Israel's Foreign Ministry has summoned South Africa's Deputy Ambassador to Israel for a reprimand Monday, after South African President Jacob Zuma met with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.
Radio Islam retweeted a photo of the event Monday afternoon, quoting several officials from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party stating that the visit had been 'planned for some time.'
"The Foreign Ministry expresses outrage and shock in the wake of the invitation of a Hamas delegation headed by Khaled Meshaal, by the ruling party in South Africa, the ANC," Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon stated to Arutz Sheva Monday.
"This order provides a tailwind and encouragement to terrorism and blatantly and rudely ignores the position of the international community, which considers Hamas a terrorist organization."
Nachshon added that, in addition to summoning the deputy ambassador, "the Foreign Ministry intends to turn to the Government of South Africa in protest and demand to cancel the invitation in question."
The Foreign Ministry summons surfaces hours after Hamas called for suicide bombings in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria; they have also called for an escalation in terror against Jews and Israelis.