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NEWS STREAM
U.S. To Open Embassy In Jerusalem; Palestinian Officials: 28 Killed In Protests Near Border; Officials: Suicide Attack Family Linked To JAD; India Outraged Over Reports Of Brutal Rapes; U.S. Embassy Opening In Jerusalem; Iran And Russia Trying To Save Iran Nuclear Deal; Tensions Rise Between Israel In Iran; Ban Lifted Over ZTE. Aired at 8-9a ET
Aired May 14, 2018 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:00:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to special edition of News Stream. I`m Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: I`m Becky Anderson in Jerusalem for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Deadly protests at Gaza as the U.S. prepares to open a new embassy in Jerusalem.
LU STOUT: And more violence in Indonesia, an attack at a police station after Sunday`s deadly suicide blast at churches. And another girl raped
and murdered in India. What the justice minister said needs to be done to fight what some are calling an epidemic of sexual violence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: While the United States is set to make history, at the same time, fuel controversy across the Middle East. In just in hours time, the
U.S. will officially open the doors to its new embassy here in Jerusalem, relocated from Tel Aviv.
It is a major milestone for President Donald Trump who is fulfilling a campaign promise, Israel welcomes the move, but it had ignited a way of
anger among Palestinians who regard the eastern part of this city of Jerusalem as a future capital of their own state.
Palestinian officials say at least 25 people have already been killed in protests along the Gaza border. Well, CNN`s Oren Liebermann is joining me
here in Jerusalem. And, Oren, this is the beginning of what can only be described as a politically and emotionally challenged week, and a deadly
week.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We knew the week in the very beginning would be volatile, and now we are finding out just how volatile that is
widespread protests along the Gaza border. Israeli military estimates some 35,000 Palestinians at this point on 12 different locations, and that
number could grow as we see, not only today, but also tomorrow, more protests.
It`s not surprising in that sense. And then here we see Jerusalem, and what feels like an entirely different world, some two hours away from Gaza,
and it`s a completely different feeling, one of celebration as Israel and the U.S. embrace President Donald Trump followed through on his campaign
promise.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIEBERMANN: Israel recently marked its 70th birthday with celebrations and speeches. Among the reasons for the Israeli leaders to celebrate was
this...
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: We are delighted with President Trump`s decision to move the embassy here. It says a simple
thing, peace must be based on truth.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): But why is this such a big deal? Israel has always seen Jerusalem as its capital city. Why not the rest of the world?
A bit of history here, Israel was established in 1948. Jerusalem was a split city between Israel and Jordan for nearly two decades after that,
until 1967, when Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
When Israel annexed East Jerusalem in 1980, countries pulled their embassies out of the city in protest. That is because East Jerusalem is
supposed to be the capital of a future Palestinian state.
The U.S., meanwhile, had its embassy in Tel Aviv. In 1995, the U.S. passed a law requiring the country to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
But every president since then, Republican and Democrat, has waived the move, citing national security concerns. President Donald Trump promised
during his campaign to move the embassy, a promise he kept in December.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today we finally acknowledge the obvious, that Jerusalem is Israel`s capital. This is nothing more or
less than a recognition of reality.
LIEBERMANN (voice-over): So where will the new embassy be located? Right here behind me in what`s now the U.S. Office for Consular Services. This
is where you come to renew a passport or apply for a visa. The building itself sits right next to the Green Line, which delineates East from West
Jerusalem. It sits firmly in West Jerusalem.
But an expansion of the building to make it the embassy will require some building in No Man`s Land, which is a sort of buffer zone between East and
West Jerusalem.
It holds very little practical significance in terms of modern-day Jerusalem, and yet that zone retains incredible political importance. The
mayor of Jerusalem celebrated the official opening by posting the new road signs.
NIR BARKAT, JERUSALEM MAYOR: It sends a very, very clear message to the Jerusalemites and others the intention, and the back, and the support
Israel has, and the sovereignty of the city of Jerusalem.
[08:05:04] LIEBERMANN (voice-over): Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said more countries were looking at moving their embassies to Jerusalem as well.
So far only Guatemala and Paraguay have committed to taking that step.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LIEBERMANN: Netanyahu has tried to get attraction with more countries moving the embassy here. So far, it`s only Guatemala and Paraguay. Becky,
it`s worth noting that those two countries have a very high Evangelical Christian population.
ANDERSON: Ahead of this embassy opening here in Jerusalem, what has been the official Palestinian response?
LIEBERMANN: They have been furious, and that`s not knew they have been furious ever since Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and
that has been repeated, and reiterated ever since. In fact, just this morning, we`ve just a statement from PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat.
And he says, in part, this infamous hostile act against international law and against the people of Palestine places the U.S. and the side of the
occupying power, Israel, which continues to oppress the Palestinian people, and the colonized their lands towards destroying the very possibility of
reaching just comprehensive.
And lasting peace relations between the Trump administration, and the Palestinian authority have been frozen ever since December. And it looks
like they are still, and will remain in the deep freeze for quite sometime.
ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann with me here in Jerusalem. Thank you, Oren. Well, as we have heard of the decision to move the embassy has angered
Palestinians. Protests are underway as we speak in Gaza, and local officials say 25 people have already been killed today. CNN`s Ian Lee is
in Gaza for us with the very latest from there. Ian.
IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, we are hearing that that toll is still rising. Now it stands at 28 according to the Ministry of Health. The
situation on this order has been really tense all day. You know, that 28 killed, that`s -- this makes that this the deadliest day since these
protest began seven weeks ago.
And only just to show you kind of what we have been looking at here, you know, over there you can see there is a black smoke. That smoke is likely
from one of these kites that they light on fire, they cut them loose, and they go across, and we have seen a number of these fires on the other side.
They light the ground on fire. A lot of fields, and then they create these fires that the Israelis have to contend with. But watching this throughout
the day, you know, this area has been tensed. They have been lighting tires on fire to obscure Israeli snipers.
We have been hearing live ammunition being fired, at one point, really heavy fire just north of us. And south of us, we have also heard heavy
concussions from heavy artillery -- what sounds like heavy artillery. So that just shows you kind of how volatile this day is.
Let me tell you about the goal though, the goal for these protesters is to cross that fence over there. They say that they want to breach out, and
then return to land they say they lost during the 1948 war. But the Israelis have said that that just as a red line, they are not going to let
that happen.
First, they`re going to warn people, then used what they call non-lethal means like teargas, and then they will use live rounds to prevent people
from going across. And, Becky, today we have been seeing a lot of that teargas. At times they fly these drones over the camps.
The drones are dropping teargas down onto the people. We have would also heard some live ammunition being fired from these camps at the drones,
possibly trying to shoot them down. But that just gives you an idea of how volatile this day has been, and why we`re seeing such a high death toll.
Becky.
ANDERSON: And, Ian, in your sense that things will get worse, the embassy here for example not even open as of yet, and we knew this would be a
politically charged week. What happens next?
LEE: Yes, everything has been coming up to today and tomorrow. These are the days that we were expecting to see large numbers of protesters. You
know, we have heard reports that there could be over 100,000 people stretched up and down this border at different camps.
Right now, where we are seeing a bit of a wall actually in the protests, but if I just look up and down the border, I can still see smoke from other
protest camps. So this may be a bit of a wall. It could very well kicked back up, and other places, too, we`re hearing during the similar reports of
massive protests.
So I think it is safe to say, and just watching these protest over the past seven weeks, that they do tend to pick up later in the day, and then peek
around 4:00 or 5:00 local time, which is a still a bit of time from now. So it still has a lot left to it. And then, Becky, we`ve got to remember,
tomorrow we`re expecting the same thing.
ANDERSON: Administration officials -- U.S. administration officials, Ian, have said that the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict no longer
galvanizes the Middle East in the way that it once did, which to an extent may be true.
[08:10:10] There are arguments in opening this embassy in Jerusalem, is that it will eventually lead to greater regional stability. Many are
asking what their rationale is for that, as you stand a way, you are today in witness what you have seen. Do you see the likelihood of greater
regional stability at this point?
LEE: it is hard to see right now to the thick black smoke of these burning tires that we have seen throughout the day. You know, for the
Palestinians, Jerusalem is something special. They wanted to be the capital of a future Palestinian state.
It is one of their key points when it came to the peace process. So for the Palestinians, you know, it`s likely going to be very difficult to try
to come up with some sort of peace deal without some resolution on Jerusalem.
And you know, this is a festering wound, this conflict in this region. You know, when you have other countries, you easily can see people galvanized
in the streets of other countries. I have seen that in Egypt. I have seen it in other places, too, supporting the Palestinian cause.
So even if leaders of these countries talk about more open friendship, and better ties, better relations, it really is the streets that is going to
dictate what happens, and as long as there is this conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis, expected to be very difficult for the Arabs --
Arab street to really come, and step with their leaders if their leaders decide that they want have better relations with Israel.
ANDERSON: Ian Lee there for you. Do stay with CNN. We have live coverage of the opening of that U.S. embassy. That starts 2:00 p.m. in London, 4:00
p.m. here in Jerusalem, and 9:00 p.m. in Hong Kong.
And wherever you are watching in the world, I am sure you can work out for yourselves what time that will be. We are here in Jerusalem staying put
for more. Back with us shortly for the time that being, it is -- back to you, Kristie, in the studio.
LU STOUT: All right, Becky Anderson there. Thank you. You are indeed watching News Stream. And up next, Indonesian authorities investigate why
three families including children carried out a string of suicide attacks in the Indonesian city of Surabaya. Just ahead, the links that they have
discovered through a known terror group.
[08:15:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LU STOUT: Coming to you live from Hong Kong, welcome back. This is News Stream. Now, terrorists staged a bomb attack in the Indonesian city of
Surabaya just a day after suicide bombers hit three churches in the city.
