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by Akiva Van Koningsveld
Former Miss Iraq Sarah Idan, right, speaking alongside former Miss Israel Adar Gendelsman at the AJC Global Forum in June 2018. Photo: Screenshot / YouTube.
For the first time in its 70-year history, the Miss Universe beauty pageant is coming to Israel.
The competition is set to take place on December 12 in Eilat. According to the organizers, Israel was chosen due to its “rich history, beautiful landscapes, myriad of cultures and appeal as a global tourist destination.”
But some “activists” are keen on politicizing the event, and have called on participants to drop out.
Nelson Mandela’s grandson launched a campaign to convince Miss South Africa to skip December’s pageant because of Israel’s alleged violations against the Palestinians.
Mandla Mandela’s call to boycott Israel comes after he recently praised the “deep ties” between South Africa and Communist China.
He also called it an “honor” to meet the ambassador from Saudi Arabia, not exactly a bastion of women’s or human rights.
Then the plot thickened: Sarah Idan, Miss Iraq 2017, posted a video to Twitter:
My message to Mandla Mandela and those who call to boycott @MissUniverse pageant in Israel. pic.twitter.com/rRIndj7XkJ
— Sarai (Sarah Idan) Miss Iraq (@RealSarahIdan) October 21, 2021
The resulting sexist abuse she received from pro-Palestinian users is perhaps the best evidence in support of holding Miss Universe in Israel.
The author is a contributor to HonestReporting, a Jerusalem-based media watchdog with a focus on antisemitism and anti-Israel bias — where a version of this article first appeared.
