President Cyril Ramaphosa has not held a meeting with or had a telephone conversation with Hamas senior leader Ismail Haniyeh and other members of the Palestine-based organisation from 2022 to date.
Ramaphosa and his ministers have also not discussed with Hamas, Iran or Qatar any strategy to assist in waging a diplomatic and/or legal offensive against Israel.
This is according to International Relations and Co-operation Minister Naledi Pandor when she was responding in writing to parliamentary questions from DA MP Michael Bond.
“The president did not meet with or had a telephone discussion with Mr Ismail Haniyeh and/or any other members of the Harakat al- Muqawama al-Islamiya (Hamas) in 2022, 2023 and during the period 1 January 2024 up to the latest specified date,” Pandor said.
She also said her department had issued a media statement last October confirming that she had received a request to call Haniyeh to discuss getting humanitarian aid to Palestine.
“During the call, and in line with the government’s position, Minister Pandor reiterated South Africa’s solidarity and support for the people of Palestine and expressed sadness and regret for the loss of innocent lives of both Palestinians and Israelis.
“The statement further indicated that Minister Pandor and the Hamas leader discussed how to get the provisional supply of necessary humanitarian aid to Gaza and other parts of the Palestinian territories.”
Pandor also said Ramaphosa or his ministers did not meet with any Hamas member to discuss any strategy whereby South Africa could assist Hamas or any other country in waging a diplomatic and/or legal offensive against Israel at any time in 2022, 2023 and during January 2024.
This also applied to discussions with Qatar or Iran during the same period.
“Neither the president and/or any member of the Cabinet had discussions with any member of the government or the executive of the Islamic Republic of Iran and/or the State of Qatar regarding any strategy whereby South Africa could assist the Islamic Republic of Iran or any other country in waging a diplomatic and/or legal offensive against the State of Israel at any time in 2022, 2023 and during the period 1 January 2024 up to the latest specified date,” Pandor added.