Now, the videos that we have been seeing had been very disturbing to watch. Just a warning for you there, a family of five writing two motorbikes
approach a security post at the police headquarters, within seconds, they detonated their bombs.
Four of them instantly killed. Four officers and six civilians were wounded. An 8-year-old girl who belongs to the family survived the attack,
she was carried away to safety.
We are also learning from Indonesian officials that another family that staged attacks on three churches on Sunday has indeed been linked to JAD, a
Jihadi group that supports ISIS in Indonesia. The group`s leader is on trial, accused of being involved in several earlier bombings.
Otso Iho is a Senior Analyst at Jane`s Terrorism and Insurgency Centre at IHS Markit. He joins me now from London with more on this, and thank you
so much for joining us. These are very disturbing attacks with links to ISIS.
After the fall of the caliphate, you know, we knew that ISIS has fallen in Iraq and Syria. Are now seeing ISIS regrouping, and thriving in Indonesia?
OTSO IHO, SENIOR ANALYST, IHS MARKIT: Well, one of the things that the Islamic State has tried to do after it`s decline in Iraq and Syria is to
make sure that it maintains influence around the world. And Southeast Asia is certainly -- and in Indonesia is certainly part of that strategy.
These attacks that we saw in Surabaya, they really fit into a wider pattern of Islamic State activity, and attacks in Indonesia that really started
with the attacks in Jakarta in January 2016. But we have not really seen this kind of coordination before.
LU STOUT: There are highly coordinated attacks. There are also that involved children. Today`s suicide bombing was carried out by a family of
five. This came after another family carried out these church bombings over the weekend in the same city, Surabaya. Why is it that -- we are not
just talking about foreign fighters here, but entire families are carrying out these attacks.
IHO: Well, the attacks being carried out by entire family is certainly unusual, but the involvement of entire families in radical Islamism is not
particularly unusual.
And if we think of Islamic state propaganda, and messaging over the last few months, there has been a substantial number of propaganda releases
encouraging also woman to take part in armed struggle.
And indeed, children are also featured frequently in Islamic State propaganda doing all sorts of awful things like conducting executions, for
example. So from that perspective, the use of entire families in these attacks is not completely unprecedented.
LU STOUT: The use of families offers high propaganda value. These were, as you said, highly coordinated attacks. After these bombings -- suicide
bombings in Indonesia, we know that the entire country is a high alert. Could this be just the beginning? Could there be more tax to come even
outside Surabaya?
IHO: It is a little bit early to say that I am sure that the counterterrorism authorities and security forces at the moment are trying
to figure out how wide the networks of these families were involved in actually is, whether there is any kind of central bomb making capability,
for example.
In terms of the capabilities that these attacks showed, it doesn`t differ hugely from what we have seen in Indonesia previously in terms of the use
of crude improvised explosive devices for example.
But as we have seen, the frequency is kind of unprecedented. So it is possible at this point that further attacks are still being planned
depending on what this network is actually like, and how far it reaches.
LU STOUT: As you mentioned, the counter terror officials in Indonesia are trying to gain, and get their head around just how sophisticated these
terror groups are in their own country. The President of Indonesia, he has condemned these attacks as cowardly inhumane, he has pled to take action.
What should he do next to fight the threat of ISIS in Indonesia?
IHO: One of the things to concentrate on is to try and alleviate sectarian tensions in Indonesia because that is something that radical Islamist
militants, and the Islamic States, and its affiliated groups in Indonesia are trying to worsen, and are trying to insights with these attacks on
religious minorities.
[08:20:05] And particularly in this case Christian churches. So, trying to take measures to alleviate sectarian tensions, and maintain gun community
cohesion is probably very, very important in that regard as a kind of top level strategic measure.
LU STOUT: Got it. Otso Iho of Jane`s, joining me live from London, thank you so much, and take care. Now, a judicial source says that the attacker
who stabbed five people in Paris was on a police watch list. The source says at the friends of the man, his parents were also detained.
The attacker was shot dead by police after he killed one person, and wounded for others. ISIS has claimed responsibility for that attack. On
Sunday, the mayor of Paris visited the scene of the attack, telling reporters this city is still alive. Melissa Bell has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was on this street in the very heart of Paris, the street that would have been heaving with people going in and
out of restaurants, in and out of bars that the assailant began his attack just before 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night.
We`re learning more about the assailant than we had known before, that he was born in 1997 in Chechnya, and that he was on France`s so-called fiche S
list.
Now that does not mean that he was under active surveillance. What it means, is that he had come to the attention of authorities for potentially
having radicalized views, and potentially posing a threat to security.
Many questions remain about precisely what he was hoping to achieve when he set out on this spree with his knife, a spree that ended just here when he
was tasered by police before being shot.
Huge shock still in the area what went on, not only the sight of a man wielding a knife, and trying to stab people, but also that once again
France should have been the scene of a terror attack.
