Beauty Queen Targeted by Online Hatred After Edited Footage Goes Viral
Miss Israel, Melanie Shiraz, has reported being subjected to a torrent of death and rape threats following the circulation of an edited video clip that appeared to show her scowling at Miss Palestine during a Miss Universe event. The 27-year-old beauty queen stated the viral footage, which seemed to capture her glaring and rolling her eyes at Nadeen Ayoub, Miss Palestine, was intentionally misleading.
Original Footage Reveals a Different Story
In response to the online uproar, Shiraz posted what she described as the 'original footage' from the event in Bangkok, Thailand. This separate video depicted her standing behind Ayoub and diverting her expression elsewhere, contradicting the narrative set by the edited clip. Shiraz asserted that the viral video was 'edited' and sourced from a 'third-party' with the deliberate aim of deceiving the public.
The fallout from the misleading video was severe. Shiraz told the New York Post she experienced an onslaught of online hatred, including 'Hitler-related comments' and threats of sexual assault. One particularly vile comment read, 'Hitler should have finished the job.' The situation escalated to the point where she had to arrange for 'heightened security'.
Addressing her 37,000 Instagram followers, Shiraz condemned the 'hatred' she received. 'This platform is meant to empower women,' she wrote. 'Using it to tear women down, sharing images without consent, and staying silent while a fellow competitor is attacked all undermine what we are meant to represent.'
A Context of Conflict and Controversy
The incident occurred against a backdrop of intense international scrutiny of Israel's military actions in Gaza. The conflict, which began after Hamas killed 1,200 people and seized 251 hostages on October 7, 2023, has resulted in over 69,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. This context fueled the online reaction, with Shiraz's social media often flooded with comments labelling her 'Miss Genocide' or demanding 'Free Palestine'.
This year's Miss Universe pageant marked the first time the competition included a contestant from the Palestinian-occupied territories. Following the announcement of her participation, Miss Palestine, Nadeen Ayoub, stated on Instagram, 'I represent every Palestinian woman and child whose strength the world needs to see. We are more than our suffering.' Ayoub, who lives between Dubai and Ramallah in the West Bank, had previously placed third in the 2022 Miss Earth pageant.
Shiraz, an MBA graduate from Tel Aviv University and a former tech worker, was crowned Miss Israel in Miami, Florida, in July. She told the Jerusalem Post her goal was to be 'a force for connection, for understanding and for positive change.' Reflecting on the hateful comments, she said, 'It was hard to cope with at first, but it only reinforces exactly why I am here: to stand proudly as a Jewish Israeli woman.'
