GAZA (PIC)– Dr. Mohammad al-Madhoun director of the council of ministers office stated the Ismail Haneyya the PA Prime Minister has received an official invitation from the South African government to visit south Africa.
Dr. Madhoun said that the invitation was made by the South African Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils on behalf of the South African government during a visit by a South African officials to the PA.
He added that Haneya would like to meet with former South African President Nelson Mandela during the trip.
Haneyya will embark on a tour of a number of Arab and Islamic countries including Malaysia Indonesia and Turkey according to Madhoun.
Regarding a visit to Switzerland he said that a date has not been set as the invitation is from a civil society active in Switzerland.
The South African invitation has angered Israelis and South African Jews.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said that inviting leaders of a movement still pledged to Israel’s destruction would “entrench extremist positions” adding that the move gave “legitimacy and recognition to an unreformed extremist Hamas leadership.”
Meanwhile the South African Jewish Board of Deputies criticized the invitation. The Board’s chairperson Michael Bagraim said “Expressing support for an organization whose very founding charter describes the Jewish people as fundamentally evil enemies of humanity and calls for their total annihilation fundamentally contradicts both the ideals of South Africa and of the ruling African National Congress itself”