Earlier, the mayor of Paris visited the area, urging anyone who had witnessed the attack to go and seek the counseling that the city of Paris
had put on. And we`ve heard now from a government spokesman reminding the world that what happened here last night to people who were in and out of
restaurants, and bars was essentially an attack on France`s way of life. Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LU STOUT: Now, she was raped, and then set on fire. A young teenage girl has allegedly become the third victim of such a case over the last two
weeks in India. CNN`s Sam Kiley looks at whether anything is really being done to stop this shocking violence against women and girls in India.
SAM KILEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kristie, is in the latest case is still very much under investigation by the police, both of the accused have been
arrested, including one family member had denied any connection with the crime.
And I think the real issue here for India is whether this is an epidemic, or whether rape is somehow endemic. And tried to examine some of that
question, we traveled around a lot of the country and this is our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY: This woman`s daughter was allegedly raped and murdered a few days ago. The child had been locked in her own home. Her brother found her
bound, and gagged, and aflame in this back room. She was 16.
The third child allegedly burned and raped in India in a week. One died, and another was hospitalized, in almost identical alleged attacks in
Jharkhand Province 800 miles away. But, outrage over what some have called an epidemic of violent sex crimes, first boiled over this year in January,
in Jammu, 1,000 miles north.
The child was held here in the village temple dedicated to the Hindu God of Ram, she was held for several days, she was drugged, she was tortured and
she was raped by several men. And, she was 8 years old.
The child was a Muslim. Her body was found not far down this jungle track. The accused in this case have denied all of the allegations against them,
but the victim lies buried, here in an unmarked grave.
To many she`s just yet another victim of a vicious sexual hate crime, but to others she`s a symbol of something more rotten in the body of India.
Hindu-Muslim tensions over the death of the child mean some Muslims have been leaving the area.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN (through a translator): There is a mob standing everywhere in India, waiting for a signal to attack Muslims. They think
we`ll deal with the repercussions later, no one is held accountable. Even rights groups are blaming the government and the ruling party.
KAVITA KRISHNAN, ACTIVIST: I squarely hold the government of India responsible. The ruling party responsible for creating an Islamophobic and
anti-Dalit climate that justifies acts of sexual violence, and other forms of violence, against these minorities.
KILEY: India`s government has scrambled to react to public outrage over the attacks on Muslims and Dalits, so called untouchables.
[08:25:02] Minister, what efforts are the Indian government, and its agencies working to try to put an end, which critics would say is an
epidemic of sexual violence, an epidemic of rape?
RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD, INDIAN LAW AND JUSTICE MINISTER: There was a commotion in the country, and we`re disappointed in that, and today we have
changed the law by an ordinance. If under 12 years, you`ll be given death penalty, if it was a gang rape, you`ll be given a death penalty, and if
your life imprisonment, shall be for the whole of the life.
What is important is, I must be very honest to you. We have to improve our cennection more. We have to fast track our investigation more. We have to
sensitize the entire missionary (ph) of delivering justice to be more alarmed to this challenge.
KILEY: In 2012, just under 25,000 women were reported raped in India. That figure, according to government statistics, jumped to about 40,000 in
2016, revealing, perhaps, the scale of a long-standing problem. Are you all from this town or nearby?
This group of survivors and their families are from the small town of Bharatpur, four hours from Delhi. In almost every case they allege the
rapists were from higher casts, and that after reporting the assaults, they have been subjected to brutal intimidation to drop the charges. You have
to be strong to survive an attack, brave to report it, and especially if you`re untouchable.
A knife was held to her throat by her high cast rapist. He was jailed after she got legal help here. She says that since the conviction,
there`ve been attempts to destroy her house, and her crops have been uprooted, her husband, and his brothers, frequently abducted, and beaten.
They called me a whore, she says.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KILEY: Now clearly, India has a long way to go as do many other nations in terms of how women are treated, and how men respond to them, but it is
clearly now becoming a hot potato politically, and it is also clear that the central government at least is responding to it, whether that trickles
down into the lower levels of society, may well depend on the many other factors. Kristie.
LU STOUT: Sam Kiley there reporting on the despicable attacks against women and girls in India. You are watching News Stream. And still ahead,
we are just minutes away from the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, and coming up, you`ll hear from an Israeli-Arab lawmaker who plans to
protest the controversial move. And Iran is giving European leaders of deadline to save the nuclear deal. We`ll look what the country`s Foreign
Minister discussed during his trip to Moscow, next.
[08:30:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWSROOM SHOW HOST: Welcome back. I`m Becky Anderson in Jerusalem. Well the new U.S. embassy will open its doors
here at the top post this hour. Israelis held the move as historic. Palestinians say recognizing Jerusalem as Israel`s capital undermines their
future claim to the eastern part of the city. Well Palestinians are protesting along the Gaza-Israel border. Palestinian officials say scores
have been killed.
Today, Israeli lawmaker, Yousef Jabareen says his (inaudible) will protest in front of the new embassy. Today, he joins me now and plans to go
straight to that protest after this interview. When you have described today U.S. embassy here move as quote, as spit in the face of the
international community and critically impedes the chance for peace in the entire region. And sadly today, we witnessed deaths in Gaza and signs are
that things will only get worse.
