In news that is simultaneously, like, so high school and a depressing glimpse into world affairs, Miss Lebanon Saly Greige has sparked an outcry after being captured in a selfie with Miss Israel Doron Matalon.
It all started when Matalon posted the following seemingly harmless photo, taken backstage at the recent Miss Universe pageant, to her Instagram:
Complex report that the photo has been condemned in Lebanon, where it is forbidden to have contact with anyone from an “enemy state”, which includes Israel, and there have been calls for Greige to be stripped of her crown.
Though the pair look fairly #chill in the photo, along with Miss Japan and Miss Slovenia, Griege has since come out and claimed that Miss Israel pushed her way in at the last second.
“I was very cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss isreal [sic], who tried several times to take a photo with me,” she said.
“I was having a photo with Miss Japan, Miss Slovenia, suddenly Miss Israel jumped in and took a selfie, and uploaded it on her social media.”
Matalon has since responded, saying that the furore surrounding the photo is upsetting. “It doesn’t surprise me, but it still makes me sad. Too bad you can not put the hostility out of the game.”
Once again, beauty pageant contestants have failed to usher in world peace:
