Israeli ‘Miss Universe’ Contestant Says She Hopes French Crown-Winner Makes Good on Promise to Visit Jewish State
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere of France. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Israel’s representative in the Miss Universe 2016 pageant revealed on Monday night that the new titleholder has promised to visit the Jewish state.
“I’m holding her to that promise,” Israel’s Yam Kaspers Anshel said about France’s Iris Mittenaere, who was crowned on Sunday night in the Philippines. The 18-year-old — who made the comments to the Philippines-based news organization ABS-CBN News at a pageant after-party — added that she and Mittenaere had been roommates during the competition and became “really good friends.”
The Herzliya native did not make it past the first round of the contest, but she still feels like a winner, she said, by “just getting to know [the other contestants] and being here in the Philippines.” The teen, who was the youngest Miss Universe contestant this year, added that she is thrilled Mittenaere won the crown. “She is beautiful inside and outside. She deserves it so much,” Kaspers Anshel said.