YOUSEF JABAREEN, ISRAELI LAWMAKER: Yes, I mean, it`s a really dangerous move by the American administration. I see this as a clear hostile act not
just against Palestinians but also against to the international community and to the international law. Jerusalem, according to the consensus now
among the world is the shared capital of the two state, of Israel and Palestine.
And any one side act now is being implemented by Israel and the U.S. will undermine this possibility of free (inaudible) political compromise in the
area and definitely protecting the rights of the Palestinian people to have their own independence state just as any other people of the world.
ANDERSON: You are closing to saying the alliance between pyromaniacs Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu is dangerous and leading the region to
ruin. (Inaudible) as U.S. officials say, to their mind, no longer galvanizes the Middle East in the way it wants this. Is that the case?
JABAREEN: You know, I think today there is one possible for a peace of this region and with this one possible option is by recognizing the right
of the Palestinian people of having a Palestinian state alongside as well based on 1967 borders. That would include definitely east Jerusalem as the
capital of the Palestinian state. Any act on the ground that would undermine such a vision will lead this area into exclusion.
And I`m afraid that the current American administration, the right-wing America administration now with this unity with the right wing Israeli
government are leading the entire area into ongoing confrontation that will damaging any possible hope for a real compromise and (inaudible) of the
region.
There is now the Arab League initiative that speaks clearly offer more normalization relationship with Israel on return of recognizing the right
of Palestinians to have their independent state and instead of supporting this Arab League initiative and supporting the Arab side, Trump
administration is doing just the opposite.
ANDERSON: (Inaudible) is what you`re saying is the Trump administration isn`t listening to the Arab voice to a certain extent that with people in
this region who say that Arab voice simply hasn`t been strong enough sir.
JABAREEN: Unfortunately, the flow (inaudible) is not the listening. It is not just the Arab voice but it is also the international voice as we know
most of the countries of the world are opposing this move now happening in Jerusalem. The European Union is also against this. So unfortunately, Trump
administration is going against the international community as a whole.
ANDERSON: And you`re right. You absolutely reflect a wider narrative. So what is the Palestinian leadership`s next move at this point?
JABAREEN: I think that the Palestinian leadership should be insist on the Arab League initiative that now is supported by the entire Arab and Muslim
countries --
ANDERSON: Is that --
JABAREEN: Yes, yes, yes - supported also by the E.U, by the U.N. and there need to be a pressure on the American administration to clearly side with
the Palestinian right for self-determination. Otherwise, I`m afraid that the entire region will be going into an exit (ph) version. I`m not saying
this as a slogan, but I feel that anger of the people.
[08:35:00] It is now, while we are - we talk about 70 years of the Palestinian catastrophe on the ground that the catastrophe is still going
on for Palestinians.
ANDERSON: This embassy opening is not happening in isolation. We have seen a demise of the Iran nuclear deal with the U.S. administration when Donald
Trump mixing that. We have seen an uptick in rhetoric and activity between Israel and Iran. And we see the emergence of an alliance between the U.S.
(inaudible) and a Sunni-led Arab block to all intents and purposes. Does that improve or weaken the Palestinian calls at this point?
JABAREEN: Unfortunately, it seems that all eyes is weakening (inaudible) in this picture. However, what need to be emphasized within, you know, this
discussion is the fact that I Israel today there is a government that says clearly that it is going to expand settlements, that it doesn`t recognize
the right of Palestinians for independent state, that it`s going to (inaudible) settlements through Israel.
So the broader context is that in Israel, there is a government that it`s going against, you know, international consensus and international law by
saying basically that they are not going to meet the Palestinian with just and fair demands for independence.
ANDERSON: How significant will your protest be outside the embassy today? You are an Israeli-Arab lawmaker and had you been invited, which I believe
he won`t, you would have gone?
JABAREEN: Of course not. We can`t be part of this celebration. We can`t be part of this hostile act to Palestinians and to the entire region.
ANDERSON: So is your voice muted even though you represent that voice and come?
JABAREEN: We represent at least a 20 percent of citizens of Israel. That`s merely the Arab-Palestinian population, but we represent also some
Democratic forces within the Jewish community that supports the solution of two states solution. Our demonstration very soon is very symbolic.
It`s to say that there is still people within Israel who are still would like to emphasize the dangers of such move and to, you know, raise the
clear demand for a just and fair solution for the ongoing conflict and to guarantee that peace will come to this area and this is as an alternative.
This is the alternative to this dangerous bet (ph) that Netanyahu and Trump are leading us to.
ANDERSON: Sir, thank you for joining us here. We will let you go. That embassy opening at the top of this hour and preparations are then almost
complete for the official opening of the U.S. embassy. Our global affairs correspondent Elise Labott is there. And who would be in attendance and
what will the message be, Elise?
ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well Becky, it`s a very high level delegation. The leading of the delegation head is Deputy
Secretary John Sullivan, but you also have Steve Mnuchin, the treasury secretary and president`s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who`s about to unveil
his own peace plan and obviously Ivanka Trump, the president`s daughter, a star attraction here.
