Hamas praises South African president’s stand on visits to Israel

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement has praised the stand taken by President Jacob Zuma against South African citizens visiting Israel. Zuma’s expression of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli occupation was reported on Thursday by the Times of Israel.

A spokesman for Hamas said that the movement “values” the South African president’s support. Hazem Qassem hailed Zuma’s continuous backing for the Palestinian cause and freedom for the people of Palestine. He called on the world to boycott Israel until the “Zionist occupation” ends and the Palestinian issue is resolved.

The leader of the ruling African National Congress repeated his government’s longstanding travel directive on Sunday, urging senior South African officials not to visit Israel. “The people of Palestine continue to suffer in their rightful quest for self-determination and the ANC pledges its ongoing solidarity and support for their just cause,” Zuma said in his traditional 8 January speech. “We reiterate that we firmly discourage travel to Israel for causes not related to fostering peace in the region.”

During his 8 January speech last year, Zuma said that the party discourages “travel to Israel for ANC leaders, members and representatives for business and leisure purposes.” Despite this, tens of thousands of South Africans ignore his instruction every year and travel to Israel, the Times of Israel pointed out.

Indeed, the head of South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance, Mmusi Maimane, arrived in Israel this week on what his official spokesman called a “private and religious trip.” This did not stop him from meeting and being photographed with far-right Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In a related move, Israel’s Channel 1 has revealed that a delegation of Moroccan intellectuals and civic leaders are due to arrive in Israel next week. Their trip is intended to resume the once “strong” links with Moroccan Jews.