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A Syrian-American journalist's trip to cover the beauty pageant has sparked controversy on social media, with some accusing her of "whitewashing" Israel. The of Miss Universe was held this weekend in the Israeli coastal city of Eilat despite mounting the competition.

"I am now on my first visit to Israel," Syrian-American journalist Hayvi Bouzo, who has worked with Dubai-based outlet Khaleej Times, wrote on Twitter. "I cover the Miss Universe contest. Stay tuned for my upcoming posts covering this historic event."

🔴أنا الآن بزيارتي الأول لإسرائيل! و أقوم بتغطية فعاليات مسابقة ملكة جمال الكون و التي تجري الآن في إيلات و التي تشارك فيها ملكات جمال من أكثر من ٨١ دولة و منها للمرة الأولى البحرين و المغرب! 👏🏻 ترقبوا بوستات قادمة عن تغطيتي لهذا الحدث التاريخي! 💖

— Hayvi Bouzo هيفي بوظو (@hayvibouzo)

The post attracted mixed reactions on social media. Several Israeli accounts warmly welcomed Bouzo's visit, in stark contrast to hostile reactions written in Arabic.

"God willing, you will never come back," or "God willing, it will be the last [visit to Israel]".

Other users denounced the "whitewashing" of Israeli abuses against Palestinians by Arab public figures like Hayvi. "So glad that Hayvi is not highlighting her Syrian origins in her whitewashing missions because she does not represent us," one user tweeted. 

So glad that Hayvi is not highlighting her Syrian origins in her Israel-Mideast whitewashing missions because she does not represent us.

— Israa | ﮼إسراء (@IsraHazel)

Bouzo is a Syria-born American journalist who has openly spoken in favour of the normalisation of relations with Israel. In November, she took part in a delegation of several Middle Eastern personalities the United States at the initiative of Israeli NGO Sharaka, created to promote the US-brokered so-called "".

"There are many problematic governments and regimes in the region, but at least those countries that made [the Abraham Accord] deals are doing a good thing," Bouzo told Israeli daily about the tour.

Signed in September 2020, the accords normalised diplomatic ties between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco. The agreements were slammed by Palestinians and much of the Arab nations as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause. 

Bouzo did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ������.