Cape Town - The African National Congress believes that inviting Hamas to the country is key to achieving the resolution of differences between Palestine and Israel, the party said on Wednesday.
Responding to outcries against the ANC’s invitation to Hamas, national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said:”Our invitation of Hamas as one of the principal players in the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is in keeping with our policies of working towards a peaceful world”.
The party said it believed that “it is befitting that a country that was subjected to an inhuman system of apartheid should register its rejection of similar treatment meted out to other people anywhere in the world”.
Drawing from its experience during the anti-apartheid struggle, Kodwa said the ANC’s experience “was that the process of negotiations involved all players irrespective of their views and beliefs. The inclusive process allowed every participant to own and be bound by the outcome”.
The ANC believes that through their experience, they are able to “assist conflict resolutions elsewhere in the world without us dictating to any party”.
Kodwa stated that Hamas has been receptive to their views, which have been shared earlier this year with President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) of the Palestinian Authority and leader of Fatah.
Kodwa said the ANC has taken into account comments made by the president of the Zionist Federation, Avrom Krengel, and that the party welcomed “their intention to engage the ANC on the matter as it will benefit their understanding of what underpinned the ANC/Hamas engagement”.
The ANC said it remained “committed to a two-state solution as a pivot on which the co-existence of Jews and Palestinians can be guaranteed”.
ANA
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