Syria-born journalist, Abraham Accords supporter, visits Israel for Miss Universe

The visit of a Syrian-American journalist to cover Miss Universe in Israel did not go unnoticed on social media. The journalist is an open advocate of normalising ties between Arab states and Israel.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab Staff

13 December, 2021

The 70th Miss Universe Competition has attracted criticism and calls to boycott over being held in Israel [Amir Levy/Getty Images]

A Syrian-American journalist's trip to cover the Miss Universe beauty pageant has sparked controversy on social media, with some accusing her of "whitewashing" Israel. The 70th edition of Miss Universe was held this weekend in the Israeli coastal city of Eilat despite mounting calls to boycott the competition.

"I am now on my first visit to Israel," Syrian-American journalist Hayvi Bouzo, who has worked with Dubai-based outlet Khaleej Times, wrote on Twitter. "I cover the Miss Universe contest. Stay tuned for my upcoming posts covering this historic event."

🔴أنا الآن بزيارتي الأول لإسرائيل! و أقوم بتغطية فعاليات مسابقة ملكة جمال الكون @MissUniverse و التي تجري الآن في إيلات و التي تشارك فيها ملكات جمال من أكثر من ٨١ دولة و منها للمرة الأولى البحرين و المغرب! 👏🏻 ترقبوا بوستات قادمة عن تغطيتي لهذا الحدث التاريخي! 💖 pic.twitter.com/TPc3vhdRI3
— Hayvi Bouzo هيفي بوظو (@hayvibouzo) December 12, 2021

The post attracted mixed reactions on social media. Several Israeli accounts warmly welcomed Bouzo's visit, in stark contrast to hostile reactions written in Arabic.

"God willing, you will never come back," or "God willing, it will be the last [visit to Israel]".

Other users denounced the "whitewashing" of Israeli abuses against Palestinians by Arab public figures like Hayvi. "So glad that Hayvi is not highlighting her Syrian origins in her whitewashing missions because she does not represent us," one user tweeted.

So glad that Hayvi is not highlighting her Syrian origins in her Israel-Mideast whitewashing missions because she does not represent us. https://t.co/kCy5weUryA
— Israa | ﮼إسراء (@IsraHazel) December 13, 2021

Bouzo is a Syria-born American journalist who has openly spoken in favour of the normalisation of relations with Israel. In November, she took part in a delegation of several Middle Eastern personalities sent to tour the United States at the initiative of Israeli NGO Sharaka, created to promote the US-brokered so-called "Abraham Accords".

"There are many problematic governments and regimes in the region, but at least those countries that made [the Abraham Accord] deals are doing a good thing," Bouzo told Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post about the tour.

Signed in September 2020, the accords normalised diplomatic ties between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco. The agreements were slammed by Palestinians and much of the Arab nations as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.

Bouzo did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The New Arab.