closeicon
World

Iraq and Israel's beauty queens reunite after Instagram selfie forced Miss Iraq to flee her home

Fear did not stop her posting another picture with Miss Israel

articlemain

Iraq’s competitor in the Miss Universe competition has shared a photo of her reunited with Miss Israel, after their Instagram selfie led to Miss Iraq having to flee her homeland with her family.

Sarah Idan was representing Iraq at the 2017 pageant in Las Vegas last November when she took the selfie with Miss Israel, Adar Gandelsman, and posted it online.

The picture sparked a backlash and Ms Idan was forced to leave Iraq for America with her family after receiving death threats.

In the caption, she had written: "Peace and Love from Miss Iraq and Miss Israel".

Her message was seen by some as an endorsement of Israel and a betrayal of Palestinians. Iraq and Israel have no diplomatic relations.

In December, she told CNN: "When I posted the picture I didn't think for a second there would be blowback.

“I woke up to calls from my family and the Miss Iraq Organization going insane. The death threats I got online were so scary."

But fear did not stop her posting her latest picture that showed her in Israel, with Ms Gandelsman.

Ms Idan two posted new pictures online on Instagram, one with the caption: "Sisters reunion".

 

As part of the trip, she visited Jerusalem and ate at an Iraqi-Jewish restaurant in the Mahane Yehuda shuk.

Speaking to Israel's Channel 2 News, she said: “I don't think Iraq and Israel are enemies, I think maybe the governments are enemies with each other.

"But there's a lot of Iraqi people that don't have a problem with Israelis."

Ofir Gendelman, a spokesman for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote on Twitter: "Friendly relations between Israelis & Arabs will definitely help in ushering in a better tomorrow for all of us in the Middle East.

Share via

Want more from the JC?

To continue reading, we just need a few details...

Want more from
the JC?

To continue reading, we just
need a few details...

Get the best news and views from across the Jewish world Get subscriber-only offers from our partners Subscribe to get access to our e-paper and archive