement specifies manufacturing in Egypt or Vietnam, not in the West Bank.”
• Rebuttal: This is a “location laundering” defense. The contracting entity is Delta Galil Israel. The management, design, and financial control reside in Tel Aviv. The profits accrue to the Israeli headquarters, and the royalties paid to Adidas legitimize the parent company’s entire portfolio. The location of the sewing machine does not absolve the location of the bank account.
• Argument: “Adidas is bound by German law and cannot discriminate against Israeli companies.”
• Rebuttal: The German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz) actually requires companies to identify and mitigate human rights risks. Partnering with a settlement-complicit entity violates the spirit of this law and the UN Guiding Principles.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Delta Galil Industries: UN Database listed partner.⁶
• Adidas Israel Ltd: Wholly-owned subsidiary, taxpayer.³
• Electra Group: Franchise partner, checkpoint builder.¹⁴
• Adumim Mall: Location of retail presence in illegal settlement.¹⁸

Domain 2: Political & Ideological Complicity (V-POL)

Goal: Determine if Adidas AG’s leadership and corporate policy align with or submit to the political objectives of the Israeli state, specifically regarding the erasure of Palestinian identity and the normalization of state violence.

Evidence & Analysis:

The ideological alignment of Adidas AG is revealed through its crisis management reflexes, specifically the “Safe Harbor” double standard and the censorship of Palestinian voices.

1. The Bella Hadid / SL72 Incident: Governance Capture

The July 2024 controversy surrounding the SL72 campaign serves as the primary case study for ideological complicity.8

• The Event: Adidas launched a campaign for the SL72 retro sneaker (referencing the 1972 Munich Olympics) featuring Bella Hadid, a supermodel of Palestinian-Dutch heritage known for her vocal advocacy for Palestinian rights.
• The Intervention: The Israeli government, via its official “Israel” account on X (Twitter), publicly attacked the campaign, conflating Hadid’s Palestinian ethnicity with the terrorism of Black September in 1972. The state explicitly argued that a Palestinian—regardless of her age or innocence—cannot represent a product associated with that historical moment.²²
• The Capitulation: Adidas AG’s response was immediate and total. Within 24 hours, the company removed Hadid from the campaign and issued a public apology to “partners” (implicitly the Israeli government and Zionist lobby groups) for the “unintentional” distress caused.
• The Implication: By capitulating, Adidas validated the Israeli state’s narrative that Palestinian identity is inherently “violent” or “offensive” when juxtaposed with Jewish history. This was an act of corporate censorship that enforced a state-sanctioned hierarchy of victimhood. It demonstrated that the company’s DEI policies are subordinate to its fear of the Zionist lobby.
• Root Cause Analysis: This governance reflex is traced to Thomas Rabe (Chairman). His parallel leadership at Bertelsmann/BMG—where he personally intervened to sever ties with Roger Waters following a threatening letter from the ADL—establishes a pattern. Rabe has institutionalized a governance doctrine where avoiding conflict with the ADL is a primary strategic objective, rendering the board incapable of defending its own ambassadors against politically motivated attacks.⁵

2. The “Safe Harbor” Asymmetry: Hypocrisy as Policy

A comparative analysis of Adidas’s geopolitical responses reveals a profound discriminatory bias.

• Russia (2022): Following the invasion of Ukraine, Adidas acted as a “Moral Crusader.” It suspended the Russian Football Union, closed 500+ stores, and accepted a ~€250 million loss. The leadership explicitly framed this as a moral necessity to penalize state aggression.⁸
• Israel (2023-2024): In the face of the Gaza genocide and ICJ rulings, Adidas acted as a “Silent Partner.” There was no suspension of operations, no closure of settlement stores, and no pause in the Delta Galil partnership. Instead, the company increased its investment via the subsidiary buyout.
• Conclusion: This asymmetry proves that Adidas’s “ethics” are geostrategically selective. The company sanctions enemies of the West (Russia) but accommodates allies (Israel), regardless of the human rights baseline. This is not neutrality; it is active political alignment with the Western-Israeli axis.⁵

3. Sports-Washing and Narrative Control

While the IFA sponsorship is gone, Adidas continues to engage in “sports-washing” through the Tel Aviv Marathon.

