Fake news story sets off Israel-Pakistan Twitter feud
A fake news report erroneously attributing a nuclear threat against Pakistan by a former Israeli Defense Minister caused the Pakistani Minister of Defense to lash out on Twitter and remind Israel that 'Pakistan is a nuclear state too.'
In an apparent response to a fake story claiming Israel's former defense minister threatened a nuclear attack against Pakistan if it sends troops to Syria, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif reminded Israel that "Pakistan is a nuclear state too."
Israeli def min threatens nuclear retaliation presuming pak role in Syria against Daesh.Israel forgets Pakistan is a Nuclear state too AH
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) December 23, 2016
Israel's Defense Ministry tweeted back Saturday, saying the original story on the site AWD News was "totally fictitious."
AWD has been identified by fact-checking organizations as a fake news site.
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.