So, I think the message will be one of solidarity with the Israeli people, you know, obviously trying to capitalize on what Israelis do feel. It`s a
historic moment for them. Their closest ally, after 70 years, recognizing Jerusalem as the rightful capital according to Israel and now the U.S. of
the Israeli people.
And so I think it will be one of solidarity not just on the Palestinian issue, not just on the Jerusalem issue, but also in Iran. This comes a week
after President Trump -- less than a week after President Trump withdrew from the Iran deal. And when you talk to Israelis, President Trump is so
popular here, Becky. You`ve seen those signs lining the street, President Trump is a friend of Israel. Trump will make Israel great again.
So, obviously this is a crushing blow to Palestinians who are saying today they feel that the U.S. is disrespecting them and the peace process. For
Israelis, such an emotional moment and one that really kind of bonds these two people even more so than before.
ANDERSON: Elise Labott there at what will be the inauguration of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. A day that is being condemned by the Iranians as
Elise rightly suggested.
[08:40:03] Today`s events come in the wake of President Trump`s decision to ditch the Iran nuclear deal. The foreign minister, Javad Zarif, is in
Moscow trying to salvage that deal. According to Russian state-media, Moscow planning to contact all parties in the deal, all except the U.S.
Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavarov says they need to work together and see what they can do to stop any disruption of what was this joint plan
of action or agreement.
CNN`s Frederik Pleitgen for you out of Tehran today. In what chance the foreign minister can salvage this deal?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONALL CORRESPONDENT: Well Becky, I think it`s going to be a pretty difficult thing to do in a pretty tall
order and the Iranians have already set a time limit on the whole thing as well. They came out earlier today and said they would give especially the
Europeans 60 days to see whether or not this agreement could actually be salvaged and good for in the future.
I think in many ways Javad Zarif`s visits to Russia, to Moscow is probably one of the easier parts of his trip that he is doing to try and salvage the
agreement. The Russians very much on board with the agreement. You just talk about the common statement that he put out together with the Russian
Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, saying both sides very much committed to the deal -- want to salvage in the future.
The Russians by the way stands to benefit a great deal if this deal does persist. And if it comes through especially in the economics sphere. But
the big test that he is going to be tomorrow, when Javad Zarif then goes to Europe apparently on a working level, talks already started between the
Iranians and the three main European countries involved, and that of course being Germany, Britain and France.
The one thing that the Iranians have said is they expect the Europeans to protect Iranian interest and that`s where it really comes down to almost
everything as far as this deal is concerned. The Iranians want assurances that European companies will bring jobs, will bring money, will bring
technology transfer into this country without having to face American retribution.
That`s a tall order for the Europeans because on the one hand, of course, they are quite angry at President Trump pulling out of the deal, really did
not go down very well inn Europe at all, but at the same time of course, America has been a long-standing ally of the Europeans. It is unclear how
much of a confrontation the Europeans are willing to risk to try and see this Iran nuclear deal to try and keep it alive.
The Iranians (inaudible) have the state. They have said if the deal falls apart, then they will start or they can start enriching uranium once again.
They said they can do it on industrial scale and then without any restrictions, but you do see them making a very, very clear push to try and
save the deal. And one final thing that which I think is quite important.
I think one of the things that we have been talking about over the past couple of days since President Trump pulled out of the deal. There are many
who thought that it would be or force a rift between the hardliners here in this country and the moderates. That hasn`t happened to the extent that
many people thought. On the one hand you have the government saying they`re willing to try and salvage the deal, but they want to make sure the
interests are protected.
Iran supreme leader, of course is very much a conservative. If he has come out (ph) until he does not trust the Europeans to do it, but he is willing
to give the whole thing a chance so, it does seem as though the factions here in Iran have a common position on this. They`re going to try and save
the deal whether or not that is feasible. The next two months and especially that meeting tomorrow is certainly is going to go a long way to
show whether it is going to be possible, Becky.
ANDERSON: Fredrik Pleitgen is in Tehran for you viewers as you will be well aware, Iran will say dealing with a direct confrontation with Israel
after the Israeli government accused Iran of launching missiles at the Israeli occupied Golan Heights. CNN`s international diplomatic editor Nic
Robertson joining is from the area. And I quote, if we get rain, they will get a flood. The warning of the Israeli Defense Minister, Avigdor
Lieberman, admits concerns, Nic, that direct clashes between the two could escalate. Is that a likelihood?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Certainly a huge international concern, Becky. Anyone looking at the situation sees the
balance in the region tipping in a way that perhaps people haven`t expected it to tip. You know, I think broadly when you look at it you`re beginning
to see a rift opening between the Europeans and the United States who try to work together in this region, not only over the JCP array agreement, but
in the way that the embassy - the U.S. embassy has been shifted to Jerusalem.
