Iraqi beauty queen takes selfie with Miss Israel, family 'forced to flee country

The family of Iraqi beauty queen was forced to flee the country after facing death threats due to a Miss Universe Pageant's modeling in a bikini and a selfie with Miss Israel.

In November this year, Miss Iraq Sarah Idan and Miss Israel Adar Gandelsman had together clicked a photo at a beauty pageant in Las Vegas and shared it on Instagram. 

"Peace and Love from Miss Iraq and Miss Israel,” Sarah Idan wrote in a caption.

 

Peace and Love from Miss Iraq and Miss Israel  #missuniverse

A post shared by Sarah Idan (Sarai) سارة عيدان (@sarahidan) on Nov 13, 2017 at 2:51pm PST

However, according to a report in The Telegraph, Miss Israel Adar Gandelsman told Israel’s Hadashot News that she had stayed in touch with Ms Idan and learned that the young Iraqi and her family had fled their country in the face of the backlash.

“Out of fear, they left Iraq at least until the situation calms down,” she said.

“People made threats against her and her family that if she didn’t return home and take down the photos, they would remove her [Miss Iraq] title, that they would kill her,” Gandelsman added.

Meanwhile, Idan took to Twitter to confirm the news.

I’m not the first nor the last person to face prosecution over a matter of personal freedom. Millions of Iraqi women live in fear. #freeiraqiwomen https://t.co/Vt0YjFbyf4

— Sarai (Sarah Idan) (@grrrciara) December 15, 2017

Gandelsman said she has been in touch with Idan since the pageant and that the two women have a special relationship.

“She did it to so that people can understand that it’s possible to live together,” Gandelsman added.