Fake news does it again
Fake news story ignites Pakistan-Israel feud on Twitter
Website published sham report of nuclear threat by former Israeli defence minister
The Associated Press Posted: Dec 26, 2016 3:28 PM ET Last Updated: Dec 26, 2016 4:29 PM ET
A fake news story touched off a tense Twitter confrontation between nuclear power Pakistan and Israel, widely believed to have a nuclear arsenal of its own, in an episode that underlines the potentially harmful impact of such stories on sensitive global affairs.
In an apparent response to a fake story claiming Israel's former defence minister threatened a nuclear attack against Pakistan if it sends troops to Syria, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif reminded Israel that "Pakistan is a nuclear state too."
Mohammad Asif reminded Israel that "Pakistan is a nuclear state too."
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Khawaja M. Asif ✔ @KhawajaMAsif
Israeli def min threatens nuclear retaliation presuming pak role in Syria against Daesh.Israel forgets Pakistan is a Nuclear state too AH
1:51 PM - 23 Dec 2016
3,263 3,263 Retweets 2,153 2,153 likes
Israel's Defence Ministry tweeted back Saturday, saying the original story on the site AWD News was "totally fictitious."
24 Dec
Ministry of Defense @Israel_MOD
@KhawajaMAsif The statement attributed to fmr Def Min Yaalon re Pakistan was never said
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Ministry of Defense @Israel_MOD
@KhawajaMAsif reports referred to by the Pakistani Def Min are entirely false
9:14 AM - 24 Dec 2016
98 98 Retweets 75 75 likes
AWD has been identified by fact-checking organizations as a site that often propagates fake news.
Israel maintains a policy of nuclear ambiguity, neither confirming nor denying the existence of an arsenal. Pakistan became a nuclear power in 1998. The countries have no diplomatic ties.
There was no immediate reaction from Pakistan to Israel's response.
