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KUALA LUMPUR: The popular online dictionary, Urban Dictionary, has recently embraced a new verb - “Israel,” sparking both curiosity and controversy across social media.
The term “Israel” is now defined in the Urban Dictionary as the act of claiming something that belongs to someone else as if it were your own, akin to theft.
An example provided in the definition illustrates this, describing a situation where someone requests to share a coffee shop table but then asks the original occupant to leave because they have a meeting.
Sarah Wilkinson, a user on the X platform (formerly Twitter), shared a screenshot of this new definition in a tweet.
Her post rapidly gained attention, amassing over 41,000 views and counting. In her tweet, Sarah explained the meaning of the new verb, stating it signifies when someone lays claim to another’s property as if it were their own, essentially describing theft.
This development comes amid ongoing global discussions and concerns about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, characterised by allegations of apartheid, oppression, and war crimes.
Sarah’s tweet has sparked numerous comments. Some users, like @soapheros, used this opportunity to express criticism. @soapheros tagged @gazagenocide in a comment and shared a screenshot from another online dictionary with an altered definition of the word “genocide” to include the phrase, “Israel has the right to defend itself.”
This edit was intended to satirise Israel’s use of this phrase in defence of its actions, particularly concerning incidents involving Palestinian civilians, including children.
User @Sandhanitizer84 humorously remarked, “Oh no, they (Israel) might silence the Urban Dictionary now.”
