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Residents Of Jenin Camp Flee Homes As Israeli Raid Continues; Rioting In France Presents A Fresh Political Test For Macron; Ukraine Reports Progress After "Difficult" Week Of Fighting; Violence Eases as Mayors Appeal for End to Riots; Hong Kong Issues Bounties for Pro- Democracy Activists; Israel Conducts Major Military Operation in West Bank; U.S. Ambassador Visits Evan Gershkovich for 2nd Time; Scientist: Cows Could Be Part of Climate Solution. Aired 1-2a ET
Aired July 04, 2023 - 01:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[01:00:24]
JOHN VAUSE, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead here on CNN Newsroom, fleeing Jenin. Palestinian families, both from the West Bank refugee camp afraid of being caught in the crossfire of another deadly read by the Israeli military.
The Macron factor. What is it about the French president that has led to one round of violent nationwide protests after another?
And one month on the Ukrainian counter offensive is said to be making significant gains, but still has not faced the toughest of all Russian defects.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Live from CNN Center. This is CNN Newsroom with John Vause.
VAUSE: Great to have with us. We begin with thousands of Palestinians who reportedly fled the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank overnight, fearing another deadly Israeli military raid. Explosions and heavy gunfire could be heard well into Tuesday morning, almost 24 hours after the biggest IDF counterterrorism operation in Jenin in more than two decades.
The Israeli operation began with around 10 airstrikes carried out by attack drones. According to the IDF a brigade size troop deployment, around 500 soldiers took part in the raid targeting what was described as a terrorist command and control center in the refugee camp.
During the raid, Israeli soldiers say they came under heavy fire from Palestinian militants, while some residents threw rocks and also cars and tires on fire. Palestinian officials say at least nine people were killed almost 100 hurt. Civilians say they're fleeing violence not seen since the Second Intifada.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (through translator): Today's a dark day they invaded the camp same to the invasion of Jenin camp in 2002.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What did you see? What did you hear?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We heard broken glasses and planes over our heads.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: This is the second Israeli raid into Jenin and little more than two weeks. The first one left five Palestinians dead. CNN's Hadas Gold has been following developments. She files this report now from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HADAS GOLD, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Hundreds of Israeli soldiers descending on Jenin. Massive raid supported by airstrikes and bulldozers, tanks on the outskirts of the city.
The largest incursion into the West Bank in two decades since the days of the Second Intifada.
RICHARD HECHT, ISRAELI ARMY'S INTERNATIONAL SPOKESPERSON: We want to break out of the camp being a safe haven for terrorists.
GOLD: Easier said than done. Israeli forces facing stiff resistance. The Army bulldozing its way through airstrikes hitting what the military said was terrorist infrastructure.
Soldiers firing from nearby homes and their hunt for weapons explosive tunnels at what they say are militants. Palestinian authorities have condemned the raid calling it a new war crime against our defenseless people.
MAHMOUD ABBAS, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT (through translator): We renew our demand to the international community of the need to provide urgent international protection for our people and to impose sanctions on the occupying entity.
GOLD: In Jenin, some residents say they were overwhelmed by the sheer force of the Israeli attack.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are unknown to people we don't have anything in the camp to respond to this force. There is nothing safe in the camp they dug all the streets with bulldozers.
GOLD: The Israeli government says it's not at war with Palestinians like Zega. But with these men were blamed for violence against Israelis.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Our troops are battling the terrorists with unyielding resolve and fortitude while doing everything, everything to avoid civilian casualties.
GOLD: The latest raid on Jenin building on over a year and a half of regular military operations. Following a recent wave of Palestinian attacks on Israelis, but the cycle of violence only intensifying, militant group Hamas calling on its members to strike Israel by all available means but for those caught in the crossfire is rewarding the operation will last as long as necessary. Even if it says it doesn't want to hold ground.
HECHT: We are focused on the infrastructure inside the camp but it could be hours, it could be days.
GOLD: Hadas Gold, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Peter Lerner is a former spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces. He is currently Director General of International Relations at Israel's Federation of Labor Union. He joins us now live from Tel Aviv. Peter, thank you for taking the time.
PETER LERNER, FORMER SPOKESPERSON, ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES: Good morning, John.
[01:05:00]
VAUSE: So how does the security threat from the West Bank reached the point that Israel now has to conduct a military incursion into Jenin not seen since the Second Intifada, who dropped the ball here in terms of intelligence and security.
LERNER: So obviously, the reality on the ground is one of a extreme deterioration over the last two years, where the IDF is saying that there are there have been approximately 50 attacks that have originated terrorist attacks that have originated from Jenin.
This is a result of the basic lawlessness and the ungoverned area of Jenin, which has created a very, I would say, fertile area for Palestinian terrorists just to develop their infrastructure. And this is over the course of the day. What we've heard throughout the day is that the IDF is striking infrastructure.
