{"id":1105722,"date":"2021-12-10T10:58:37","date_gmt":"2021-12-10T15:58:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1105722"},"modified":"2021-12-10T10:58:42","modified_gmt":"2021-12-10T15:58:42","slug":"beauties-and-the-beach-miss-universe-hopefuls-express-their-love-for-israel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/beauties-and-the-beach-miss-universe-hopefuls-express-their-love-for-israel\/","title":{"rendered":"Beauties and the Beach: Miss Universe Hopefuls Express Their Love for Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbeauties-and-the-beach-miss-universe-hopefuls-express-their-love-for-israel%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1105722&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p class=\"subheading\">EILAT, ISRAEL \u2013 The security to access the port in the southern Israeli city of Eilat is so tight on Thursday, one would be forgiven for mistaking it for the site of a UN summit of world leaders, not the location of the 70<sup>th<\/sup> annual Miss Universe pageant.<\/p>\n<p>As one source affiliated with the organizers of the pageant explained to Breitbart, the beefed-up security measures are because the Port of Eilat is under the jurisdiction of the Shin Bet security agency.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>Still, with the drama that has unfolded in the weeks leading up to the pageant, it\u2019s fitting that one of the most powerful security agencies in the world is in charge of protecting the 80 women taking part.<\/p>\n<p>The most prominent actor in that drama, of course, is the old favorite \u2013 good old Jew hatred.<\/p>\n<p>The anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement came in fast and heavy, swinging its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/middle-east\/2021\/11\/18\/south-africa-urges-its-beauty-queen-to-boycott-miss-universe-in-israel\/\">wrecking ball of hate<\/a> at various contestants in an attempt to persuade them to nix the pageant.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<div id=\"attachment_19079858\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"33\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.breitbart.com\/media\/2021\/12\/1639123108525.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-19079858\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/1639123108525-576x1024-1.jpg\" alt=\"The southern Israeli city of Eilat welcomes Miss Universe contestants. Photo credit: Deborah Brand, Breitbart.\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Beautiful days: The southern Israeli city of Eilat welcomes Miss Universe contestants. (Deborah Brand\/Breitbart News)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In the case of Miss South Africa, it failed miserably, with the lovely Lalela Mswane <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/middle-east\/2021\/11\/18\/south-african-beauty-queen-defies-bullying-heads-to-miss-universe-in-israel\/\">defying both homegrown BDS activists<\/a> and the South African government and taking part in the pageant. The 24-year-old, who is a qualified lawyer, said she views her participation in the pageant as a chance \u201cto contribute to a process of dialogue and peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Turkey\u2019s contestant, 22-year-old Cemrenaz Turhan, also came under intense criticism by BDS activists for choosing to come.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m not a politician, I came here for a competition,\u201d she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/the-beautiful-face-of-regional-peace-miss-universe-contestants-descend-on-israel\/\">responded<\/a>. \u201cI love all countries, I didn\u2019t think for a second that I would boycott Israel \u2014 I\u2019m not thinking about that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m very happy to be here, the Israeli people are so kind and so amazing,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"8.1308411214953\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane defied anti-Israel groups and even the South African government, and landed in Israel for Miss Universe. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/6ncA1xlUBL\">https:\/\/t.co\/6ncA1xlUBL<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BreitbartNews\/status\/1465492658156187648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 30, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>Best supporting actor in the pageant drama was the global pandemic. Israel took the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/middle-east\/2021\/11\/28\/israel-takes-most-aggressive-approach-in-world-against-omicron\/\">most&nbsp;aggressive steps in the world<\/a> to beat the Omicron variant, including closing its borders at the end of last month to all foreign nationals.<\/p>\n<p>The news sparked an outcry among both Israelis and diaspora Jews,&nbsp;who argued that it was a sham the country barred people from <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.timesofisrael.com\/for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-am-struggling-with-my-relationship-with-israel\/\">visiting their Israeli families<\/a> while beauty pageant contestants were allowed to enter.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>It especially infuriated people when the news emerged that one contestant, Miss France Clemence Botino, tested positive for the Omicron strain following her arrival in Israel.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_19079866\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"35\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.breitbart.com\/media\/2021\/12\/IMG_20211209_164320-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-19079866 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/IMG_20211209_164320-1-1024x766-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Queen of Sheba hotel, Eilat, where several of the Miss Universe contestants are staying. Photo credit: Deborah Brand, Breitbart. \" width=\"990\" height=\"741\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The Queen of Sheba Hotel, Eilat, where several of the Miss Universe contestants are staying. (Deborah Brand\/Breitbart News)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The thrice-vaccinated beauty queen was released from quarantine after 10 days and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/after-10-days-miss-universe-contender-who-contracted-covid-cleared-to-compete\/\">cleared to join<\/a> the competition. \u201cLife has brought me to Israel and everything is ready. Every situation [is] supposed to make us stronger,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>And then there\u2019s Indonesia and Malaysia. Both Muslim-majority countries leveraged the pandemic to excuse its Jew hatred, blaming their contestants\u2019 no-show at the pageant on the virus.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>Still, there were several diplomatic wins for Israel from other Muslim-Arab states. The fact that Bahrain chose this year\u2019s pageant in Israel \u2013 with which it normalized relations last year \u2014 to be the first time it would send a contestant, is no small thing. Morocco, which also cemented diplomatic ties with Israel last year, is taking part in the contest for the first time since 1978.<\/p>\n<p>The North African country\u2019s contender Kawtar Benhalima, described being in Israel as a \u201cwholesome experience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Benhalim, 22, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/the-beautiful-face-of-regional-peace-miss-universe-contestants-descend-on-israel\/\">told<\/a> <em>The Times of Israel<\/em> that she was also \u201cpleasantly surprised by the amount of people [in Israel] that tell me that their parents and grandparents were Moroccan. It\u2019s beautiful, I can really, really feel and notice the connectivity.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_19079890\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"35\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.breitbart.com\/media\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1236928175.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-19079890\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1236928175-1024x696-1.jpg\" alt width=\"990\" height=\"673\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Contestants of the Miss Universe pageant pose in front of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem\u2019s Old City on December 1, 2021 as they tour the Holy City ahead of the 70th Miss Universe event to be held in Israel\u2019s Red Sea resort of Eilat on December 12. (AHMAD GHARABLI\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_19079906\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" readability=\"36\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.breitbart.com\/media\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1236998425.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-19079906\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/GettyImages-1236998425-1024x683-1.jpg\" alt width=\"990\" height=\"660\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Contestants of the Miss Universe pageant pose for a picture during a visit to the Dead Sea, south of the West Bank city of Jericho, ahead of the 70th Miss Universe event to be held in Israel\u2019s Red Sea resort of Eilat on December 12. (AHMAD GHARABLI\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Miss Kenya Roshanara Love said: \u201cI believe a lot more people need to&nbsp;come and explore Israel, because this is the city of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Miss Universe USA Elle Smith <a href=\"https:\/\/www.i24news.tv\/en\/news\/israel\/society\/1639066086-miss-universe-pageant-contestants-adore-israel\">said<\/a> being in Israel was \u201cabsolutely phenomenal\u201d and that she hopes to return in the future.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI came to Eilat, and the people, the culture, everything, you can just tell they have that love for this land. I love it so much!\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think I had a lot of preconceived notions about what it was going to be like, and they were all washed away once I got here,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EILAT, ISRAEL \u2013 The security to access the port in the southern Israeli city of Eilat is so tight on Thursday, one would be forgiven for mistaking it for the &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1105722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1105722","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1105722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1105722\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1105722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1105722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1105722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}