MSNBC is reporting that the world’s oldest person is alive and living in Israel. Perhaps more surprising is that she’s an Israeli Arab.
Mariam Amash filled in the routine form with anything but routine information. Amash, who recently applied for a new Israeli identity card, said she was born 120 years ago — a claim, if confirmed, that would make her the oldest person in the world. The Guinness Book of Records currently lists 114-year-old Edna Parker of Shelbyville, Ind., as holding that title.Sabine Haddad, a spokeswoman for Israel’s Interior Ministry, confirmed that Amash, from the Israeli Arab village of Jisr a-Zarka, is listed in the population registry as having been born in 1888. “We’re just not sure it’s correct,” Haddad said.
The listing was based on a birth certificate issued by Turkish authorities who ruled the region at the time, she said. Ministry clerks in an Israeli city near Amash’s village found out about her claim this week when she came in to replace an identity card she lost.
Before Guinness will list her in its book of world records they will want more corroborating documents. Still it’s reasonable to assume that she’s probably more than 100.
If Israeli oppression were as bad as some of its critics claim, I doubt that there’d be many Palestinians living past their 70’s. Still people will decry Israeli oppression as if it’s so unique it deserves special mention. It may not be true, but it does pay well.
(I see via technorati that someone aged 116 recently died.)
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
The CIA has a website open to the public, “The World Factbook”, which gives vital statistics on nearly every country in the world. Life expectancy in the West Bank is over 73 and in Gaza over 72. Not the best in the Middle East but not the worst either. Most notably, on three critical measures of well-being, life expectancy, infant mortality and literacy, the Palestinians are well ahead of ….
IRAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess the mullahs are too busy making nukes to avenge their poor oppressed Palestinian brothers to take care of their own people. I’ll be generous and not mention the fact they also use garroting as a method of execution.
Congrats to Mrs. Amash.