And when we talk about infrastructure, what are they actually talking about. They've uncovered over thousands of explosive devices, heavy explosives that are meant to detonate beneath military vehicles, hand grenades, weapons, and so on, command and control centers which are used in order to prevent IDF activities.
The reality is one where over the last two years, the Palestinian security forces are working less than less, and not even entering the palette -- the refugee camp of Jenin, and that has required the IDF to step up its activities in the camp and this is the reality where we are today, where basically the terrorist activities is using -- the IDF is calling it a safe haven, I prefer to use to say the term as a launch pad or a staging ground to conduct these attack attacks and activities.
VAUSE: But I guess, Peter, my point is, you know, the IDF works in how the Mossad, Israeli intelligence works, you know, they are facing a threat from the south, a threat from the north, there is a threat from Iran. The last thing Israel needed was a threat from the West Bank. And surely this could have been cut off at a much earlier point, with this sort of military action, this sort of high scale, high intensive rate was not needed.
LERNER: So Israel has been saying for years where the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian security forces operate, we don't need to operate. I agree with what you're saying with your analysis. How could we have stopped this beforehand? I would say we need to empower the Palestinian security forces. We need to encourage Abbas to not cut off security ties, but to embolden them, and to strengthen the security ties between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
The reality is one of course, and you pointed out that there are many security threats that Israel faces today from north from the south. And -- but the access that Palestinians from the West Bank, and specifically from Jenin to Israel is relatively easy compared to those other areas. So that's why, in their view, many terrorist attacks have been successful in killing and murdering Israelis on the front lines.
We have to keep in mind that, you know, the core problem around this conflict is the conflict that there is no political horizon. There is no discourse between the sides and this is creating reality on the ground where, you know, there is no hope, there is no dream.
What do people do? You know, the biggest dreams of youth today in the Jenin refugee camp has become a martyr. That is the equation that we need to change.
VAUSE: Absolutely. So now with these raids comes the international criticism, here's our three of Israel's five Arab allies. Arab allies reacting to the West Bank raids. Jordan has one of the catastrophic consequences of the Israeli aggression. In a statement, Egypt's foreign minister said it condemns the Israeli attack on Jenin, demands the international -- intervention rather of international parties to stop the violence, provide protection for the Palestinian people. The United Arab Emirates strongly condemned the Jenin operation, while calling on Israel to immediately stop the recurring and escalating campaign against the Palestinian people.
That's from Arab allies, to their opinion matter? Will they have any influence what Israel actually does here?
LERNER: So I would say that Israel's internal politics are primary to international politics. But the nature of this type of operation and the messaging I'm hearing today, coming out of the IDF is we have about 10 more targets that we need to implement fulfill this mission.
So I would expect that while the cycle of violence and the cycle of the military operations do its turn, we will see the diplomacy also doing its own. And I would say, absolutely, Israel does care about what its allies are saying whether they're from the west or from the region.
But they first of all, you know, you can't expect Israel not to defend its civilians, because of international criticism. This is primarily it's a defensive operation that is meant to safeguard Israeli lives. This is the way up, you know, when we talk about trying to create a political horizon, the idea is that that will come on the basis that there is no terrorism.
[01:10:00]
If there is terrorism it always undermines. Unfortunately, we don't have leaders that like Yitzhak Rabin that said we will fight terrorism because if there is no peace process is if there is no terrorism. Today, that's not the situation.
VAUSE: To say the very least. And to your point, I want you to listen to two residents from Jenin. The first voice you will hear is actually a member of the Fatah political party, as well as a resident of Jenin. Listen to what they had to say to this. Here we are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We say to the Israeli occupation, no matter how much blood you shed of our children, our elders and our women, this will only increase our determination.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We say to everyone, no matter how many tanks, planes and soldiers in circle and storm that Jenin cap, this will not break the will of its people, nor of any Palestinian on the face of the earth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: And you touched on this, these raids are playing out in isolation without any talk of a political solution. The only talk is more tough talk from this very right wing Israeli government. And in the short term, the raids are successful, but they just seem to be laying the seeds so prolonged and escalated conflict.
LERNER: Well, I would say yesterday, throughout the day, some of the settler leaders were saying things along the line that this -- the fact that Jenin has become this hotbed of terrorism is proof in the pudding that there needs to be more settlement activities. And I would say, no, we need to find the common ground zone of a probable agreement. We need to have leaders that can actually have a vision of coexistence.
Unfortunately, they're not around and this cycle of violence, I would say it's unfortunate. But there is very little hope of coming out of it. We do need to be very wary, weighing on the last sink of what was just reported of political, I would say hyper bowl, which is playing for local ears.
On I would say on the Israeli side. And also on the Palestinian side, we need to be focused that the understanding of what's going on in the ground is this is a limited in scale and scope, although it is in an increased scale, compared to the last few years.
But the scope, it will be limited, it will be over within a few days. And then every site will have to look at what it's achieved. And, you know, the terrorists will have to ask themselves and the people in the cabinet class themselves, is it good to have these terrorists?
