AAP FACTCHECK – An article published on an Israeli news website says that Jews are not genetically tied to the Middle East and are set to be deported to Ukraine, according to posts circulating on social media.
This claim is false. The article is satirical and edited screenshots of the headline fail to include the editor’s note clearly stating that the blog post was intended to be comedic.
Many posts include an image showing the headline of a piece in The Times of Israel. It reads: “Leaked report: Israel acknowledges Jews in fact Khazars; Secret plan for reverse migration to Ukraine.”
The headline is authentic and is from a blog post published by author and academic Jim Wald on March 18, 2014.
But the social media posts neglect to show the editor’s note in red text at the beginning of the original piece, stating: “This blog post is a work of satire.”
The note continues: “It was published in 2014 on the eve of Purim, a Jewish holiday that is celebrated with wild merrimaking and raucous comedy – with a particular emphasis on poking fun at antisemitism and ignorance.”
The misleading screenshots of the article have been used to push theories about the supposed lack of ties of the Jewish people to the state of Israel.
The reference to “Khazars” in Mr Wald’s article refers to a fringe theory that Israeli Jews are descended from the ancient Khazar empire of southeastern Europe, not the Middle East.
The Khazarian theory has been used for decades by people who wish to delegitimise the existence of a Jewish state in Israel, including Palestinian leaders such as Mahmoud Abbas.
AAP FactCheck previously debunked a claim relating to the Khazarian theory.
The Verdict
False – The claim is inaccurate.
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