Original sentence: The theory that all or most Ashkenazi ("European") Jews might be descended from Khazars (rather than Semitic groups in the Middle East) dates back to the late nineteenth century, and is frequently cited to support a view that modern Jews are not actually Israelites and/or to undermine Israeli claims to territory also sought by Palestinians
Edited sentence: The theory that all or most Ashkenazi ("European") Jews might be descended from Khazars (rather than Semitic groups in the Middle East) dates back to the late nineteenth century, and is frequently cited to malign modern Jews as not actually being Israelites and/or to undermine Israeli claims to territory also sought by Palestinians