And so I will say OK, what are the types of tools I need to do in order to prevent this from happening again, and I would say security coordination is one of those with the Palestinian Authority, but also operational capability of the IDF is also important.
VAUSE: Peter, makes a very good points, and it's great to have you with us. Thank you.
LERNER: Thanks, John. Have a good day.
VAUSE: The past week has been difficult for Ukrainian forces but the Ukrainian president says the month long counteroffensive is making progress bit slowly but surely. According to Ukrainian military officials, more than 180,000 Russian troops are deployed on two major Eastern fronts, and those troops reportedly include air assault units, and convicted criminals.
The commander of Ukrainian land forces says around 50,000 troops near Bakhmut. Fighting has been fierce there with Ukrainian and Russian troops holding and exchanging the same position several times in the same day.
Meantime, Russian attacks on civilians have claimed at least two lives in the city of Sumy, where a Russian drone strike hit two apartment blocks and an administration building as well. 19 people were hurt among them a five year old child. Ukraine's president says this is just another reminder of the ongoing need for better air defenses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLOYDMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Unfortunately, our state does not yet have a sufficient number of high quality air defense systems to protect our entire territory and shoot down all enemy targets. The enemy takes advantage of this, as they did today by launching another terrorist attack on the city of Sumy using an Iranian drone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The very latest out from Ukraine from CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voiceover): Ukraine's much anticipated counteroffensive now well into its fourth week. The front lines ever more intense. But the game so far small and incremental.
Ukrainian forces are pushing forward in the south, liberating just over 150 square kilometers. That's only 60 square miles. But as Ukraine advances the country's Deputy Defense Minister says Russia is stepping up attacks in the east.
The enemy is trying to force our troops out of their positions, but is receiving a worthy rebuff, she said in her latest update. On several fronts, Russian forces are managing to move forward now on the offensive in the town of Svatove in the Luhansk region.
[01:15:00]
Back in Moscow, Russia's military leaders continue to project strength, even after the recent mutiny by Wagner mercenaries.
SERGEI SHOIGU, RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): These plans failed primarily because the personnel of the Armed Forces showed loyalty to the oath and military duty. The provocation did not have impact on the actions of the groupings of troops, the servicemen courageously and selflessly continue to solve the tasks assigned to them.
WEDEMAN: Russia's assault on Ukraine also continues further from the frontlines hammering civilian infrastructure.
Monday four Russian drones were launched in the northeastern city of Sumy hitting two residential apartment blocks and a local administrative building. That attack killed two people and injured at least 19. Rescuers are determined to quickly clear up the aftermath. Just as Ukrainian forces tell CNN, they're determined to keep inching forward.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, eastern Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: General Mark Hertling is a CNN military analyst and the former commanding general of U.S. Army, Europe and Seventh Army as well. General Good to see you.
LT. GEN. MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good to see you, John.
VAUSE: OK. So we're now about a month into this Ukrainian counter offensive, or there seems to be a little anxiety about, you know, a lack of progress among some analysts watching from a distance. Ukrainian official, so say all is going to plan. Here's the Deputy Minister for defense.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANNA MALIAR, UKRAINIAN DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): Someone always takes them over the past week in the East in the direction of Bakhmut, the position of our troops was improved. The freed area was increased by nine square kilometers in the south in the Melitopol and Berdyansk areas, the liberated territories have increased by more than 28 square kilometers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: You know, in the past, we've talked about a frontline that was moving very incrementally for months. You were measured in feet or maybe meters to be talking in terms of kilometers or miles, or that seems pretty good. HERTLING: Yes, I think so too, John. And I know that there's a lot of Westerners in the media, or pundits or journalists who are saying, hey, it's not going as fast as we expected. Truthfully, as long ago as five or six months ago, there were some things that gave me an indication that this would occur exactly as it's going. And here's what I mean.
First of all, this is the first time the Ukrainian Army has done this kind of large scale operation in terms of a large force conducting a counteroffensive. Secondly, Russia had about six months to prepare defensive positions, they did those in four different belts.
Third, I think we we've got some incorporation of new equipment that, you know, causes a little bit of anxiety, the new Western equipment, the armored vehicles, the artillery, some of the things the engineer equipment that Ukraine is now putting to use for the first time. And the fourth thing I'd say is this mission. Conducting an offensive operation against a complex obstacle series of lines is probably the toughest mission that any military does.
VAUSE: Slow and steady seems to be the way they're doing it. Especially when you compare to the last major operations when the Ukrainians retook the Kharkiv region, it all sort of happened, you know, in lightning speed, they took the Russians by surprise.
This time Ukrainian military spokesman says Russia has deployed over 180,000 troops to two major eastern fronts of Lyman-Kupyansk, as well as in the direction of Bakhmut.
