Justin Pearce
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) has not requested a meeting with President Nelson Mandela, and the organisation’s Palestinian chapter has no plans to send a delegation to South Africa.
Although Mandela has said he would be willing to meet Hamas representatives if they were to visit South Africa, his representative Parks Mankahlana said the president’s office had never been told officially whether a Hamas delegation was coming, and Hamas had not requested a meeting with Mandela.
“The president made a general policy statement about what he would do if Hamas did come.” Mankahlana said.
Sapa reports that Hamas representatives in Gaza have said their branch of the organisation has no plans to visit South Africa. The possibility remains, however, that Hamas chapters in Syria, Jordan or the United States might be planning to visit South Africa.