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The Lebanese contestant Miss Earth has been stripped of her title after taking a picture with the representative of Israel.
Salwa Akar, Miss Lebanon Earth, was denied the right to represent her country at the beauty contest final in the Philippines after taking a photo with Israeli-Arab candidate Dana Zreik.
According to the Egyptian newspaper Al-Masry Al-Youm, Akar reportedly tried to explain his blunder by claiming that Zreik had spoken to him in Arabic. The two women, however, wore scarves with the names of their country in the photo, so apparently the explanation did not work.
The final of the parade is scheduled to begin November 3rd. The photo was apparently taken in the Philippines, where participants met earlier this month for a series of preparatory events before the grand finale.
Akar seems not to be impressed by the development. In a statement on a Facebook page, she stated that she did not need a title to be herself and that she "Finish what I started."
Lebanon is one of the many Arab countries in which any form of fraternization with Israelis can have serious repercussions. Last year, Amanda Hanna, an emigrant from Lebanon, was stripped of her title during a visit to Israel. And in 2015, Miss Lebanon Sally Greige was reprimanded for a selfie with Miss Israel, Doron Matalon, taken at the Miss Universe in Miami.
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Miss Earth has been held since 2001 and is intended to raise awareness about the environment. Some 90 competitors from around the world are participating in this year's competition. The Philippines is generally the hosts of the show, although it took place before in Vietnam and Austria. The titular licensee is Karen Ibasco of Manila.
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