PRETORIA - The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has refuted claims that the government knew of Hamas plans to attack Israel on 7 October 2023.
Spokesperson Chrispin Phiri has told eNCA that local journalist, Paula Slier, who published a blog for the Times of Israel, had repeated unverified and questionable claims made by a UK-based consultant, Justin Lewis.
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Phiri adds that Slier failed to uphold her ethical duties as a journalist, and had peddled disinformation and a patently false narrative.
He believes her attempt to later admit to some shortcomings to the story was inadequate, and it was her responsibility and obligation to apologise and unconditionally withdraw the blog.
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Phiri insists that the South African government had no prior knowledge of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.