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Arabic, Hebrew and Persian Words

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Arabic

Eid al-Fitr
feast marking end of Ramadan
Eid al-Adha
feast of sacrifice two months later: do not use the alternative name Bayram
mujahedin
warriors of God
jihad
a holy war
Koran
the holy book of Islam
Mohammed
the prophet. Also so spelled as a man's first name: see names list for exceptions
sheikh
title of honour
Ra'is
title of respect, used for Yassir Arafat
keffiyeh
Bedouin kerchief or headdress
jellabia
loose, hooded cloak for men (dishdasha in Gulf)
ghutra
flowing scarf secured by a cord, as worn by men in the Gulf
hijab
Islamic head-covering for women
niqab
face veil for the lower half of a woman's face (do not confuse with the chador: Iran's head-to-toe veiling for women)
triple talaq
divorce where husband says three times, "I divorce you."

Persian Languages

Nauroz
the spring festival celebrated throughout Central Asia, pronounced "now-ruz". Use the spelling Nauroz for all countries, but note that some sensitivity exists in Turkey, where the official spelling is "Nevruz" and a perception exists that the anglicized form "Newroz" is associated with the Kurds. Do not use "naurouze".
siqeh
Shiite custom of temporary marriage
chador
Iran's head-to-toe veiling for women: see niqab above
burqa
Afghanistan's full-cover women's dress: even the eyes are covered by mesh

Israel

Sikarii
Right-wing Jewish radicals
yarmulke
Jewish skullcap, also known in Europe as kippa
Lake Galilee
Also known as Lake Tiberias, Lake Kinneret, Lake Gennesaret or the Sea of Galilee, but we call it Lake Galilee
  • Jerusalem
  • Tel Aviv
  • Haifa
  • Beersheeba
  • Hadera
  • Afula
  • Netanya
  • Herzlia
  • Kfar Saba
  • Ashdod
  • Ashkelon
  • Umm al-Fahm
  • Bakka al-Garbia
  • Bakka al-Sharkia
Main Jewish Settlements, West Bank
  • Kiryat Arba
  • Ma'ale Adumim
  • Hamra
  • Karnei Shomron
Main Jewish Settlements, Gaza Strip
  • Netzarim
  • Kfar Darom
  • Netzer Hazani
  • Neveh Dekalim
  • Morag
  • Gush Katif settlement block
Institutions and Media
  • Knesset (Israeli parliament)
  • Israel Defence Forces (IDF)
  • Magen David Adom (Israeli "Red Cross")
  • Israel Radio not "Israeli radio"
  • Israel Army Radio not "Israeli army radio"
  • Voice of Palestine Radio not "Palestinian radio"
  • Israel Television, not "Israeli television"
  • Israel Channel 2 News
  • Israeli Ma'ariv daily
  • Israeli Yediot Ahronot daily, not "Yedioth Ahronoth" with h
  • Israeli Ha'aretz daily
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