MISS Israel has finally addressed the moment she appeared to give Miss Palestine a hostile glare after she was inundated with backlash online.
Footage at the Miss Universe beauty pageant shows Melanie Shiraz, who is representing Israel,turn her head towards Palestine’s contestant and give her what appears to be a dirty look.
It has sparked masses of backlash and the beauty queen has been forced to address the rumours.
Melanie issued a stark denial insisting she was not side eyeing her fellow contestant.
The beauty pageant contestant has received shocking abuse online for the brief moment she appears to give Palestinian representative, Nadeen Ayoub, a dirty look.
In the video, the contestant briefly turns her head towards Nadeen, during the pageant event which was held in Thailand last week.
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Melanie went viral on social media with viewers blasting her for the blatant judgement.
While some some viewers commented that she was clearly “jealous” of Nadeen, others began debating who was “more beautiful.”
In an Instagram comment, the Israeli beauty queen denied the incident, she said: “It’s very clear that I was simply looking toward other contestants as they came on stage.
“Adding dramatic language to ordinary moments – especially when it misrepresents people – doesn’t promote kindness or fairness.
“I hope you’ll reconsider in the future before choosing virality at the expense of others.”
The intense backlash Melanie is facing comes as Israel is experiencing major international criticism for its actions in Gaza.
Melanie is set to participate in the Miss Universe 2025 final coronation event on November 21 despite comments branding her, “Miss Genocide.”
There has also been a flurry of Instagram users commenting “Free Palestine,” under her recent posts.
Israel and Hamas agreed a ceasefire deal last month, which was brokered by President Donald Trump; it saw Palestinian militants return all living hostages.
Nadeen was announced as a contestant on Miss Universe, which has been running for 72 years, back in August.
The certified wellness and nutrition coach previously said in an Instagram post: “Today, I step onto the Miss Universe stage not just with a title but with a truth…
“I represent every Palestinian woman and child whose strength the world needs to see. We are more than our suffering – we are resilience, hope and the heartbeat of a homeland that lives on through us.”
The model also represented Palestine in the 2022 Miss Earth beauty pageant in the Philippines and took third place.
Before Miss Universe and the controversy she sparked, Melanie, was an entrepreneur and content creator.
The Israeli was crowned Miss Israel in a competition in Miami, Florida back in July.
Melanie told Jerusalem Post at the time: “I want to show people, both in and outside of Israel, that this title can be a force for connection, for understanding and for positive change.
“It’s about far more than beauty – it’s about making our people proud by standing for something that matters.”
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This comes after last years winner staged a mass walkout of the sashing ceremony, in Bangkok, when the boss berated contestant Fátima Bosch in front of dozens of other participants.
The 21-year-old claimed her actions were in support of women’s rights and she branded the boss’s actions, “beyond disrespectful.”