THE QUESTION
The South African government has invited the Palestinian prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, to visit. Is this shrewd diplomacy or a naïve reward to terrorists?
Posted by Fareed Zakaria & William Gumede on May 10, 2007 8:05 AM
FROM THE PANEL
Daoud Kuttab is a Palestinian journalist. He was born in Jerusalem in 1955. Presently he is a visiting professor at Princeton University in the United States. Mr. Kuttab is the former director of the Institute of Modern Media at Al Quds University in Ramallah, Palestine and the founder of AmmanNet, the Arab world's first internet radio station. His personal web page is www.daoudkuttab.com
South Africa's Perspective
While the world press has widely reported the controversy surrounding South Africa's invitation to the Palestinian prime minister, it has failed to publish in full what the South African intelligence minister said defending the decision. I am reprinting it below. The idea that this is a reward to terrorism avoids dealing with the underlying issue.
Daoud Kuttab Princeton, NJ |
16 COMMENTSMay 11, 2007 at 5:56 PM
Bashir Goth is a veteran journalist, freelance writer, the first Somali blogger and editor of a leading news website. He is also a regular contributor to major Middle Eastern and African newspapers and online journals.
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William M. Gumede is Associate Editor at Africa Confidential. He is Research Fellow at the School of Public and Development Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He recently released the bestselling book Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC.
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Saul Singer is Editorial Page Editor and author of the weekly column “Interesting Times” for the Jerusalem Post. He is the author of Confronting Jihad: Israel's Struggle and the World After 9/11. Before moving to Israel from the Washington area in 1994, Mr. Singer served for ten years as an advisor on the personal and committee staffs of the United States Congress, including the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Senate Banking Committee, and Senator Connie Mack.
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Saul Singer Jerusalem, Israel | 81 COMMENTSREADER RESPONSE
» Tom Wonacott | PG
I would not characterize South Africa's meeting with Hamas as shrewd, but it is an attempt to legitimize the elected government of the Palestini...
» Peaceful People | Inviting a terrorist leader to South Africa is shameful on behalf of all the Afrikaners who went through apartheid. How insulting for an Afrikaner --...
» AWK | South Africa should be applauded for its actions. Diplomacy, not isolation and starvation, is the only way to resolve the Palestine question.
It shou...
