Story highlights Miss Universe Organization calls controversy "unfortunate"

Photo shows Miss Lebanon Saly Greige with Miss Israel Doron Matalon and two other Miss Universe contestants

Greige says Matalon "jumped" into shot and "took a selfie"

(CNN) Miss Lebanon Saly Greige is distancing herself from a photo of her and Miss Israel Doron Matalon that's causing an online uproar.

The picture appeared on Matalon's Instagram feed on January 11. It shows Matalon smiling with Greige, Miss Slovenia and Miss Japan in Miami, where the Miss Universe pageant will take place on Sunday.

"Good morning from us!" reads the caption.

The image ignited a wide-ranging debate in the comments of the picture about the ongoing conflict between Israel and much of the Arab world. Officially, Israel and Lebanon are still at war, even though there have been no large-scale hostilities on the border since 2006. Travel between them by citizens of the two countries is prohibited.

Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Vanessa Williams stepped down in 1984 as the first black Miss America after nude photos of her appeared in Penthouse magazine. She went on to have a successful singing and acting career and has written a memoir . In September, Sam Haskell, executive chairman and CEO for Miss America, apologized to Williams on behalf of the organization. Hide Caption 1 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens An image posted on social media showing Miss Lebanon Saly Greige, right, and Miss Israel Doron Matalon together ignited an online uproar. The picture appeared on Matalon's Instagram feed on January 11. Greige responded by posting a statement on Facebook that said she was "very cautious to avoid being in any photo or communication with Miss Israel." Hide Caption 2 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Marjorie Wallace lost her Miss World 1973 title because the organization said that dating celebrities like Tom Jones during her reign threatened its reputation. She had entered the pageant as Miss America. Pictured, Wallace celebrates with Miss Jamaica Patricia Yuen, left, and Miss Philippines Margarita Moran after she is crowned Miss World. Hide Caption 3 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Gabriella Brum resigned within a day of winning the Miss World crown in 1980, saying her boyfriend was unhappy that they'd be separated by her beauty queen duties. She had entered the pageant as Miss Germany. Pictured, the 18-year-old enjoys a champagne breakfast at the Mansion House with the Lord Mayor of London Sir Ronald Gardner-Thorp. Hide Caption 4 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Alicia Machado, Miss Universe 1996, risked her crown after gaining some weight. She lost the weight and kept her title. Pictured, Machado kisses Donald Trump, owner of the Miss Universe pageant, during her daily workout in January 1997. Hide Caption 5 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Katrin Wrobel, Miss Germany 2002, challenged a clause forbidding her to pose nude or to marry. She canceled her contract after becoming a well-known television game show host. Hide Caption 6 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Tara Conner almost lost her 2006 Miss USA title over substance abuse and rehab, and she came clean after her wild partying made national headlines. She was allowed to keep her crown. Hide Caption 7 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Carrie Prejean was stripped of her Miss California USA title in 2009 after a long legal battle with the contest. The contest dethroned her and said lingerie-modeling photos emerged that breached her contract. Prejean sued, claiming that her firing was religious discrimination because of her opposition to same-sex marriage, and the pageant countersued. The conflict ultimately ended after the revelation of a "sex tape." Hide Caption 8 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Mexican beauty queen Cynthia de la Vega said officials took away her crown after she gained weight, preventing her from competing in the 2011 Miss World pageant. Pageant officials refuted that, saying she lacked dedication and discipline. De la Vega had placed second in the Nuestra Belleza Mexico competition, a title that placed her on the list of contestants representing their nations in the 2011 Miss World contest. Hide Caption 9 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Melissa King , who was named Miss Delaware Teen USA, resigned in 2013 after a porn video she did before the pageant went viral. "I thought it would be fun. And I needed the money, so I just decided to do it," she said of the video. Hide Caption 10 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Analouisa Valencia blazed trails in her quest to become Miss South Carolina in 2013. The biracial, lesbian contestant was crowned Palmetto Princess in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Valencia's father is from Mexico, and her mother is African-American. Valencia came out as a lesbian when she was in the ninth grade and took her girlfriend, Tamyra Bell, to her high school prom. Hide Caption 11 of 12 Photos: Controversies surrounding beauty queens Denise Garrido, left, was crowned Miss Universe Canada in May 2013, but the committee gave the title to Riza Santos 24 hours later, saying it had made a mistake. Hide Caption 12 of 12

The Miss Universe Organization defended the picture, saying it was "unfortunate" that the picture has been perceived in a negative light.

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