'Racist' advert with 'freedom is basic' tagline showing model Bar Refaeli pulling off niqab sparks outrage online

An advert with the tagline "freedom is basic", which shows model Bar Refaeli pulling off a niqab and then later appearing in a crop top, has sparked outrage with critics branding it "racist" and "Islamophobic".

Before the 33-year-old pulls off the facial covering worn by some Muslim women, a quote which reportedly asks "Iran is here?" in Hebrew, appears on screen.

In Iran it is compulsory for women to wear a headscarf, however, they are under no obligations to wear the full face-covering niqab.

The campaign for Israeli clothing brand Hoodies also shows Refaeli dancing in a sweatshirt and jeans to a song with lyrics about freedom.

The television host and actress posted the advert on her Facebook page, and reportedly also on her Instagram, but it is no longer visible on the photo sharing app.

The campaign has proved controversial online with some calling it "disgusting" and "disrespectful".

Others branded it "ignorant and racist".

While some argued that it pushes an Islamophobic message.

Others suggested that the advert is hypocritical, claiming that freedom is the right to wear what they choose.

However, others backed the advert saying that it took a "stand" against the "oppression" and "persecution" of women.

Another wrote: "I am Iranian and don't get angry watching this ad.

"I think it is good they highlighted Iran’s human right abuses on forcing women to cover up. That should be the real story here.

"For me as a Iranian covering up is NOT Freedom. It is the ideology behind it that I criticise and the ad has also the right to do so."

Ahead of the advert’s release, Hoodies said it intended the campaign to “call out racism and bigotry and support freedom,” the Jerusalem Post reported.

Iran rejects Israel's right to exist and has repeatedly called for the Jewish state's demise, while Israel says nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran would pose an existential threat and last month Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed it is hiding a warehouse used to store prohibited nuclear technology.

Another version of the advert also appears online and again shows women removing the niqab, although one remains wearing a hijab.

The second advert is slightly longer and includes other models as well as Refaeli, including Israeli personalities such as the transgender model Stav Strashko, conservative personality Melech Zilbershlag, and Ethiopian Israeli model Tahounia Rubel also appeared in this version, alongside Refaeli.