• The Mechanism: By sponsoring the marathon—an event backed by Bank Leumi, a primary financier of settlement construction—Adidas lends its global brand equity to the normalization of Tel Aviv as a liberal, fun, cosmopolitan destination. This narrative (the “White City”) is a key pillar of Israeli public diplomacy (Hasbara), designed to distract from the reality of the occupation just miles away. The release of the “Adizero Boston 12 x TLV” shoe further commodifies this normalization.¹

Analytical Assessment:

Adidas operates under a discriminatory political risk framework. The company has effectively ceded veto power over its marketing choices to the Israeli Foreign Ministry and the ADL. By erasing a Palestinian ambassador in response to state pressure, Adidas engaged in active political participation, enforcing the occupier’s narrative.

• Confidence: High.
• Impact: Ideological Normalization / Erasure of Palestinian Identity.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Thomas Rabe: Chairman, ideological vector, ADL link.⁵
• Anti-Defamation League (ADL): Lobbying force influential on governance.⁹
• Bella Hadid: Censored ambassador.⁸
• Bank Leumi: Marathon sponsor, settlement financier.¹

Domain 3: Digital & Technographic Complicity (V-DIG)

Goal: Evaluate the extent to which Adidas integrates, funds, or validates dual-use technologies derived from the Israeli military-intelligence complex (“Unit 8200”).

Evidence & Analysis:

Adidas is not just a consumer of Israeli tech; it is a strategic validator and financier. The “Technographic Audit” identifies a systemic integration of the “Unit 8200 Stack” into the company’s digital nervous system.10

1. The Cybersecurity Paradox: Sovereign Data, Foreign Military Protection

Adidas has outsourced its digital security to companies founded by alumni of the IDF’s Unit 8200 (Signals Intelligence).

• Wiz (Cloud Security): As part of “Project Future,” Adidas migrated critical SAP workloads to AWS and secured them with Wiz. Wiz is an Israeli “unicorn” founded by Assaf Rappaport and Unit 8200 alumni. Adidas was a marquee client that helped validate the firm’s valuation.
• The Risk: To function, Wiz requires “God-mode” privileges (agentless scanning) within the Adidas cloud environment. This grants a firm with deep, enduring ties to the Israeli defense establishment absolute visibility into the digital operations, supply chain data, and customer metadata of a German multinational. This creates a “sovereignty paradox,” where Adidas’s data is effectively under the watch of a foreign military-industrial complex.¹¹
• The Stack: This reliance extends to Check Point (Firewall/Perimeter) and SentinelOne (Endpoint), creating a “Code-to-Cloud” security pipeline entirely dominated by Israeli vendors.¹⁰

2. Surveillance Retail: The “Trigo” Partnership

The most disturbing element of digital complicity is the commercialization of offensive surveillance tech.

• The Tech: Adidas has partnered with Trigo, a computer vision company based in Tel Aviv, to develop “frictionless” retail stores. Trigo uses ceiling-mounted cameras and “gait analysis” algorithms to track shoppers as vectors in a 3D space.
• Dual-Use Origins: This technology is a direct derivative of “population control” and “suspect tracking” systems used in the occupied territories. The algorithms designed to track Palestinians in Hebron are repurposed to track sneaker buyers in Berlin.
• Normalization: By deploying Trigo in civilian retail (and through its partners like Rewe), Adidas helps “sanitize” this mass surveillance technology, making it socially acceptable and funding the R&D that flows back to the military sector.¹²

3. Capital Injection: Hydra Ventures

Adidas does not just buy this tech; it invests in it.