So to your point, the Russians had six months to prepare for this. To the Ukrainians, you know, is it possible to know if they've waited too long? Did they give the Russians too much time to dig in? Or is everything kind of going to play out in the days, months ahead? And they will know if they waited too long?
HERTLING: Yes, well, they didn't have a whole lot of choice and giving the Russians time to dig in and prepare that started as they were conducting, as the Ukrainians were conducting other offenses of you just mentioned in Kharkiv and Kherson.
And remember, in both of those fights and those fights that were -- that came out very positively for the Ukrainian forces. The Russians weren't in the defense. They had occupied territory. And I think if they were taken by surprise when the Ukrainians move.
In this case, everyone knows the offensive has been coming across that 600 kilometer front and they're doing it, I think the Ukrainians are doing it in a very smart way. They're continuing to probe find weak spots, and is the Ukrainian general in charge of the eastern sector said today, there are a lot more Russians there. And I think the purpose of that is so that Russia won't allow Ukraine to break off additional forces to go to the sub southeastern regions where I believe the main attack is going to come.
VAUSE: Well, during an exclusive interview with CNN, the Ukrainian president talked about the impact of that aborted Wagner coup in Russia. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENSKYY (through translator): We see Putin's reaction. It's weak.
[01:20:00]
Firstly, we see he doesn't control everything. Wagner is moving deep into Russia and taking certain regions shows how easy it is to do. Putin doesn't control the situation in the region. He doesn't control the security situation. And all of us understand that his whole army is in Ukraine with almost entire armies there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: Is he right here? Has Putin sort of militarily bet the house on Ukraine? Did the Russians have much less in the tank, especially when the Ukrainians commit, you know, more firepower to that counter offensive, all of their firepower if you like?
HERTLING: Yes, the Russians do not have a whole lot more left in their tank. They thrown everything they have into Ukraine, because Putin cannot fail -- cannot afford to lose. And John, I think President Zelenskyy is exactly right.
The fact that the Wagner group was able to conduct their operations so far into Russia, first near Rostov and then heading toward Moscow. And then you add, in addition to that, the Russian militants that had attacked into Belgorod earlier and Kursk earlier with indicators that there weren't a whole lot of border forces or opportunities for Russian military to counter those kinds of incursions into the Russian homeland.
It just tells you that that it is a broken military we've known that for a long time. How broken they are becomes more and more apparent on a daily basis.
VAUSE: General Mark Hertling, as always, thank you so great to have with us.
HERTLING: Pleasure, John, thank you.
VAUSE: Russian state media reports to drones have been shut down near Moscow, with no injuries and no damage and no word who may have launched the drones. Meantime, Russia's Air Transport Agency says half a dozen planes have been diverted from one of Moscow's four major airports, apparently for technical problems.
But the mayor of Moscow says the flights were diverted because of what he says was an attempted drone attack.
Still to come, Frenchman is appealing for calm with marches through the suburbs of Paris as well as other cities. Well, President Emmanuel Macron promises to investigate a week of violent protests.
Also ahead, Hong Kong Police placing bounties on the heads of pro- democracy protesters living abroad, but can they actually make an arrest?
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VAUSE: Philadelphia police have a suspect in custody after a mass shooting which left four people dead Monday night. The victims are all men ranging from 20 to 59 years old. Two children a two-year-old and a 13-year-old injured but believes we in a stable condition. The motive for the shooting right now is unclear.
Just hours from now the French President will meet with mayors of cities rocked by a week of riots and looting and easy calm has settled over Paris after violent protests sparked by the deadly police shooting of a 17-year-old delivery driver. CNN's Melissa Bell has late details.
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(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA BELL, CNN PARIS CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It was another weekend of violence here in France with the violence that seemed to taper off by Sunday night. Just over 150 people were arrested weighed down from the numbers we'd seen on Saturday and on Friday night.
Part of that, key to that may have been the appeal from the grandmother of young Nahel to 17-year-old of North African descent who was killed last Tuesday to police stop, she appealed for calm on Sunday, urging people to stay home.
Now that may be part of the answer as to why the violence has dropped off, but also some of the shocking scenes that we saw on the night from Saturday to Sunday when a burning car was rammed into the house of a local mayor and suburban Paris, when his wife and two young children were inside.
A peaceful protest in L'Hay-les-Roses that suburb where it took place, led by the mayor appealing for calm and saying that at this stage, a line had been crossed.
Still, French authorities taking no chances they will remain on the streets of France is Monday night the 45,000 police men and women that had patrolled the streets over the weekend as well. The police chief here in Paris saying that they want to make sure that there are no more incidents.
There is also what the politicians are now trying to do to calm the minds of those in the suburbs, not just here in Paris, but elsewhere in France. Emmanuel Macron meeting on Monday with the heads of Parliament, he will meet on Tuesday with the leaders of some 220 villages and communes where much of the violence took place. The mayor's who have been so directly impacted. Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Now Los Angeles, CNN European Affairs commentator, Dominic Thomas. Good to see you, Dominic. DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Thanks for having me on, John.
