South Africa invites Haniyeh to pledge 'support'

South Africa on Thursday invited Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas to visit the country, in what would be his first trip outside the Arab world. The invitation was issued by visiting Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils, who met with Haniyeh. "We stand by you and support you," Kasrils said of the new Palestinian unity government, a coalition of Hamas and the Fatah movement of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. "We in South Africa look forward to you being able to lead a delegation to our country," Kasrils told Haniyeh in a joint news conference.