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Miss Earth Lebanon, Salwa Akar, stripped of her title after photograph
Posed for photo with Miss Earth Israel, Dana Zreik, making peace signs
Defiant Ms Akar said she will continue the pageant 'with or without' support
By SARA MALM FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 13:15 BST, 18 October 2018
Miss Earth Lebanon has been stripped of her title after posing for a photograph with Miss Earth Israel during the international pageant in the Philippines.
The photo shows Miss Earth Lebanon Salwa Akar standing with her arm around Miss Israel, Dana Zreik, with both of them making a 'peace' sign with their hands.
After the image was shared online, the organizers of Miss Earth Lebanon issued a statement to local media saying they 'categorically rejected the relationship with Israel' and that they had withdrawn Miss Akar's title.
Controversy: Miss Earth Israel, Dana Zreik, left, and Miss Earth Lebanon Salwa Akar, right, posed for a photograph during the Miss Earth pageant in the Philippines, making peace signs
Miss Earth is an international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness, and is considered one of the 'big four' along with Miss World, Miss Universe and Miss International.
The pageant is currently underway in the Philippines, with 90 aspirants from all over the world taking part in the competition, which culminates in the finals held next month.
Yesterday, a defiant Miss Akar confirmed that she has been stripped of the title, but pledged to continue competing in the pageant.
'I don't need a 'title' to be myself,' Miss Akar wrote on her official Facebook page. 'I, the Soul am peace.. and I will finish what I started with or without your support and love ..
'God is always beside me, he knows me more than anyone.. and he knows what's in my heart . Om Shanti.'
Stripped: Miss Earth organisers in Lebanon stripped Miss Akar of her title after the photo with her Israeli counterpart
Not giving up: Miss Akar has remained defiant, and wrote on social media that she would continue to take part in the pageant 'with or without your support'
Competing: Miss Earth Israel is seen parading before photographers in the Philippines flanked by Miss Earth Japan and Miss Earth Indonesia, last week
Lebanon is the base for Islamist militants Hezbollah, which receives backing from Israel's arch enemy Iran.
The Jewish state has fought several conflicts against Hezbollah, whose forces control south Lebanon bordering Israel and Beirut's southern suburbs, the last in 2006.
Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hezbollah in a speech before the U.N. General Assembly of setting up rocket factories near Beirut's airport and using civilian infrastructure to hide them.
Holding up an aerial image of the alleged missile sites, he claimed Hezbollah was converting missiles on behalf of Iran.
'In Lebanon, Iran is directing Hezbollah to build secret sites to convert inaccurate projectiles into precision-guided missiles, missiles that can target deep inside Israel within an accuracy of 10 metres (yards),' he said.
He accused Hezbollah of 'deliberately using the innocent people of Beirut as human shields.'
In response, Lebanese President Michel Aoun tweeted that Netanyahu's allegations were 'baseless,' calling them a 'new Israeli threat to Lebanese sovereignty.'
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