VAUSE: OK, here's the French Prime Minister speaking Monday with relative calm for the first time in days now settling of Paris and the rest of the country. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELISABETH BORNE, FRENCH PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Obviously, the crisis brings up numerous questions In any case. Today, our priority is to ensure the return of republican order with the kind of order maintained tonight and with a strong criminal response.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: It does indeed raise a lot of questions. But will the questions be about the root cause of the riots about systemic racism and French law enforcement? Will the questions be about a tougher response on protesters increasing deterrence, they the increasing punishment? Which way does this debate now head?
THOMAS: On unfortunately, John, I think it goes down the road of not addressing the range of issues we've been talking about for the past week, and it goes down with furthering that Law and Order agenda. And I think that is a very real, missed opportunity.
Yes, there was violence. Yes, that violence is an expression of anger. But it also distracts from I think some of the remarkable things that took place over the past week, which was that there were very large protests that were very diverse, with thousands and thousands of young people, paradoxically, with a message calling not just for justice, but for greater access to those Republican ideals that the Prime Minister was referring to.
And I think, unfortunately, if they don't address those underlying issues, they're going to continue to haunt this republic. And it means the situation moving forward, John will remain volatile.
VAUSE: Yes, Macron seems sort of caught in the middle here sort of becoming increasingly unpopular by the day, no matter what he does. One recent poll had his job approval at around 23 percent, 23 percent, while 72 percent disapproved what he was doing.
And July 14, is his self-imposed 100 day deadline to heal the nation after what almost three months of nationwide protests over pension reform. It seems pretty hard to heal the nation when almost three quarters of the country disapprove of the job you're doing as president.
THOMAS: You're absolutely right, John. And I think that, you know, in many ways those polls you're referring to reflect the 2022 presidential election in which Emmanuel Macron score just over 20 percent of registered voters, the biggest party were those that abstained. And then on the heels of that, he went about losing his legislative
absolute majority. And it's not a coalition system like Germany, it's a winner takes all. So, winner takes all means your -- it's your responsibility. And I think there are very real reasons why those polls are where they're at right now. He has been unable to shake this reputation as being an elitist president, whose policies through tax cuts, business cuts, and so on, have been or cuts to businesses rather, have favored the wealthier segments of society.
And it is the people, those that are talking are disproportionately impacted by inflation and pension reform and cost of living and food increases and so on, that are also drawing attention to the problem with the equality pillar in those Republican ideals. And it's and it's ultimately Emmanuel Macron, who is going to bear the blame for that. And over the past few days, we've seen those issues come together in the protests as well, John.
VAUSE: And even during his first term, he faced the Yellow Jacket protests. Now these nationwide protests over racism within the police force.
[01:30:02]
"The Economist" put it this way. "Macron's minority centrist government is squeezed between a bloc on the far left and another on the nationalist hard right. The rioting has handed both opposition factions a chance to undermine his presidency once again."
So it's a central problem for Macron. He just doesn't obviously have a major support base here but more importantly has a unique ability to govern in a way which pleases almost no one.
THOMAS: Yes. That is true. And "The Economist" is not wrong here. But this is a situation that was made and packaged by Emmanuel Macron.
Emmanuel Macron was a former socialist minister who decided in 2017 to launch a campaign as a centrist candidate and essentially won that 2017 election by absorbing the right and by essentially rendering the socialist left obsolete. So he's created a center -- a central position that he now occupies, with a far-left in a far-right, those are the two major parties left on the electoral landscape today, who are absolutely determined to end up in the runoff stages in the 2027 elections and who have been obstructionists in parliament, of course, in their goal to undermine his presidency.
But at the end of the day he is the president, he's at the helm, and the fact that electorally he sees the future of his party not just moving to the right but poaching on right-wing voters through these kinds of debates on identity and cultural debates on immigration. And that's not enough to take care of that other pillar which is the pillar of equality, which is what so much has been about in the unrest since the pension reform, the yellow vests, and ultimately the question of ethnic minorities in France today, John.
VAUSE: Dominic, as always great to have you with us. Thank you. Appreciate it. THOMAS: Thank you.
VAUSE: Hong Kong police offering up $120,000 reward for the rest of 8 pro democracy activists who are all living in exile overseas. Among those who now have a bounty on their heads is former lawmaker Nathan Law and Dennis Kwok. All eight of the accused, or eight rather5 accused of violating Beijing's strict national security law, with acts of colluding with foreign services, (INAUDIBLE) state power.
The dissidents fled Hong Kong amid a crackdown by security forces. Beijing backed lawmakers in Hong Kong say the law applies regardless of where they are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE LI KWEI-WEH, CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT, NATIONAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT: Some people have been overseas and continue to engage in the activities dangerous to national securities. I would like to point out one point that the National Security Law of Hong Kong has a (INAUDIBLE) effect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The U.S. State Department is condemning the move, saying, quote, "The extra territorial application of the Beijing imposed national security law is a dangerous precedent that threatens the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people all over the world.