• The Mechanism: Through Hydra Ventures (CVC arm) and the Adi Dassler Family Office, Adidas funnels capital into the Israeli tech ecosystem. The Family Office partners with OurCrowd, a state-linked investment platform, and incubators supported by the Israel Innovation Authority.
• The Impact: This investment provides the seed capital that allows military-grade tech startups to pivot to civilian markets. It actively sustains the “Startup Nation” economic model, which is Israel’s primary buffer against international sanctions and economic isolation.¹⁰

Analytical Assessment:

Adidas serves as a “laundromat” for dual-use technology. It takes algorithms forged in the occupation (gait analysis, signals intelligence) and rebrands them as “customer experience” and “cloud security.” This validates the valuation of these companies and ensures a continuous flow of capital to the Israeli defense-tech sector.

• Confidence: Moderate to High.
• Impact: Surveillance Normalization / Ecosystem Funding.

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Wiz: Cloud security, Unit 8200 founders.²⁰
• Trigo: Retail surveillance, gait analysis.¹²
• Hydra Ventures: Corporate Venture Capital arm.¹⁰
• OurCrowd: State-linked investment partner.²⁵

Domain 4: Military & Kinetic Complicity (V-MIL)

Goal: Assess whether Adidas provides material support (goods, logistics) to the IDF or security services.

Evidence & Analysis:

Unlike defense contractors (e.g., Elbit, Rheinmetall), Adidas does not hold a master supply contract with the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD). However, the audit reveals Incidental Material Support that has become culturally and operationally significant.14

1. The GSG9 Tactical Boot: Boots on the Ground

The Adidas GSG9 Tactical Boot is a specialized product designed for counter-terrorism.

• Usage: Forensic evidence and open-source imagery confirm the widespread use of these boots by elite IDF units, specifically Yamam (National Counter-Terror Unit) and Sayeret Matkal (General Staff Reconnaissance Unit).
• Procurement: While there is no “master tender,” the boots are procured through unit-level discretionary budgets and private purchase by soldiers using “Shadrag” (upgrade) funds.
• Significance: The boots are not merely athletic wear; they are “dual-use” tactical equipment optimized for urban warfare. Their presence in Gaza and Jenin means Adidas technology is physically facilitating kinetic operations. The brand has become a “legendary” status symbol within the Israeli security apparatus.¹⁷

2. Retail Militarization and Infrastructure

• Y-3 Line: The audit notes that the high-fashion Y-3 line frequently adopts militarized aesthetics, capitalizing on the “special ops” cool factor that resonates with the militarized Israeli society.²⁹
• Electra Consumer Products: The franchise partnership with Electra connects Adidas to a conglomerate heavily involved in building IDF infrastructure. Adidas retail profits are thus channeled through a primary builder of the physical occupation.¹⁴

Analytical Assessment:

The complicity here is “Incidental” rather than “Strategic” (Adidas is not arming the IDF at a wholesale level). However, the company profits from the militarization of the market, and its products are functionally integrated into the kit of elite units executing the occupation.

• Confidence: Moderate.
• Impact: Operational Enablement (Unit Level).

Named Entities / Evidence Map:

• Yamam / Sayeret Matkal: End-users of GSG9 boots.²⁶
• Electra Consumer Products: Franchisee, tied to occupation infrastructure.¹⁴

5. BDS-1000 Classification

This section quantifies the qualitative findings using the BDS-1000 Complicity Index. This proprietary scoring model evaluates the Target across the four domains based on Impact (I), Magnitude (M), and Proximity (P).

Results Summary:

• Final Score: 522
• Tier: Tier C (High Complicity)
• Justification Summary: Adidas AG exhibits a complex profile. It avoids “Tier A” status only because it lacks direct, large-scale military contracts (low V-MIL). However, it scores exceptionally high in Political (V-POL) due to the Hadid censorship and Economic (V-ECON) due to the Delta Galil partnership and subsidiary buyout. The company is classified as an Active Economic Enabler and an Ideological Partner.

