‘I was photo bombed’ - Miss Lebanon
The Miss Universe international beauty pageant may need to add a diplomatic relations competition after Miss Lebanon, Saly Greige, accused Miss Israel of trying several times to have a picture taken with her.
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A selfie featuring the two contestants, as well as Miss Japan and Miss Slovenia, was posted Jan. 11,on Doron Matalon's Instagram account and has caused a fury in Greige’s home country for appearing with the Israeli beauty queen.
In the photo, Greige is smiling and looks straight into the camera along with the other three women.
Both contestants have multiple pictures on their social media account appearing with other contestants in the competition, which airs Jan. 25.
But many Lebanese citizens are upset at their representative for appearing with the Israeli since the two countries are technically at war and have had multiple military battles in their history.
The two sides have been relatively peaceful since the last major conflict in 2006, but Lebanese people risk prison if they call or travel to Israel. All Israeli-made products are banned in Lebanon.
Greige tried to stop the criticism — with some demanding she be removed from the contest — in a message to all her supporters and Lebanese citizenson her Facebook page Saturday morning. She claimed to reveal the "truth behind the photo."
"Since the first day of my arrival to participate in the Miss Universe contest, I was very cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss Israel (that tried several times to have a photo with me) … I was having a photo with Miss Japan, Miss Slovenia and myself; suddenly Miss Israel jumped in, took a selfie, and put it on her social media,"she wrote.
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"This is what happened and I hope to have your full support in the Miss Universe contest,"she wrote.
Matalon responded to the controversy on her Instagram page Sunday morning. She did not respond to the allegations she had been stalking Greige, but said the situation makes her feel sad."
“It doesn't surprise me, but it still makes me sad. Too bad you cannot put the hostility out of the game, only for three weeks of an experience of a lifetime that we can meet girls from around the world and also from the neighbouring country,"she wrote.
Source: nydailynews