Still to come here on CNN, the latest from Jenin as Israeli forces press ahead with their military operation and the message Palestinians have for the international community.
[01:33:05]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Welcome back, everyone.
I'm John Vause. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.
Recap now our top story we're following this hour. Palestinians fleeing the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, with fears of continued Israeli military after the biggest IDF counterterrorism operation in more than 20 years.
This is the devastation that many woke up to in Jenin on Tuesday morning. After 24 hours of Israeli attacks against where it claims are terrorist central command and control centers. Israel says the operation is an ongoing extensive counterterrorism effort.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): They were targeting terrorists. They're arresting fugitives. They are destroying command centers, and seizing considerable weaponry. They're destroying laboratories on an almost industrial scale, for producing explosives, bombs, and devices, aimed at killing and murdering Israeli citizens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: However Palestinian officials have condemned the raid saying at least nine people have been killed and almost 100 injured. Many Palestinians are now answering a call for militant groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad to show unity in the face of the ongoing violence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We say to the Israeli occupation, no matter how much blood you shed of our children, our elders, and our women this will only increase our determination.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We say it to everyone. No matter how many tanks, planes, and soldiers encircle and storm the Jenin camp, this will not break the will of its people nor of any Palestinian on the face of the earth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: The White House is said to be watching events unfold in Jenin, but it has not said a lot. It's facing a difficult dilemma. How to support Israel's right to self defense while not risking broader Middle East goals.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, here at the White House and also at the State Department, officials are closely monitoring that unfolding situation in the West Bank where Israel launched one of its largest military operations there in years.
But not much more coming out of the White House and the State Department where a National Security Council spokesperson says, quote, "We have seen the reports that are monitoring the situation closely. We support Israel's security and right to defend its people against the Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other terrorist groups. It is imperative to take all possible precautions to prevent the loss of civilian lives.
Now beyond monitoring the reports of casualties as they emerge from this Israeli operation inside the West Bank, U.S. officials are also very wary of a potential broader escalation. Over the last couple of years there have been a number of clashes between Israel and Palestinian militants.
And the U.S. has played a crucial behind the scenes role in mediating some of those conflicts. Also bringing together some of the highest level Israeli-Palestinian meetings that we have seen between the two sides in years.
But nonetheless, powder-keg dynamics remain in the region and so the U.S. is very mindful of the possibility for a broader escalation here. The U.S. is also in the process of trying to re-integrate Israel more broadly into the region. Building on the success of the Abraham Accords during the Trump administration. And one of the Biden administration's key goals is to try and achieve normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
But Saudi Arabia has made very clear that the situation for Palestinians need to improve in order for that to happen. Secretary of State Tony Blinken also speaking to that last month, saying that it would be tougher if not impossible for that normalization to happen, unless those powder keg dynamics actually change, unless the situation for Palestinians improves.
Jeremy Diamond, CNN -- the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Steven Cook is a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Good to see you. Welcome back.
STEVEN COOK, SENIOR FELLOW, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Thanks.
VAUSE: Ok. ?So this IDF raid it seems will not be the last in the West Bank. Israeli Major General Yehuda Fox told reporters "This operation does not stand on its own. This day doesn't stand on its own."
And the Israeli foreign minister insists this fight though is not with the Palestinian people. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELI COHEN, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: We are striking the terrorism hub with a great strength. I want to emphasize that we don't have a fight with the Palestinians.
Actually, our fight is with the forces of Iran in our region which is mainly with the Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[01:40:00]
VAUSE: The guys making the bombs and the guys shooting at Israeli soldiers are Palestinians. And you know, they're all saying one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
So for many Palestinians, making that distinction of who Israel's having a fight with may not be uppermost in their minds right now, especially as they flee their homes in Jenin. And this, in so many ways, just keeps this whole conflict going from bad to worse because the Palestinians do see it as a war on Palestinians.
COOK: That's exactly right. I think the statement from the Israeli prime minister is something that you would expect from the Israeli prime minister and what previous Israeli ministers might have said in a similar situation. But certainly the Palestinians do not see it that way. And they see it as a legitimate form of self-defense against what they consider to be Israeli aggression.
One thing that the foreign minister did say which does ring true is that the Iranians have been working very hard in recent months to coordinate Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and actually Lebanon's Hezbollah.
And there is some evidence that these groups have been coordinating and Jenin has been a center of coordination among -- at least between Palestinian, Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
And it's been a real problem for Israeli security. And that's why we see this operation and we're going to see the continuation of these types of operations against both those groups in the West Bank.
But as you point out Palestinians see it as a war on them, not these two groups.
VAUSE: So far it would seem the IDF, and many civilians have been wounded, at least according to Palestinian sources, it seems the Israeli forces have been very effective targeting militants.
