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One of the more amusing takes on the incident in which Miss Israel took a “selfie” alongside Miss Lebanon came from a satirical publication titled The Pan-Arabia Enquirer (Its motto? “Spreading the hummous of satire over the flatbread of news.”)
The online publication published an article allegedly describing how Mia Khalifa, an American pornographic actress of Lebanese origin, had been forced to apologize because one of the four men in a scene she was shooting happened to be Israeli.
“I thought he had a strange accent, but he didn’t really say anything that could actually be considered words,” the fictional Khalifa says. “It was later when someone told me and I was totally shocked. You can’t even imagine my embarrassment and the shame that this will bring on my family. For that, I’m truly sorry.”
The howls of outrage among some Lebanese media outlets after Miss Israel, Doron Matalon, posted a photograph on Instagram that she had taken with Miss Lebanon, Saly Greige, as well as with Miss Japan and Miss Slovenia, indeed invited ridicule. Jon Stewart obliged with a very funny sketch. In commenting on remarks from Al Jadeed that Greige and Matalon should not have been in the same picture, because “Lebanon and Israel are enemies,” Stewart put on his best expression of perplexity, before blurting out: “It’s a beauty pageant. They’re all enemies!”
Lebanon can do better than be characterized by its pettiness over scenes that most other countries would regard as perfectly harmless. Last year we saw a different kind of indignation when Olympic skier Jackie Chamoun happened to bare her breasts in a film about a photo shoot for a skiing calendar. There was the usual gnashing of teeth, with some criticizing and many defending Chamoun, and in the end nothing happened.
Lebanon has many faults, but when it comes to morals (and the opposition to the Miss Israel selfie was, in many ways, depicted as a moral failing) thankfully it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The Chamoun experience will most likely be repeated: Greige will never see the inside of a prison cell.
However, it was unfortunate that Greige felt the need to issue a statement on her Facebook page, saying: “The truth behind the photo: Since the first day of my arrival to participate to Miss Universe [sic], I was very cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss Israel (that tried several times to have a photo with me) … I was having a photo with Miss Japan, Miss Slovenia and myself; suddenly Miss Israel jumped in, took a selfie, and put it on her social media…”
In fact, one look at the photo shows this was probably nonsense. Greige hardly looks alarmed. She just looks like she’s having a good time, and that is precisely what pageants are supposed to give contestants. If the Lebanese authorities can’t stomach the idea of their young women mixing with Israelis, they can simply boycott Miss Universe, as they have boycotted other international events where Israelis are present. But, grasping how silly this would seem to everyone, they have not done so.
But let’s say that Matalon indeed “photo-bombed” Greige — what’s the big deal? If the Israelis are out to embarrass Arab contestants, then the best way to respond is with indifference. But more important, how did having a photograph taken with an Israeli suddenly morph into something much bigger than that? Did it somehow signal approval of Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, or even, God forbid, recognition of Israel?
There is, and must be, a cutoff point between high politics and human relations. If, let’s say, a Lebanese and an Israeli were caught on a sinking ship and needed to cooperate to save themselves, I very much doubt Al Jadeed or the Arab League’s Central Boycott Office would intervene to exact punishment.
Nor has anybody who supports legislation barring contact with Israelis ever adequately explained what the benefits are. Presumably, those who seek to collaborate with Israel for political ends will ignore such legislation; while those who accept it ultimately harm Israel in no way at all.
Most Lebanese probably look at this entire incident as an embarrassment. However, they prefer not to express anything because, as the Arabs proclaimed during the 1960s, “No voice must rise above the sound of battle.” But let’s face it, the sound of battle after a century of conflict becomes a bit tiresome, and Miss Lebanon can be forgiven for letting her guard down.
Israel’s policies merit the most strenuous condemnation, but that shouldn’t affect personal contacts with Israelis, nor in many places has it. The hypocrisy of focusing on those whose interactions have been made public, while saying nothing about the myriad dealings that haven’t been publicized, is sign enough of the double standards surrounding this idiotic issue.
