Cape Town – ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has given his support to International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor’s conversation with a Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Pandor had a phone call with Haniyeh to discuss humanitarian aid for Palestinians, but denounced allegations of supporting the militants’ attack on Israel.
The minister said she received a request to call Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh to discuss humanitarian support.
“Minister Pandor and the Hamas leader discussed how to get the necessary humanitarian aid to Gaza and other parts of the Palestinian Territories,” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said in a statement.
The ministry condemned allegations in local media of government support for the brutal assault which left more than 1 400 dead, mainly civilians, in Israel.
Israel declared war on Hamas after the Islamist group’s fighters broke through the heavily fortified Gaza border on October 7, and also took at least 199 people hostage.
H argued that engaging with Hamas was necessary for delivering aid to Gaza.
He stressed that Pandor was doing her job as a diplomat.
“Naledi Pandor did nothing wrong. She’s doing her job. If we want to send things now to Gaza, who are you going to talk to? You must talk to Hamas.
[WATCH] “We are calling for an investigation of this act of terror by Israel… Penalties must be imposed on anyone… we must stop this hypocrisy.” ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula likens Israel to Russia and calls for the international community to impose sanctions equally. pic.twitter.com/7kQuujdFqv
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) October 18, 2023
“And then she’s been insulted left and right as if she did something wrong. There is nothing wrong that she did; she’s doing her job. That is what diplomats do, what ministers do.
“As we sleep under the dark day and night, people are pursuing peaceful means, and they do not call press conferences, and they meet even with difficult people.
“Hands off our minister; she has a right to talk to anybody to do her job as long as she does not compromise this country’s foreign policy.
“She is advancing peace, and that is what she is doing, and she can talk to Israelis as well,” News24 quoted Mbalula as saying.
Mbalula likened the situation to geopolitics, stating that countries often have to engage with challenging actors.
The ANC expressed support for Palestine while also condemning the deaths of Israeli citizens.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