With that in mind, here's the Israeli prime minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NETANYAHU: IDF soldiers are doing all of this in one of the most crowded places on earth. And as of now, they are doing so with minimal injury to civilians and without any injury to non-combatants.
And this is the directive, taking care of the security of our forces and avoiding injury to innocents.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: There seems to be a level of precision here by the Israeli forces which we had not seen in the past.
COOK: Well, it really depends on you definition of minimal. Of course, Palestinian sources are reporting that about 100 Palestinians have been injured, including eight terrorists have been killed by Israeli fire.
But it is true that the Israelis have such a leverage to their (INAUDIBLE) for proficiency in order to target very specific areas. The fact of the matter is that Islamic Jihad and Hamas put themselves within heavily populated civilian areas in order to put the Israelis in these very difficult situation. Clearly the Israelis have made the calculation that even as they try to minimize civilian casualty, whoever they do injure is worth the price in international condemnation in order to do a lot of damage to Islamic Jihad and Hamas in Jenin.
VAUSE: Yes. And as expected Hamas and Islamic Jihad have called on Palestinians to join this fight against the Israelis. But I want you to listen to the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAHMOUD ABBAS, PRESIDENT, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (through translator): I have directed the government and its agencies to provide everything necessary to strengthen the steadfastness of our people in Jenin and in all the land of the state of Palestine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VAUSE: That sounds like a PA security forces which in the past Israel has relied on to maintain security in the West Bank. What, are they one step away from open conflict with the IDF?
COOK: Well, it would be a significant mistake for Mahmoud Abbas to throw Palestinian security forces into the fight against the IDF. Mahmoud Abbas is really a (INAUDIBLE) force as is the Palestinian Authority. So this is kind of a statement that one would expect from him. But at the same time, I wouldn't put too much stock in it. He also announced that he was cutting off all contact with the government in Israel, contact which is minimal.
Essentially, the PA has become a sideshow into what over the recent months has become a dirty little war between Israelis, the IDF, Israeli settlers, Palestinians, and Islamic Jihad and Hamas. It would destroy the Palestinian security forces if they were thrown in this fight or be put in the middle of the fighting between these groups and the IDF.
VAUSE: It seems that the PA has been sidelined for most of the time through al of this.
Steven, as you say, thanks for that. We really appreciate it.
Steven Cook there, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies, Council on Foreign Relations.
COOK: My pleasure.
VAUSE: With that, we will pause for a short break.
Back in a moment.
[01:44:41]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VAUSE: Well, after repeated requests, the U.S. ambassador to Moscow has finally been allowed to meet with jailed "Wall Street Journal" reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is being held in a notorious Russian prison. The last diplomatic visit to Gershkovich was in April, a month after he was detained.
Details now from CNN's Kylie Atwood.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN U.S. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Evan Gershkovich was visited in prison for the second time by the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy. That's according to a spokesperson at the U.S. embassy and Moscow. And this is only the second time that Lynne Tracy has been able to visit Evan, of course that "Wall Street Journal" reporter who was detained in Russia earlier this year, facing charges of espionage, that he, his family, and the State Department, the Biden administration, have all said are bogus, have denied their credibility.
But he is still in a Russian prison. His pretrial detention period has been extended through at least August. And there have been multiple requests that the State Department has put into the Russians to try to see Gershkovich to gain consular access multiple times. Those requests have been turned down.
So it is significant that Ambassador Tracy was able to visit with him this week. And according to a spokesperson at the State Department, Gershkovich is in good health, and remains strong, of course, despite the circumstances.
Kylie Atwood, CNN -- the State Department.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says fighting this past week has been difficult with Russian forces dug in and more than 180,000 additional Russian troops deployed to the frontlines. Meantime Ukrainians western allies are preparing for next week's NATO summit in Lithuania.
During an exclusive interview with CNN's Erin Burnett, President Zelenskyy made clear he wants an invitation to join NATO and he wants it now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: We are days away from the NATO summit. Have you had any assurances, at least from the United States, that they will directly support Ukraine's bid for membership?
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I'm grateful to the U.S. For their support. President Biden and the U.S. Congress, both parties despite their preparations for the elections pay a great deal of attention to the war in Ukraine.
They are on our side. And they support us. It is difficult for Ukraine to survive without the U.S. support. And it's a fact. I'm very direct when saying this. Without the U.S.'s help, it will become a frozen conflict.
With the U.S.' help, we will de-occupy our territory. De-occupation of any next town is weakening Putin. We don't have to be scared of that.
The U.S. decide today whether Ukraine will get invited to NATO. This is today's situation, and it's a fact. The majority of the NATO countries support inviting Ukraine to NATO. Those who have their doubts look only at President Biden and he knows that this depends on him. It will be his decision.
[01:49:55]
BURNETT: So he has -- he has a decision to make coming into this week.
ZELENSKYY: Yes, for today, yes. He's a decision-maker for today. To be Ukraine in NATO or not to be. But we have great relations. I mean that -- so he supports our future immediate. But we are speaking now about very important for motivation of our soldiers -- facts.
