
Pageant contestant in Muslim majority nation ousted over pro-Israel video
The video, reportedly from her time studying abroad, showed Kogoya holding and waving an Israeli flag while dancing, with a pro-Israel caption.
Kogoya faced significant backlash in Indonesia, a majority Muslim nation with strong pro-Palestinian sentiment and no diplomatic relations with Israel.
The pageant organisers quietly removed Kogoya from the competition and replaced her with contestant Karmen Anastasya, without issuing an official statement.
Kogoya responded to the backlash by stating the video was not political but represented her Christian faith, though her Instagram bio reportedly still displayed 'I stand with Israel'.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Israel launches ANOTHER explosive attack on Anthony Albanese: 'Something is wrong'
The diplomatic stoush between Australia and Israel has cranked up another gear, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu using a television appearance to blast Anthony Albanese 's leadership record. Mr Albanese has flagged that Australia will join other Western nations, including the UK, France and Canada, in recognising a state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September, in response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A furious Mr Netanyahu unleashed on Mr Albanese during an interview on Australian television on Thursday night. 'I'm sure he has a reputable record as a public servant, but I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters,' Mr Netanyahu told Sky News. 'When the worst terrorist organisation on earth... which murdered women, raped them, beheaded men and burnt babies alive in front of their parents and took hundreds of hostages, when these people congratulate the prime minister of Australia, you know something is wrong.' Diplomatic ties hit an all-time low this week after the federal government denied a visa to far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman from entering the country for a speaking tour, following provocative comments. Israel retaliated by cancelling the visas of three Australian diplomats who cover the Palestinian Authority. 'When Prime Minister Albanese and the leaders of France and Britain and others, when they say we'll give them a Palestinian state, they are actually rewarding terror, they are saying it doesn't matter what horrors you people do,' Mr Netanyahu said. '(Australia and Israel) had a great relationship over the years. I think it's gone astray because leaders did not show the strength and conviction they should have, when we're fighting the war of Western civilisation against these barbarians.' Mr Netanyahu's broadside came as the Israeli military maintains pressure on Gaza City with heavy bombardments ahead of an offensive to seize the enclave's largest city. The military has called up 60,000 Israeli reservists. Mr Netanyahu hinted that the conflict could soon be over. 'We are on the verge of completing this war... when that happens, I think we will have tremendous opportunities to expand the peace,' he said. 'We will win.' Earlier this week, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Israel was increasingly isolated on the international stage. 'Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry. Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done,' he told ABC Radio National on Wednesday.


The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
News live: Australia says Israel's West Bank settlement plan is ‘unacceptable' and demands press access to Gaza
Update: Date: 2025-08-21T20:36:14.000Z Title: Australia calls West Bank settlement plan 'unacceptable' Content: Australia has joined 20 other countries in condemning Israel's plans to expand Jewish settlements on the West Bank. In a move likely to further enrage benjamin Netanyahu and his rightwing-dominated ruling coalition, foreign minister Penny Wong said the Israeli plan for the E1 area east of Jerusalem was 'unacceptable and a violation of international law'. She was joined by the foreign ministers of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the European Commission. In a statement posted on her government web page overnight, Wong said: The decision by the Israeli higher planning committee to approve plans for settlement construction in the E1 area, East of Jerusalem, is unacceptable and a violation of international law. We condemn this decision and call for its immediate reversal in the strongest terms. [Israeli defence minister Bezalel] Smotrich says this plan will make a two-state solution impossible by dividing any Palestinian state and restricting Palestinian access to Jerusalem. This brings no benefits to the Israeli people. Instead, it risks undermining security and fuels further violence and instability, taking us further away from peace. The government of Israel still has an opportunity to stop the E1 plan going any further. We encourage them to urgently retract this plan. Unilateral action by the Israeli government undermines our collective desire for security and prosperity in the Middle East. The Israeli government must stop settlement construction in line with UNSC Resolution 2334 and remove their restrictions on the finances of the Palestinian Authority. Here's the full story from our UK colleagues: Update: Date: 2025-08-21T20:30:12.000Z Title: Welcome Content: Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I'm Martin Farrer with the best breaking stories before Nick Visser picks up the slack. Jason Clare will meet state and territory education ministers today to discuss how to reform the childcare sector after a series of abuse scandals. The federal minister will pledge $189m at today's meeting to fund a childcare safety package, including a national education register, mandatory safety training and CCTV for a limited number of services. More details shortly. Australia has joined 20 other countries in condemning Israel's plans to expand Jewish settlements on the West Bank. It comes after Benjamin Netanyahu appeared on Sky News last night alleging that Anthony Albanese had 'forever tarnished' his reputation by backing Palestinian statehood. The government also signed an international statement demanding international media be given access to Gaza. More shortly. Queensland police chiefs have said that pro-Palestine protesters will be arrested if they try to march across the Story Bridge in Brisbane on Sunday. The planned march was banned yesterday by the chief magistrate, who said it would not be safe. More coming up.


Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
'Don't tell us where to build': Israeli ambassador hits back at David Lammy after Labour blasted country's controversial settlement plan
The Israeli ambassador to the UK has told Foreign Office officials not to 'tell us where to build in Jerusalem' after she was hauled in by David Lammy over Israel's plans for a settlement project in the occupied West Bank. 'I wouldn't tell the British where to build in London ', Tzipi Hotovely told the Daily Mail on Thursday night. 'We see E1 as part of greater Jersusalem', she added. Her remarks come after Foreign Secretary Mr Lammy condemned Israel 's controversial settlement plan in the West Bank that would 'divide a Palestinian state in two'. Mr Lammy criticised the approval of the E1 project as he warned it would 'critically undermine' hopes of a two-state solution to the Middle East crisis. Settlement development in E1, a tract of land east of Jerusalem, has been under consideration for more than two decades. This is despite Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank being widely considered as illegal among the international community and an obstacle to peace. An Israeli defence ministry committee on Wednesday approved plans for around 3,400 homes in E1. He demanded the Israeli government reverse its decision, claiming - if the settlement plan is implemented - it would represent 'a flagrant breach of international law'. Israel's far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who was sanctioned by the UK in June, said the idea of a Palestinian state was 'being erased' following the approval. It came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a fresh blast at Sir Keir Starmer's vow to recognise a Palestinian state next month. Last month, Sir Keir announced the UK would formally recognise Palestine in September before the United Nations General Assembly in New York unless Israel meets certain conditions. This includes agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza, making clear there will be no annexation in the West Bank, and committing to a long-term peace process that delivers a two-state solution. But Mr Netanyahu repeated his claim that Sir Keir was 'rewarding' Hamas in the wake of the terror groups attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. He told the Triggernometry podcast: 'They [Hamas] commit the greatest savagery against Jews since the Holocaust, and the Prime Minister of Britain says we will reward you with a de facto state which is committed openly to repeating the October 7 massacre over and over and over again. 'And they say we recognise Israel's right to defend itself… as long as Israel doesn't exercise that right. 'Let's imagine, what would be the response of Britain if about 15,000 people would be butchered in one day, and you'd have, I don't know, 2,500 hostages taken. 'Would you say, 'Oh, well, we should give our attackers a state right next to London?' Of course not. He added: 'The standard that is being applied is not merely wrong, it's just downright dangerous. 'Because you're really rewarding these monstrous terrorists with the greatest prize and that's because of weakness.' A two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict envisages a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, existing side by side with Israel. The UK has opposed the E1 settlement project due to concerns that it could undermine a future peace deal with the Palestinians. In a post on X/Twitter, Mr Lammy said: 'The UK condemns the decision by Israel's Higher Planning Committee today to approve the E1 settlement plan. 'If implemented, it would divide a Palestinian state in two, mark a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution. 'The Israeli government must reverse this decision.' On Sunday, during a visit to Ofra, another West Bank settlement established a quarter of a century ago, Mr Netanyahu said: 'I said 25 years ago that we will do everything to secure our grip on the Land of Israel, to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, to prevent the attempts to uproot us from here. 'Thank God, what I promised, we have delivered.' Mr Smotrich, who unveiled the E1 plans last week, welcomed the approval of the project. 'The Palestinian state is being erased from the table not with slogans but with actions,' he said.