US imposes sanctions on Hamas’s Basem Naim

Few alliances have raised as many eyebrows as South Africa’s relationship with Hamas. Once a beacon of peace and reconciliation, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) now finds itself at odds with its own legacy by openly aligning with individuals and groups designated as terrorists by much of the international community. The recent U.S. sanctions on Hamas leader Basem Naim, who visited South Africa in 2023 alongside Imad Saber and Khaled Qaddoumi, shed light on the troubling depth of this relationship. Members of Hamas frequent South Africa often.

Left to right: Khaled Sayed (ANC), Emad Saber, Basem Naim, Khaled Qadoummi. (HAMAS) (Sayed x.com)

Basem Naim and His Allies: The Faces of Hamas

Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, represents the organization’s political bureau and has been instrumental in its international outreach. While he once served as Gaza’s Minister of Health, his role extends far beyond public service. Naim is accused of facilitating Hamas’s terror activities, including fundraising, arms smuggling, and coordinating its military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. His inclusion on the U.S. sanctions list reflects the growing international consensus that Naim is not merely a political figure but an enabler of terrorism.

Joining Naim during his November 2023 visit to South Africa were Emad Saber, a member of Hamas’s international relations bureau, and Khaled Qaddoumi, the group’s representative to several international bodies. Both figures play key roles in Hamas’s global operations, with Saber the Director of the East, Central and Southern African regions in the International Relations Office at Hamas and Qaddoumi acting as a seasoned diplomat for Hamas’s cause. Their presence in South Africa and at the “Global Anti-Apartheid Conference on Palestine” revealed Hamas’s calculated efforts to leverage South African support as part of its broader strategy for international legitimacy.

Naim denies Hamas kidnapped or raped women  and  children  or  murdered  civilians,  explaining it all, in early December 2023, as “fabricated  Israeli  propaganda.”  Such  Israeli  hostages  as  there  might  be,  are  really  just  “guests.” “Fabricated,” too, is the “narrative” that Hamas slaughtered civilians at the Supernova music festival. Qaddoumi, for his part, denies any children were held captive in Gaza.

South Africa’s Embrace of Hamas

During their visit, Naim, Saber, and Qaddoumi were met with open arms by South Africa’s political and civil society leaders. The “Global Anti-Apartheid Conference on Palestine” served as a platform for these Hamas officials to amplify their message and secure endorsements from influential South Africans. This wasn’t a low-key event; it was attended by prominent figures, including Naledi Pandor, then Minister of International Relations, her advisor and Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Zane Dangor and Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela amongst others.

Left to right: Emad Saber and Basem Naim pictured with then South African Foreign Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor. Mustafa Barghouti ( Palinfo)

Pandor, a long-time critic of Israel, lent governmental credibility to the event. Mandela, now barred from entering the UK due to his support for terror, has become one of Hamas’s most vocal supporters in South Africa. He uses his voice to equate the Palestinian cause with the ANC’s anti-apartheid legacy, a comparison many argue oversimplifies and distorts the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela, left, with Hamas official Basem Naim, right, during a march to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of former South African president Nelson Mandela in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo, File)

But political figures weren’t the only ones showing their support when Hamas shame South Africa in their visit. Michael Weeder, Dean of St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town, offered Naim the pulpit to address a congregation, lending spiritual weight to a figure now recognized as an enabler of terror. Meanwhile, Ronnie Kasrils, a former South African intelligence minister, uses his voice to defend Hamas outright, equating them to Jewish resistance fighters in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II, a deeply controversial and historically flawed analogy.

Basem Naim pictured with Fr Michael Weeder the Dean of St Georges Cathedral left 29 November 2023. ( St Georges Cathedral Facebook Page)

Basem Naim Talking at the pulpit of St Georges Cathedral South Africa 29 November 2023( St Georges Cathedral Facebook Page)

Adding to the chorus of support for Naim’s visit was Khaled Sayed, the ANC Leader of the Opposition in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature. Sayed openly bragged about his meetings with the Hamas delegation, further entrenching the ANC’s alignment with the group. His public endorsements highlight a troubling trend within the party, where support for Hamas is not just tolerated but celebrated.

( Sayed X.com)

Hamas politburo members were not the only individuals that seem to support Hamas at this event. Among the speakers was Dr. Malik Abou Rageila, the Middle East Director for the widely respected South African organization, Gift of the Givers. Gaza-born and deeply involved in humanitarian work, Rageila’s presence at the conference, alongside Basem Naim and the other Hamas members, highlighted the overtly pro-Hamas stance of the gathering.

