Lamola calls for probe into Haniyeh’s assassination
Publish date: 05 August 2024
Issue Number: 1088
Diary: IBA Legalbrief Africa
Category: International
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has called for a thorough investigation into the assassination of Hamas' political leader, Ismail Haniyeh. EWN reports that his funeral was held in Tehran following his assassination on Wednesday. Lamola has expressed condolences to Haniyeh's family and the people of Palestine, saying his killing has violated international law. Lamola said he was concerned that Haniyeh's death would exacerbate an already tense situation in the Middle East region. In addition, it is likely to stall negotiations to bring an end to the nine-month conflict in Gaza. Haniyeh is one of three Hamas leaders for whom the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for war crimes in May, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Department of International Relations & Co-operation (Dirco) said it was concerned that Haniyeh's killing would inflame the already tense situation in the Middle East. ‘SA urges that a thorough investigation be conducted and calls on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid any acts that would escalate tensions in the particularly fragile region,’ Dirco said in a statement. Former International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor drew considerable backlash late last year after revealing she had taken a call from Haniyeh soon after the 7 October attack on Israel to assist with humanitarian aid to Gaza.
News24 reports that the SA Jewish Board of Deputies has labelled a government statement on Haniyeh’s assassination as ‘hypocritical’, saying it shows the continuing ‘pro-Hamas bias’. It said Pretoria had ignored the atrocities Haniyeh had been responsible for, including the 7 October attack, and his refusal to release Israeli hostages. ‘The statement of our government should be juxtaposed by the same government’s failure to acknowledge the heart-breaking and callous murder of 12 Israeli children, bombed by the Iranian proxy Hezbollah, while playing soccer on Saturday,’ it said.
