Miss Israel says she was bombarded with death and rape threats over ‘edited’ footage that suggested she scowled at Miss Palestine, and releases ‘original footage’

Miss Israel said she was bombarded with death and rape threats because of images showing her frowning at Miss Palestine on stage.

The clip from a Miss Universe event in Thailand went viral after it showed Melanie Shiraz, 27, glaring and rolling her eyes at Nadeen Ayoub, 27, who was standing next to her.

However, Shiraz later released separate “original footage” from the incident, showing him standing behind Ayoub and directing his statement elsewhere.

The Israeli beauty queen claimed that the video, in which she appears giving Miss Palestine a sideways glance, was “edited” and came from a “third party” and was deliberately designed to mislead viewers.

Following the viral clip, he said he was subjected to an online hate attack, including ‘Hitler-related comments’, and as a result had to organize ‘heightened security’.

“It’s not just death threats, it’s sexual assault threats,” Shiraz said. New York Post. ‘I’ve experienced antisemitism before, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.’

‘Hitler should have finished the job,’ one comment on social media apparently read.

To condemn the online ‘hate’ she received following the clip, Shiraz told her 37,000 followers on Instagram: ‘This platform aims to empower women.

‘Using this to degrade women, sharing photos without consent and remaining silent while a rival is being attacked undermines what we want to represent.’

Israeli beauty queen (right) claims video showing her giving eyes to Miss Palestine (left) is from a “third party” designed to deliberately mislead viewers

Users on social media were quick to criticize Shiraz for giving the Miss Palestine contestant a ‘dirty look’ (left)

The event in Thailand marked the first time a contestant from the Palestinian-occupied areas participated in the beauty pageant.

Users on social media were quick to criticize Shiraz for giving the Miss Palestine contestant a ‘dirty look’, with one person writing ‘Save Miss Palestine from Israeli energy’ over the X.

Reacting to the onslaught of criticism, Shiraz stated on social media that the clip was misrepresented. “Here’s a side-by-side version of almost the same pose,” the Israeli contestant wrote on Instagram alongside two videos from the event.

‘This shows how easily perspective can distort a simple expression by rotating just a single angle,’ he said.

The beauty queen condemned people for “deliberately sensationalizing misleading, edited or missing content at the expense of another woman” and described the overall situation as “disappointing”.

‘Private photography or content capture during official events is also not permitted under the competition rules and it is important that these rules are respected,’ he added.

‘As representatives of countries in conflict, we have a responsibility to emulate dignity, peace and hope, not pettiness, hatred or deepening divisions.’

Commenting on the ‘dehumanisation’ that followed the viral clip, Shiraz said the hate comments ‘reflect the world much more than they do about me’.

‘This was difficult to deal with at first, but it only reinforces why I am here: to stand proudly as a Jewish Israeli woman and defend truth, peace and unity,’ she said.

Shiraz, who graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and later earned an MBA from Tel Aviv University, previously worked in technology before joining the demonstrations.

Miss Palestine Nadeen Ayoub presents on stage during the Miss Universe 2025 official welcome event in Bangkok, Thailand on November 5, 2025

Reactions to Shiraz came on social media at a time when Israel was facing intense international condemnation for its military activities in Gaza.

At a time when Israel is facing intense international condemnation for its military activities in Gaza, Shiraz is receiving reactions on social media.

Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 251 people hostage in a deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

More than 69,000 Palestinians were killed during Israel’s retaliatory response, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.

Shiraz’s social media posts are often bombarded with comments calling her ‘Miss Genocide’ or ‘Free Palestine’.

The viral clip, which showed the contestant giving Ayoub a hostile glare, only encouraged negative comments.

‘[Miss] If he continues this with his facial expressions, Israel does not belong there. point [Miss Universe] “Being beautiful with a good heart is being beautiful,” one user wrote on TikTok.

After it was announced that she would enter the pageant as Miss Palestine earlier this year, Ayoub said in an Instagram post: ‘Today, I step onto the Miss Universe stage not just with a title, but with a reality…

‘I represent every Palestinian woman and child whose power the world needs to see. We are more than our pain; We are resistance, hope and the heartbeat of a homeland that lives through us.’

She previously represented Palestine in the 2022 Miss Earth beauty contest held in the Philippines and came third.

The beauty queen, who lives between Dubai and Ramallah in the West Bank, told The National newspaper in the United Arab Emirates: ‘There has not been another Miss Palestine since 2022 because of the genocide.’

Israel vehemently denies that its military actions in Gaza amount to genocide and says its activities are justified as a means of defence.

In July, Shiraz was crowned Miss Israel at a pageant held in Miami, Florida.

‘I want to show people both in Israel and outside Israel that this title can be a force for connection, understanding and positive change, the entrepreneur told the Jerusalem Post.

‘This is about so much more than beauty; It’s about making our people proud by standing behind something that matters.’

In July, Shiraz was crowned Miss Israel at a pageant held in Miami, Florida.

The social media uproar surrounding Shiraz and Ayoub is just one of the latest controversies at this year’s Miss Universe pageant.

Contestants staged an angry mass walkout from a recent event in Bangkok after Miss Universe Mexico was publicly berated by a pageant boss in front of dozens of beauty queens.

Last year’s winner, Danish model Victoria Theilvig, walked out of the wrap ceremony after a contest official scolded 25-year-old Fátima Bosch.

Footage of the live-streamed event shows Bosch being called a ‘stupid’ by Thai boss Nawat Itsaragrisil, who insulted him disparagingly.

After the beauty queen accused him of ‘not showing respect’, he asked the security to escort the beauty queen out of the hotel. [her] as a woman’.

Bosch told the press after the dramatic incident: “With all due respect to you as a country, I really love Thailand; but what your director did is not respectful at all, he called me stupid.”

The confrontation went viral online, with hundreds of fans and former contestants flocking to her defense and praising her for standing up to the authority.

“I think the world needs to see this, because we are strong women and this is a platform where we can make our voices heard and no one can silence our voices,” Bosch said as the crowd cheered in support.

Miss Universe President Raúl Rocha Cantú made a strong statement condemning Nawat, saying: ‘I will not allow the values ​​of respect and dignity for women to be violated.’

Theilvig, 21, justified why she left the event by saying: ‘It’s about women’s rights.

‘Throwing another girl away is beyond disrespectful and unlike anything I’ve ever done. So I grab my jacket and go.’