Mystery surrounds how woman ends up being first ‘Miss Palestine’ at Miss Universe pageant

A woman is set to compete in the Miss Universe pageant this year as Miss Palestine, but there’s a lot more to the mysterious story.

Representing Palestine, which is a place that doesn’t exist, 27-year-old Nadeen Ayoub is also the founder of the Miss Palestine Organization.

Strangely enough, the New York Post “could not find any record of a Miss Palestine pageant having been held, the names of any other contestants, or ways for them to have registered to compete.”

So not only is Ayoub representing a country that doesn’t exist, but she’s also portraying herself as the winner of a pageant that doesn’t exist.

https://t.co/QL0QdjchFf pic.twitter.com/4aeQwOTocI

— State of Palestine (@Palestine_UN) August 20, 2025

In fact, the so-called Miss Palestine Organization only just recently registered its own website back in May.

Speaking with the Post, a spokesperson for the organization declined to say how exactly Ayoub became Miss Palestine.

“We’re currently preparing the official materials for Miss Palestine, and will share the full details in our upcoming media note once it’s ready,” the spokesperson said.

Ayoub, who was born in America, raised in Canada, and now lives in Dubai, reportedly recently announced on social media and her website that she’s been chosen to compete as Miss Palestine in the Miss Universe competition scheduled for Nov. 21 in Thailand.

“I am proud to walk this path, not just as Miss Palestine but as a voice for those who deserve to be seen and heard,” she wrote.

This was the second time she’d claimed the role of Miss Palestine. The first time happened in 2022, when she represented “Palestine” at the Miss Earth pageant in the Philippines.

“There, she claimed she had participated in a pageant ‘in Palestine’ before Miss Earth, but did not offer any details,” the Post notes.

Afterward, she reportedly skipped the Miss Universe pageant because of the Oct. 7 terror attack.

“There hasn’t been another Miss Palestine since 2022 because of the genocide,” she recently told The National. “I was supposed go to Miss Universe, but I postponed it because I did not want to go when genocide was happening.”

“I wanted to focus more on staying behind the scenes because the spotlight was supposed to be on the people in Palestine who are suffering, rather than me,” she added.

Nadeen Ayoub will be first model to represent Palestine at Miss Universe pageant.

An advocate for women, sustainability, and Palestinian identity, Nadeen will carry her nation’s pride and voice to the world. pic.twitter.com/NkOuKdP59r

— Irlandarra (@aldamu_jo) August 20, 2025

Just for clarification, there is no genocide happening in so-called “Palestine,” a part of Israel inhabited by Palestinians.

And just the fact that Ayoub suggested otherwise has already triggered backlash from Israeli models.

“What’s strange is that Miss Universe made the decision to include her,” Adela Cojab, who was runner-up in the Miss Israel pageant this year, told the Post. “Miss Universe stands for unity, peace and co-existence — and if she stands for all of those things, then let’s have it.”

Cojab, who reportedly sued New York University for antisemitism in 2019, told the Post she wants to hear Ayoub denounce Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

“I would welcome an advocate who stands against extremism and stands for the right of all people to exist,” she told the Post.

But instead, Ayoub seems to stand with the Palestinians, who themselves are aligned with the terrorist group Hamas.

The irony is that when plans for an actual Miss Palestine competition were laid out in 2009, the competition had to be cancelled because Hamas accused the competition of “spreading moral corruption.”

Kuwait Times sits down with Nadeen Ayoub, Miss Universe Palestine, in an exclusive interview about history, identity, and hope. pic.twitter.com/A5CcghTBZL

— KUWAIT TIMES (@kuwaittimesnews) August 18, 2025

Years later, it looks like Miss Palestine is genuinely coming to the big stage this year.

Mario Bucaro, a Miss Universe Organization official, told the Post that “all applications are carefully reviewed” and that Miss Universe is “an apolitical, inclusive organization.”

“Palestinian people’s voices need to be heard, not only the women and children, but everyone,” Ayoub recently told The National. “The Palestinian woman is a beautiful woman who has a voice that is strong, that’s resilient, that is powerful and that is angelic. And I want to show the world that side of Palestine.”

Senior Staff Writer
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V. Saxena is a staff writer for BizPac Review with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University.

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