Not invitation, just technical thing, just wording. Invitation, Ukraine to NATO.
BURNETT: Not down the line? Now.
ZELENSKYY: Now. It's very important. It will push Russia. It will push our soldiers (INAUDIBLE) to pay (ph) quicker because of their mobilization, of the people, it's so important to feel that you are really be in through -- around allies in the future. But we know that we will never be in NATO before we are finished.
BURNETT: Right.
ZELENSKYY: So we understand everything. But this signal is really very important and depends on Biden's decision.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VAUSE: That full interview with Ukrainian president will air Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. on the U.S. East Coast. For viewers in the U.K. that's midnight on Thursday.
Still to come here on CNN, from cause to possible solution -- farmers and the role cows play in producing planet-warming carbon gases. Details on that in a moment.
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VAUSE: The U.K. just reported its hottest June ever. The weather office says the average mean temperature last month was 15.8 degrees Celsius, the highest since records began in 1884. Almost a full degree warmer than the previous record set in 1940 and 1976. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also hit their own June heat records.
Cows and the methane they produce have long been a problem for the climate crisis but new research suggest cattle could actually help fight climate change by changing the way they graze.
CNN's chief climate correspondent Bill Weir explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: In the beginning was the buffalo, Tens of millions of them, wandering the land, munching wild grasses, and using poop and hooves to create rich, fertile soil, up to 15 feet deep.
Look at this.
But since Americans replaced buffalo with cows, generations of fertilizers and pesticides, killing and over-grazing have turned much of that nutrient rich soil into lifeless dirt.
But not on farms where they graze cows just like wild buffalo.
PETER BYCK, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY: So Adaptive Multi Paddock Grazing, AMP Grazing is a way that mimics the way bison have moved across the great plains. And so it's really about the animals hit an area really hard, and then they leave it for a long time.
WEIR: Peter Byck is a professor at Arizona State University. And he believes that if enough beef and dairy operations copy this simple hack, cattle could actually become an ally in the fight against climate change.
BYCK: I anticipate we'll get a lot of pushback, because people are not thinking the cows can be a part of the solution.
WEIR: Not only are you going against the grain of environmentalist who think meat is evil, for lots of reasons, you took money from McDonald's for this.
[01:54:59]
BYCK: Yes. I asked for money from McDonald's for this. I wanted to go to big companies because if they don't change, we don't get there.
WEIR: For his docuseries "Roots So Deep You Can See The Devil Down There", Byck assembled a team of scientists.
BYCK: We're only interested in insects that live in poop.
WEIR: Experts on bugs, birds - yes, bobwhite -- cows, soils and carbon. They spent years comparing five sets of neighboring farms in the southeast. On one side, traditional grazers, who let cows roam one big field for months at a time and often cut fertilized grass for hay.
On the other side, AMP grazers who never mow or fertilize.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You open a gate, they go through. It takes five minutes, to roll up a wire.
WEIR: And with a single line of electrical fence, move their cows from one patch of high grass to the next.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that's building fence.
This is how easy it is.
WEIR: While their science is yet to be published and peer reviewed, Byck says early data has found AMP farms pulling down up to four times the carbon while holding 25 percent more microbes, three times the birdlife, and twice as much rain per hour.
BYCK: If it's a thousand acre farm, it's 54 million gallons of water. It's now washing your soil away versus soaking into your land.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow. Look at this grass.
WEIR: But this is also a human experiment, to see whether data and respectful discussion can change hearts and minds.
BYCK: This was grazed about 40 days ago. And this hadn't been fertilized in 12 years.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Awesome.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And when we got out of spending money on fertilizer it was huge. Huge. I dint' think would ever happen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is such a stress relief. We just don't worry about a lot of it anymore. And then you don't even fertilize when you plant rye grain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nothing. It sounds crazy. But it's just letting Mother Nature do the work.
BYCK: Would it be an interesting thing if you didn't have to pay for fertilizer?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That would be wonderful.
WEIR: Curtis Spangler is one of the conventional farmers in "Roots So Deep" and he said his mind was change when he realized he now has a way to double his herd and quit his second off farm job.
CURTISH SPANGLER, FARMER: Right now we're having to dump thousands of dollars into nitrogen every year that really, if we just change a couple of things, we might be able to save that money to put it toward other resources.
WEIR: Is that something you're committed to doing now as a result of this project?
SPANGER: Yes. We're really looking and seeing the benefits of it and how we can work it.
WEIR: So as we hit the heights of grilling season, a little food for thought.
BYCK: There's ways to print it produce meat that's not good for the planet. And there's ways to produce meat that's really good for the planet. That's the nuance that has been missing.
WEIR: Bill Weir, CNN -- Jasper, Tennessee.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VAUSE: Thank you for watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm John Vause. Stay with us.
Rosemary Church takes over, after a very short break.
[01:58:09]
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