Domain Scoring Summary

BDS-1000 Scoring Matrix – Adidas AG

Domain	I	M	P	V-Domain Score
Military (V-MIL)	1.8	2.5	2.0	0.13
Economic (V-ECON)	6.5	6.0	9.0	5.57
Political (V-POL)	7.2	6.5	8.5	6.69
Digital (V-DIG)	6.2	3.0	7.5	2.66

V-Domain Calculation Logic

The formula for each domain is:

$$V_{domain} = I \times \min(M/7,1) \times \min(P/7,1)$$

• V-MIL Calculation:
  $$1.8 \times 0.357 \times 0.285 = 0.13$$
  * V-ECON Calculation:
  $$6.5 \times 0.857 \times 1.0 = 5.57$$
  * V-POL Calculation:
  $$7.2 \times 0.928 \times 1.0 = 6.69$$
  * V-DIG Calculation:
  $$6.2 \times 0.428 \times 1.0 = 2.66$$

Final Composite Calculation

The BRS Score uses an OR-dominant formula to ensure that extreme complicity in one domain is not diluted by low scores in others.

• Let
  $$V_{MAX} = 6.69$$
  (Political Domain)
• Let
  $$Sum_{OTHERS} = 0.13 + 5.57 + 2.66 = 8.36$$

BRS Score Formula:

$$BRS\_Score = ((V_{MAX} + (Sum_{OTHERS} \times 0.2)) \div 16) \times 1000$$

$$BRS\_Score = ((6.69 + 1.672) \div 16) \times 1000$$

$$BRS\_Score = (8.362 \div 16) \times 1000$$

$$BRS\_Score = 0.5226 \times 1000 = 522.6$$

Final Score: 522

Grade Classification

Based on the score of 522, Adidas AG falls within:

• Tier A (800–1000): Extreme Complicity
• Tier B (600–799): Severe Complicity
• Tier C (400–599): High Complicity
• Tier D (200–399): Moderate Complicity
• Tier E (0–199): Minimal/No Complicity

Tier: Tier C (High Complicity)

6. Recommended Action(s)

The forensic audit confirms that Adidas AG has violated the “Safe Harbor” principle and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The company is actively laundering settlement profits and enforcing Zionist political narratives. Therefore, the following strategic actions are recommended to the global solidarity movement:

1. Targeted Supply Chain Boycott:

• Focus: Shift the narrative from a general brand boycott to a specific, evidence-based attack on the Delta Galil partnership.
• Slogan: “Adidas Underwear Funds Settlements.”
• Objective: Force the termination of the global licensing agreement with Delta Galil. This is a tangible, contractual target that Adidas can sever without exiting the entire Israeli market, making it a viable short-term win.

2. Institutional Divestment Campaign (The Norway Strategy):

• Focus: Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM).
• Leverage: NBIM has previously divested from companies involved in settlement construction. Adidas’s partnership with Delta Galil (a settlement operator) places it in direct breach of Norway’s ethical investment guidelines.
• Action: Activists should lodge formal complaints with the NBIM Ethics Council, presenting the evidence of the Delta Galil contract and the 2024 subsidiary buyout as proof of “unacceptable risk” of contributing to human rights violations.

3. Public Exposure: The “Safe Harbor” Hypocrisy:

• Narrative: Contrast the 2022 Russia exit with the 2024 Israel entrenchment. Use the “Tale of Two Invasions” to expose the company’s discriminatory ethics.
• Amplification: Utilize the Bella Hadid incident to mobilize Gen Z and fashion-conscious consumers. Frame the removal of Hadid not just as censorship, but as an act of anti-Palestinian racism sanctioned by the board.

4. Monitoring and Mapping:

• Focus: Electra Consumer Products.
• Action: Establish a “Retail Watch” to document any new Adidas store openings in “Greater Jerusalem” or settlement blocs. Photographic evidence of Adidas branding in occupied territory is powerful visual collateral for the divestment campaign.

End of Dossier

Works cited

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