The recognition of Jerusalem the capital of Israel and the protest in Gaza today where the Europeans take a much more if you will, different position
to United States. The United States standing more strongly behind Israel and their handling of those protests in Gaza. The Europeans calling on
Israel to not cause so many Palestinian casualties.
So you see these rifts opening up. But when it comes for that message that we heard from Prime Minister Netanyahu talking about if Iran just across
the border here inside Syria rains down attacks on Israelis, then they will respond and they will respond in a big way.
[08:45:06] And what we`ve heard from Avigdor Lieberman when he was up there meeting troops, the Israeli defense minister just a couple of days ago, a
very clear message for President Assad. He said this is a message for Assad. Get rid of the Iranians, get rid of the Qud`s force, get rid of the
soldiers, get rid of their commanders, and then there can be a better future for everyone. So, this is a warning not just for the Iranians but
for the Syrian leadership as well.
So yes, there are concerns that there could be an escalation and one of those has to be a concern about Israel, rather Iran`s strategic decisions.
Right now, they`ve strategically chosen not to respond to Israeli strikes on their positions inside Syria apart from just after President Trump
pulled out of the JCP array. And the concern is if Israel`s strikes on the Iranian positions, what would they do then? Could a tit for tat escalate?
And that potentially one of the avenues where this could go down and therefore when you have United States and Europe not on the same page here
and the balance shifted, try to bring stability to the region. The voice is not being heard or misinterpreted. It opens the way for a border conflict.
ANDERSON: Nic Robertson there in the area. We are 15 minutes away from the opening ceremony for the inauguration of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, a
highly controversial moment in this city as we learn from the Palestinian Ministry of Health that 37 now, 37 people have been killed during clashes
today along the border fence between Israel and Gaza.
This they say is the biggest number of fatalities suffered in one day since the latest round of demonstrations began more than six weeks ago. The
previous highest number killed was 17 and that was on the day these protests started on March 30th.
Awaiting the opening of that embassy north from Gaza as we get it for the time being. Back to you Kristie.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN NEWS STREAM SHOW HOST: Becky, thank you. Deadly clashes as we await the beginning of that controversial opening ceremony.
Now, trade tensions between the U.S. and China could be seeing a breakthrough after U.S. President Donald Trump made a shocking shift in
U.S. policy against China`s ZTE. He tweeted that he and Chinese President Xu Jingpin are working to get the tech company back in business and
instructed the Commerce Department to get it done.
This is welcome news for ZTE. Now, the CEO of its mobile division told me the company`s ties with U.S. firms is a win-win for both sides.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIXIN CHENG, CEO, ZTE MOBILE DIVISION: So we have spent 20 years plugging to the U.S. ecosystem and working with U.S. technology partner, take U.S.
technology combining with competitive Chinese engineering and supplies and resources and we sell those technology for them to worldwide. It was win-
win. It is win-win for everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STOUT: Some my earlier interview of Lixin Cheng, the CEO of the mobile devices unit of ZTE. Now, the U.S. has blocked terms of selling parts to
ZTE and (inaudible) as well. The smartphone maker said t had to halt most of its operations because of the ban. China says it appreciate the positive
statement ahead of trade talks. You are watching "News Stream." And still come, we hitch a ride in Kendall Jenner`s `65 Mustang. And the supermodel
says the car is such an American icon, next.
[08:50:00] (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
STOUT: Reporting top you live from Hongkong, this is "News Stream." Now, the 1965 Ford Mustang is a pretty cool car and it continues to win over
fans as CNN Style got a ride with one of its young admirers, the model, Kendall Jenner.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEREK BLASBERG, CNN STYLE HOST: Wow.
KENDALL JENNER, MODEL: Hi.
BLASBNERG: Look at this.
JENNER: How are you?
BLASBERG: Nice ride.
JENNER: You want to ride?
BALSBERG: What do we got here?
JENNER: The `65 Mustang. Want to go for a ride?
BLASBERG: I want to go for a spin.
Where do you think your love for classic cars came from?
JENNER: I think I kind of like been - it`s like I was raised to be a tomboy. Like my dad raised me to like love stuff like this.
If I love it, I love it. Like if I walk in and it really like just gets to me, I`m like OK, I need that car. This is a very muscular car. This is
somewhat like a tomboy so like, I would love this. And also, every car that I get into, my mood changes.
Like my Corvette is super like, even though it technically is a muscle car, it`s a 50`s car so it doesn`t feel like muscular so I feel very girly. I
feel like I have to dress a certain way like wear very winged sunglasses and like, you know what I mean. Like there`s just -- I don`t know.
BLASBERG: How does this care make you feel.
JENNER: It just makes you feel cool like a cool girl.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STOUT: So after the break -
ANDERSON: In just a few minutes here in Jerusalem, the U.S. embassy will officially open and we will have more analysis someone (ph) is a
controversial move in bringing the opening lights as it happens. Do stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: We`re here in Jerusalem, you know, just minutes away from the official opening of the U.S. embassy. The decision to move it from Tel Aviv
welcomed by the Israeli government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling today a quote, emotional day for the country. I am joined now by
Gil Hoffman who is the chief political correspondent for the Jerusalem Post. An emotional day then for the prime minister in the country, a highly
emotive day for the city and the wider region politically charged.
