Miss Syria Sarah Nakhleh: Like Any Ophthalmologist, Bashar Al-Assad Couldn't Harm an Ant

In an interview with an Egyptian TV channel, Miss Syria Sarah Nakhleh said: "[My president is] Bashar Al-Assad, who is a leader and an ophthalmologist. No ophthalmologist in the world is capable of harming an ant." Nakhleh, who won the title of Miss Arab Syria 2014 and was the third runner-up in the Miss Arab World pageant, is married to an Egyptian. The interview aired on Ten TV on May 4. A day later, Nakhleh made a similar statement in an interview with the Egyptian Ma3ak Radio Station.

Following are excerpts:

Ten TV:

Sarah Nakhleh: I would like to salute (President) Al-Sisi and express my love for him. I love him very much...

Host: We all do.

Sarah Nakhleh: I know that you all love him, but I'm saying this on behalf of myself, my husband, and all my family. When I am in Egypt, Al-Sisi is my president and he represents me, but when I am in Syria or any other Arab country, [my president is] Bashar Al-Assad, who is a leader and an ophthalmologist. No Ophthalmologist in the world is capable of harming an ant. When I am not in Egypt, Bashar Al-Assad is my president. Many people have asked whether Sarah is Sunni, Alawite, Druze, or Christian...

Host: Sarah is Syria.

Sarah Nakhleh: Yes, I am Sarah the Syria. Religion belongs to God , and the homeland belongs to all.

[...]

Ma3ak Radio Station:

Sarah Nakhleh: I support the Syrian regime. I support Dr. Bashar Al-Assad. Some people believe that he is a butcher or a murderer. Opinions on this are based on one's background. As for me, I support him. At the end of the day, he is a doctor, and no doctor can possible be a butcher.

[...]

Host: If we asked you to say something to Bashar Al-Assad, what would you say?

Sarah Nakhleh: First of all, I'd like to speak in a Syrian accent... If I was talking to Al-Sisi I would speak in an Egyptian accent. I'd like to say to him: May God protect and strengthen you. I know how worried you are about Syria. Perhaps not so many people support this idea, but if not for you, the Muslim Brotherhood would have eaten us alive by now.

[...]