Donald Trump, owner of the Miss Universe Pageant, is smiling all the way to the bank as a worldwide controversy erupts over a selfie taken with four  beautiful contestants.  The photo posted on Instagram has caused outrage in Lebanon because Miss Lebanon is pictured smiling in close proximity to Miss Israel, and Lebanon has a ban on fraternizing (or sororitizing, in this case) with Israelis.

Probably fearing for life upon return to her Hezb’allah-dominated homeland, Miss Lebanon, Saly Griege, is claiming entrapment by those tricky Israelis.  After all, smiling is something to be feared.

Griege claimed that she had been the victim of a sinister photobomb, writing on Facebook and Instagram, "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."

Somehow, the notion of sinister and smiling beauty queens does not seem related.  Nonetheless, with the mullahs of Iran pulling the strings on Hezb’allah, the connection gets made.  Miss Israel is handling the matter correctly:

Matalon responded with a Facebook post of her own, saying that Griege's reaction "doesn’t surprise me, but it still makes me sad." Addressing her rival, she added, "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 neighbouring [sic] country."

Becky Strum of the New York Post reports that the matter is being tsaken with the utmost gravity in Lebanon:

This time around, the Lebanese government has vowed to “launch an investigation” and will decide this week whether the offensive photo will get her crown snapped, too.

The entire world is laughing at the Islamist grinches.  And Donald Trump just added a few rating points to the broadcast next Saturday of the pageant.  Let’s hope Miss Israel and Miss Lebanon are among the finalists and have to pose next to each other.