All I can say is that had any beauty queen, Israeli or otherwise, taken a selfie with me, I would have advertised it. And yet it would not affect my views of Benjamin Netanyahu or Ariel Sharon, under whose bombs I spent many anxious moments.
The online publication published an article allegedly describing how Mia Khalifa, an American pornographic actress of Lebanese origin, had been forced to apologize because one of the four men in a scene she was shooting happened to be Israeli.
“I thought he had a strange accent, but he didn’t really say anything that could actually be considered words,” the fictional Khalifa says. “It was later when someone told me and I was totally shocked. You can’t even imagine my embarrassment and the shame that this will bring on my family. For that, I’m truly sorry.”
The howls of outrage among some Lebanese media outlets after Miss Israel, Doron Matalon, posted a photograph on Instagram that she had taken with Miss Lebanon, Saly Greige, as well as with Miss Japan and Miss Slovenia, indeed invited ridicule. Jon Stewart obliged with a very funny sketch. In commenting on remarks from Al Jadeed that Greige and Matalon should not have been in the same picture, because “Lebanon and Israel are enemies,” Stewart put on his best expression of perplexity, before blurting out: “It’s a beauty pageant. They’re all enemies!”
Lebanon can do better than be characterized by its pettiness over scenes that most other countries would regard as perfectly harmless. Last year we saw a different kind of indignation when Olympic skier Jackie Chamoun happened to bare her breasts in a film about a photo shoot for a skiing calendar. There was the usual gnashing of teeth, with some criticizing and many defending Chamoun, and in the end nothing happened.
Lebanon has many faults, but when it comes to morals (and the opposition to the Miss Israel selfie was, in many ways, depicted as a moral failing) thankfully it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The Chamoun experience will most likely be repeated: Greige will never see the inside of a prison cell.
However, it was unfortunate that Greige felt the need to issue a statement on her Facebook page, saying: “The truth behind the photo: Since the first day of my arrival to participate to Miss Universe [sic], I was very cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss Israel (that tried several times to have a photo with me) … I was having a photo with Miss Japan, Miss Slovenia and myself; suddenly Miss Israel jumped in, took a selfie, and put it on her social media…”
In fact, one look at the photo shows this was probably nonsense. Greige hardly looks alarmed. She just looks like she’s having a good time, and that is precisely what pageants are supposed to give contestants. If the Lebanese authorities can’t stomach the idea of their young women mixing with Israelis, they can simply boycott Miss Universe, as they have boycotted other international events where Israelis are present. But, grasping how silly this would seem to everyone, they have not done so.
But let’s say that Matalon indeed “photo-bombed” Greige — what’s the big deal? If the Israelis are out to embarrass Arab contestants, then the best way to respond is with indifference. But more important, how did having a photograph taken with an Israeli suddenly morph into something much bigger than that? Did it somehow signal approval of Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, or even, God forbid, recognition of Israel?
There is, and must be, a cutoff point between high politics and human relations. If, let’s say, a Lebanese and an Israeli were caught on a sinking ship and needed to cooperate to save themselves, I very much doubt Al Jadeed or the Arab League’s Central Boycott Office would intervene to exact punishment.
Nor has anybody who supports legislation barring contact with Israelis ever adequately explained what the benefits are. Presumably, those who seek to collaborate with Israel for political ends will ignore such legislation; while those who accept it ultimately harm Israel in no way at all.
Most Lebanese probably look at this entire incident as an embarrassment. However, they prefer not to express anything because, as the Arabs proclaimed during the 1960s, “No voice must rise above the sound of battle.” But let’s face it, the sound of battle after a century of conflict becomes a bit tiresome, and Miss Lebanon can be forgiven for letting her guard down.
Israel’s policies merit the most strenuous condemnation, but that shouldn’t affect personal contacts with Israelis, nor in many places has it. The hypocrisy of focusing on those whose interactions have been made public, while saying nothing about the myriad dealings that haven’t been publicized, is sign enough of the double standards surrounding this idiotic issue.
All I can say is that had any beauty queen, Israeli or otherwise, taken a selfie with me, I would have advertised it. And yet it would not affect my views of Benjamin Netanyahu or Ariel Sharon, under whose bombs I spent many anxious moments.
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