GIL HOFFMAN, CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, JERUSALEM POST: Absolutely. And yet on the Israeli side there is no division, you know. The day that
President Trump announced that he would be moving the embassy over here, I got 100 messages from politicians speaking in favor of it. Since then, one
party has come out against it because they think about that this isn`t the way to make peace in the Middle East, but still very much a consensus in
favor. The people of Israel are very happy right now.
ANDERSON: Not from the Arab-Israelis, of course.
[08:55:03] HOFFMAN: Arab-Israelis are saying that this is not the kind of thing that will be helpful in the peace process in the future and that the
leader of the Arab-Israeli party is the one party leader who was not invited to the event.
ANDERSON: Not just not helpful, a highly disrespectful decision and a decision that can be ruined any potential peace process.
HOFFMAN: And I understand why they are saying that and yet they heard the same speech that we did from Donald Trump on December 6th saying that this
does not preclude here from being a peace process that will lead to their being an Arab capital, Palestinian state here in Jerusalem. It will come to
the table, there still can be.
ANDERSON: It said today in the context of what we are saying if we can briefly, what we are seeing developing across the region there, is an
argument that goes like this, Gil. The day Donald Trump announced that he was pulling the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal marks the inauguration of
a new American Israeli Saudi-led Arab alliance in the Middle East and a major realignment of U.S. strategic interests. And the embassy opening so,
the argument there is plays into all of that. How much truth is there do you think in that?
HOFFMAN: I think there is a lot of truth in that and what it shows to the Palestinians is they have an interest in being on America`s side not in
Iran`s side. They saw what happened to Iran. They should be coming to the table and negotiating for their own good. They can still get a Palestinian
state if they pick sides. And it`s the Saudis, it`s not the Israelis, it`s not the Americans. It`s the Saudis who are saying to Abbas you are missing
an opportunity for your own people and it`s a darn shame.
ANDERSON: What happens next?
HOFFMAN: What happens next is there was a meeting yesterday in which Netanyahu, Ron Dermer, his ambassador to Washington, the ambassador of the
United States to Israel, David Friedman, Jason Greenblatt, the negotiator and Jared Kushner met for a long time to try to decide when America will
announce its peace plan.
ANDERSON: Do we have any details of those plans because until we do, we are told by the new ambassador here that there was no give-and-take nor
give or take when this decision was made so far as moving the embassy. So until we get the details of any piece plan, it will be unclear whether
there is anything in that plan for the Palestinians.
HOFFMAN: We know first of all, that there will be a major regional component and a major economic component. The regional component means that
in return for whatever Israel would give up, Israel would receive normalization with the entire Arab-Muslim world that is not aligned with
Iran. In return for what the Palestinians will give up, there will be massive investment in the Palestinian authority, building them up, they
talked about a Marshall plan though that rebuilt Europe after World War II. That might --
ANDERSON: Is that enough do you think for the Palestinians? I`m not saying whether you think it`s enough. I`m asking you whether you think that would
be enough for the Palestinians.
HOFFMAN: The Palestinians said it wasn`t enough for them when you had a prime minister of Israel before Netanyahu offered them hundred percent of
the West Bank, thousands of refugees coming here and the city of Jerusalem then divided right here in (inaudible) with the old city right in the back
of us internationalized. So, if that was not enough, obviously, whatever Donald Trump will offer them will not be enough. And you know what, the
next president will offer them even less.
ANDERSON: I`ve heard it says that the U.S. administration believes that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict no longer galvanizes the street across the
Arab and Muslim world and while I get that to a certain extent, I think in some parts of this region alone, it isn`t necessarily the priority that it
was. Do you think the U.S. administration under Donald Trump is underestimating what could go wrong in this region should they get any
peace deal wrong? I know it`s been years in the making.
HOFFMAN: And Becky, I`m not sure the Arab world ever cared about the Palestinians at all. They exploited them. They used them as a tool.
ANDERSON: Oh, come on.
HOFFMAN: They didn`t help them. They didn`t help them. They didn`t help them by getting them settled in their countries the way Israel did taking
an Arab-Jewish refugees in their countries.
ANDERSON: Tell that to the Jordanians with the greatest of respect. I mean.
HOFFMAN: There were limitations on them in Jordan not as much as in other places, but there could have been a lot more done to help the Palestinian
people by their brothers and they didn`t. And now the Saudis are taking one step forward and they are telling the Palestinians you are hurting our
people, you`re hurting the Saudi people. The Saudis say they have an interest in having an alliance with Israel being the economic power in the
region and being the country closest to the president of the United States.
They did not make any kind of recognition if this will be official because of the Palestinian conflict not being done. They are not ready to wait
anymore. They`re telling the Palestinians we`re sick of you and so are the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and other countries in this region.
[09:00:00]
END
