A participant in this year’s Miss Universe contest will stand for a nation that most countries do not acknowledge, within a religious community that opposes her, following a competition that seemingly did not take place.
Miss Palestine will make her debut in the pageant in November — led by Nadeen Ayoub, 27, who is also recognized as the founder and manager of the Miss Palestine Organization, the entity responsible for her title.
The Post was unable to locate any information about a Miss Palestine competition taking place, the names of other participants, or methods for them to sign up for the event.
Interestingly, despite being a beauty queen, there is very limited official biographical details about Ayoub available on her social media profiles or the Miss Palestine Organisation’s website.
She was said to have been born in the United States and brought up in Canada, and currently resides in Dubai. Without much attention, she made an announcement on her website and social media postsShe has been chosen to compete for Palestine in the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand on November 21.
I am proud to take this journey, not only as Miss Palestine but as a representative for those who need to be noticed and acknowledged,” Nayoub said to her 1.1 million Instagram followers, sharing an image of herself wearing a sash that says “Miss Universe Palestine.
Nayoub initially won the title of Miss Palestine in 2022, but she mentioned she put aside her plans to compete in Miss Universe following the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, as stated in an interview withThe National,A newspaper from the United Arab Emirates.
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“I won the Miss Palestine beauty pageant,” said Ayoub in the September 2022 interview that was posted to YouTubeThere has not been another Miss Palestine since 2022, because of the genocide… I wanted to concentrate more on working behind the scenes because the attention was meant to be on the people in Palestine who are enduring hardship, rather than on me.
Her mention of “genocide” in Gaza has sparked anger in the Israeli media. At the same time, some pageant winners are puzzled by her appearance.
It’s strange that Miss Universe decided to include her,” said Adela Cojab, a Jewish activist based in New York who was a finalist in the Miss Israel pageant this year. “Miss Universe represents unity, peace, and coexistence — and if she embodies all of these values, then let’s embrace it.
Cojab, who filed a lawsuit against New York University in 2019 alleging antisemitism, stated she hopes to hear Ayoub condemn extremism and the Hamas attacks on Israel that resulted in 1,200 fatalities.
“I would be pleased to have a supporter who opposes radicalism and champions the right of every individual to live,” Cojab said to The Post.
Israel, currently engaged in conflict in Gaza, does not acknowledge Palestine as a sovereign nation, and neither does the United States. Recently, France and Canada, along with other nations, announced their intention to officially recognize Palestine as a state during the United Nations General Assembly next month.
The Miss Palestine Organization registered its website in May and showcases sophisticated black and white images of Ayoub wearing a sparkling crown.
A company representative declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding Ayoub’s 2022 appointment, stating, “We are currently finalizing the official documentation for Miss Palestine and will provide the complete details in our upcoming media release once it is prepared.”
The organization has already issued an invitation for participants to sign up for the 2026 Miss Palestine pageant.
Plans for a Miss Palestine pageant to beheld in Ramallah, located in the West Bank, in the year 2009were called off following accusations from Hamas officials that the Palestinian Authority was “promoting moral decay,” in relation to organizing the event.
The model and wellness instructor is said to have been raised in Canada and pursued studies in English literature and psychology at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. She also attended high school in the same region, as listed on her LinkedIn profile.
She instructed students at the Friends School in Ramallah and has been involved with United in Humanity, a nonprofit organization based in Washington state that coordinated humanitarian efforts in Gaza, as per public records.
Ayoub also manages the Olive Green Academy, based in Dubai, which provides training sessions on how to establish oneself as an influencer.
“We are excited to see Ms. Ayoub on the Miss Universe stage, highlighting the beauty, skills, and strength of her community,” said Mario Bucaro, vice president of international relations for the Miss Universe Organization.
Thai entrepreneur Anne Jakrajutatippurchased the Miss Universe Organization via her company JKN Global Group in 2022. The following year, she filed for bankruptcy, yet the pageant remains active. The organization was previously owned by President Donald Trump, who sold it in 2015.
Bucaro said to The Post that “all applications are thoroughly examined” and assessed by a committee inside the organization. He did not provide details on how Ayoub was selected for the competition, but mentioned that Miss Universe is “a non-political, welcoming organization.”
“In most pageants, organizers may make exceptions if the countries involved don’t have a national pathway,” stated Laura Clark, the national director of Miss Earth USA, headquartered in Washington, DC, and she added that in certain instances, contestants can choose to represent a country or region on their own.
The “appointed title” method of entering a pageant typically involves a significant cost, Clark noted, mentioning that some pageants charge between $5,000 and $10,000 for a self-nominated participant.
In 2022, Ayoub was among the four champions of the Miss Earth competition held in the Philippines. The woman with dark hair was crowned Miss Earth Water. During that time, she mentioned that she had taken part in a pageant “in Palestine” prior to Miss Earth, though she provided no specific information.