Gift of the Givers distributing humanitarian financial aid in Gaza 13 Fed 2024 ( Facebook: Gift Of the Givers Palestine)

What raises eyebrows is Rageila’s social media history. In posts from 2021, he publicly praised Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the founder of Hamas, a figure central to the group’s ideology and operations. Such posts, glorifying a leader synonymous with Hamas’s militant activities, cast serious doubt on Rageila’s impartiality and raise questions about his alignment with the organization’s principles. His participation in this event alongside Hamas members, complicates the reputation of Gift of the Givers, as it risks associating the respected humanitarian group with individuals and ideologies linked to terrorism.

Facebook Post made by Rageila with a posted screenshot. The image shows a tweet by Adham Sharqawi with the text in Arabic, which translates to:”The kids grew up, Sheikh, and now they’re firing rockets at Jerusalem ❤️.” glorifying Yassin’s legacy and frame the actions of subsequent generations (firing rockets at Jerusalem) as a continuation of his ideology. This imagery and language reflect support for armed resistance or militancy, tying it to the legacy of a leader like Yassin.

A Troubling Pattern of Engagement

The ANC’s relationship with Hamas is not new. In 2015, then-Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal visited South Africa and met with President Jacob Zuma. At the time, the visit was framed as an act of solidarity with Palestine, but critics argued that it signalled South Africa’s tacit endorsement of Hamas’s violent tactics. More recently, Khaled Qaddoumi has been a frequent visitor to South Africa, reinforcing the ties between Hamas and the ANC.

Embed from Getty Images

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – OCTOBER 19: The political leader of the Palestinian group Hamas, Khaled Meshaal (L ) and South African President Jacob Zuma (R) signing a collaboration agreement in Johannesburg, South Africa on October 19, 2015.

Hamas’s strategy is clear: by engaging with South Africa, a nation with a storied history of liberation and global moral leadership, it seeks to legitimize itself on the world stage. For the ANC, however, this alignment risks eroding its international credibility and alienating key allies, including the United States and the European Union.

Implications of the U.S. Sanctions

The U.S. Treasury’s recent sanctions against Basem Naim are part of a broader effort to dismantle Hamas’s international networks. Since the October 7, 2023, massacre, where Hamas killed over 1,200 Israeli civilians, the group has faced intensified scrutiny. The sanctions target individuals facilitating Hamas’s operations, and Imad Saber, given his role, could soon follow in Naim’s footsteps.

For South Africa, these sanctions present significant challenges. Leaders like Pandor, Mandla Mandela, Ronnie Kasrils, and Khaled Sayed, who openly supported Naim and his delegation, could and should face international criticism for their associations. Organizations like Gift of the Givers may find their reputations at risk due to perceived alignment with figures linked to terror. This is not the first time Gift of the Givers has faced scrutiny, for alleged connections to terror funding. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Gift of the Givers, under its registered name Waqful Waqifin, was listed as a member of the Union of Good on the organization’s website. The Union of Good is a sanctioned Hamas funding entity led by the radical cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a connection that has largely been ignored by South African media. Gift of the Givers boasts about an award its founder Imtiaz Solliman received from al-Qaradawi.

The Fallout for South Africa

South Africa’s continued engagement with Hamas has far-reaching consequences. Diplomatically, it isolates the country from key partners in the West, undermining its ability to act as a neutral mediator in global conflicts. Legally, individuals and entities that engage with sanctioned individuals could face repercussions under international anti-terrorism laws. Morally, South Africa’s alignment with Hamas betrays its own principles of non-violence and human rights. For individuals it looks bad too, the adage “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you who you are” speaks volumes in this instance because indeed bad company does in fact corrupt good character.

The ANC’s embrace of figures such as Basem Naim, Emad Saber, and Khaled Qaddoumi, coupled with public endorsements of these individuals, is not just a misstep, it is a betrayal of South Africa’s legacy as a champion of peace and justice. As the international community tightens its grip on Hamas, South Africa must decide whether it will stand with the architects of terror or reclaim its moral authority. The choice is clear, but the ANC’s actions suggest that the path forward is anything but.

Adding to these concerns, the recent election of Donald Trump as President of the United States could have disastrous consequences for South Africans supporting these kinds of people. Trump’s administration is known for its hardline stance against terror support and has historically taken swift and severe action against people, countries and entities perceived to align with designated terrorist organizations. Under Trump’s leadership, South Africa could face intensified diplomatic and economic pressure if it continues its engagement with Hamas, further isolating the country on the global stage. The ANC’s actions risk not only undermining South Africa’s moral and diplomatic standing but also inviting significant consequences under an uncompromising U.S. administration.