Miss Morocco Did Not Withdraw From the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant
The Claim
Miss Morocco Kawtar Benhalima announced she’s no longer participating in the Miss Universe contest because it is held in Israel.
News posted on
Emerging story
Facebook accounts and pages have circulated alleged news that Miss Maroc (Morocco) Kawtar Benhalima has announced that she is withdrawing from the Miss Universe contest, which will be held next month in occupied Jerusalem.
Photo Description: The screenshot shows the alleged news circulated on Facebook.
Misbar’s Analysis
Miss Morocco Kawtar Benhalima did not announce her withdrawal from the contest, nor did any official Moroccan or reliable media outlet report the news.
Moroccan and Arab media outlets have reported that Miss Morocco, who is being crowned in Casablanca on Nov. 10, will represent her country in the Miss Universe contest on Dec. 12, this year in Israel.
Kawtar Benhalima had said in statements earlier that her participation in the contest is a new experience for her, her family, and those close to her.
She also said that “we are all excited and proud to represent our country as best as we can in the international contest. The truth is, I feel grateful that I will represent Moroccan women.”
Taking a look at the official website of Miss Universe, it is clear that Morocco is not removed from the list of contestants.
In addition, the official account of the Miss Universe contest in Morocco announced earlier on Instagram that Morocco will participate in the upcoming Miss Universe contest in Israel.
Morocco’s participation will be the first in 40 years, as the official account of the contest called on Moroccan girls to apply for competitions.
During the last hours, the account published pictures of Kawtar Benhalima, with the following caption: “Just a few days before the departure for the competition @missuniverse, We share with you these beautiful images of the shooting of our beautiful Miss Universe Morocco…” The account also mentioned the official account of Miss Universe in the comments.
A number of participants in the Miss Universe Pageant have refused to participate because it will be held in occupied Jerusalem, the last of them was Miss Greece Raffaela Plastira, who said, “I can't go up that stage and act like nothing is happening when people are fighting for their lives out there.”
Kawtar Benhalima won the first runner-up in the Miss Morocco 2021 pageant after the winner of Morocco’s Queen, Fatima Zahra-Khayat, withdrew because of an injury she had sustained.
Translated by: Ahmed N. A. Almassri
