Miss Universe 2015: Miss Lebanon Selfie with Miss Israel Causes Uproar

It seems that even beauty pageants cannot distance itself from politics - even more so if the politics of two countries involved a war against each other.

In a report by CNN, Miss Universe beauty pageant contestant Saly Greige of Lebanon is trying her best to keep her crown as a representative of her country as she tries to distance herself from Miss Israel Doron Matalon. Trying being the imperative word.

A photo on Matalon's Instagram account caused an online uproar when she, along with Greige, Miss Slovenia, and Miss Japan appeared in a photo together while in Miami, where the biggest showcase of beauty will be held on Wednesday.

The controversial photo was captioned by Matalon, "Good morning from us! Miss Japan , miss Slovenia, miss Lebanon & I ❤."

The image then ignited a debate about the conflict between Israel and Lebanon, and most of the Arab countries.

Greige, in response to the photo, defended herself, saying that she had been "very cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss Israel."

She also mentioned that she was posing for a photo with miss Japan and Miss Slovenia, when "suddenly Miss Israel jumped in, took a selfie, and put it on her social media."

She explained the incident on her Facebook page "the truth behind the photo," saying, "Since the first day of my arrival to participate to Miss Universe, I was very cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss Israel (that tried several times to have a photo with me) ... I was having a photo with Miss Japan, Miss Slovenia and myself; suddenly Miss Israel jumped in, took a selfie, and put it on her social media...this is what happened and I hope to have your full support in the Miss Universe contest."

The New York Post also noted that for Matalon's part, she seems to turn the pageant away from the politics of their countries, when she posted, "It doesn't surprise me, but it still makes me sad. Too bad you can not put the hostility out of the game, only for three weeks of an experience of a lifetime that we can meet girls from around the world and also from the neighboring country."

Lebanon has prohibited its citizens from fraternizing with Israelis, which is why the photo has caused such an uproar. In 1993, the country even stripped its then-Miss Lebanon, Ghada al-Turk, of her title when a photo of herself and and her Israeli competitior.

The Lebanese government is adamant about conducting an investigation regarding Greige and Matalon, and will decide later this week whether or not to do the same thing to Greige.