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U.S. Wants To Build On Israeli/UAE Momentum; Joe Biden: Trump A "Toxic Presence" Who Is Encouraging Violence; Thousands Of Buildings Destroyed Or Damaged In Blast; UNESCO In Global Effort To Rebuild Beirut; Berlin Protest Draws Right-Wingers, Conspiracy Theorists; One Hundred Years Of Lebanon: Where Did It All Begin? Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired September 01, 2020 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Abu Dhabi indeed. We are coming to you from our CNN Middle East Hub. And over the next hour we are going to be
looking at the push for common days across what is this immensely important region.
Jared Kushner, man is American delegation have left the UAE one day after the first ever commercial flight from Israel to this city. Before they left
Kushner and U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien visited Al-Dafre Air Base. Now this is key because security and defense is a significant
part of the U.S.-brokered deal which normalized relations between the UAE and Israel.
The UAE wants the latest U.S. fighter the F-35 and believes this deal should make a purchase easier - and if you will is to protect against an
enemy or free stakeholders in the deal share. Iran offers its part Iran's Supreme leader calls a normalization deal a betrayal in a tweet he writes
the UAE betrayed Islam, the Arab nations and the Palestinians.
He adds ominously that the relationship won't last long. There is no doubt that everyone wants to capitalize on the momentum, so who came out on top?
The touchdown of Alal Flight 971 in Abu Dhabi marked a landing in a changing Middle East. The first Israeli commercial flight from Tel Aviv to
Abu Dhabi hailed as a breakthrough and touted as a major foreign policy victory for the Trump Administration. And the Senior Adviser, Jared
Kushner.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Another step towards regional peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: On board another milestone as the air craft over flew Saudi Arabia, the first Israeli airline to be granted entry to Saudi Air Space.
The flight, built upon years of covert relations between Israel and the UAE now quickly coming into the open. The White House pushing other Arab
countries to normalize relations with Israel as well, as new challenges like Iran take precedence over old problems like the Israeli Palestinian
conflict.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED KUSHNER, SENIOR ADVISER TO THE U.S. PRESIDENT: While this peace was forged by its leaders, it is overwhelmingly desired by the people. The very
few who have been critical of this peace agreement are the ones with a long track record of failure and trapping their own people in misery and
poverty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The Israeli delegation began meetings with Emirati counterparts to hammer out the details of normalization from investment to foreign
policy to tourism called the Abraham Accords and there were big issues around this agreement underscored by Jared Kushner's visit to Al-Dafre Air
Base.
The UAE wants America's latest fighter jet the F-35, and believes normalizing with Israel should make it easier to purchase the stealth jet.
The UAE highlighted years of military cooperation with U.S. and its official welcome as if a pitch for growing that relationship with the F-35.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we are friends, we are strategic partners, we are aligned.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well in the excitement of the moment, the delegation pushing aside questions about where this leaves the White House's plan for Middle
East peace and Israel's intended annexation of parts of the West Bank, or even whether Palestinians fit into all this.
[11:05:00]
ANDERSON: There is a diplomatic breakthrough here, and all three countries want this event to be celebrated for what it is.
Well, Oren Liebermann was on that historic flight to Abu Dhabi and touched back down in Israel just moments ago. He joins us from the airport. Thanks
for getting off that flight as quickly as you did, sir. A lot of people applauding this historic trip except the Palestinian leadership who
consider it nothing short of a betrayal.
Now the Palestinian communities here in the UAE are numbers in the hundreds of thousands and played a huge role in building the country. Just have a
listen to what Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed the UAE's Foreign Minister had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHEIKH ABDULLAH BIN ZAYED, UAE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS & INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: The UAE's stance will remain supportive of the Arab stand
calling for establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its Capital. We will continue to support the Palestinian cause
based on a historic stance in this deeply rooted, unshakeable belief that will never change despite any considerations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Reaffirming the UAE's position that they are committed to a two- state solution and an Israeli/Palestinian dial-up. This though, Oren is a sovereign decision by Abu Dhabi, and to that end they have made no bones
about what they want out of this normalization deal, correct? \
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. In terms of where the field stands now, that, it seems, is apparent from every perspective. The
United Arab Emirates and we spoke with one of their Foreign Ministry officials short before getting on the flight back to Tel Aviv here, made it
clear that at least from their perspective they did it right by the Palestinians by halting annexation.
And he was quick to point out that it was not only a guarantee an assurance was the word he used they got from the U.S. that annexation has been
halted, but also there was a trilateral assurance meaning Israel has also agreed to stop annexation as well.
Now of course, the Arab peace initiative which they say they still support was supposed to be the other way around. It was supposed to be
Israeli/Palestinian conflict solved and then normalization. Here it was normalization and then Israeli/Palestinian conflict on hold, perhaps even
sidelined.
But the Emiratis also made it clear they are moving forward. There was essentially some failed criticism of the Palestinians when the Emirati
official we spoke with said look we believe the way forward here is peace, prosperity and dialogue, discussions getting along.
They were critical of Ayatollah statements, not incitement of violence and perhaps some of that directed towards statements we have seen Palestinian
leadership. So although they say they still support and they still support the Palestinians, they are also ready to move on even if those Palestinians
are at the moment it looks sidelined.
Jared Kushner by the way seems very happy or not happy I should say but okay with the idea that the Palestinians right now are on the sidelines and
if they want to get on this train, they should do so rather soon.
ANDERSON: Oren Liebermann is in Israel for you, Tel Aviv. We are very much watching the political process catch up with the UAE's common practice of
religious, cultural and social tolerance. In fact they dedicated last year to just that tolerance and there are Jewish communities here worshipping
every day.
So it was no surprise that some people along for the ride as part of that delegation yesterday held prayers here in Abu Dhabi this morning. You can
see the Head of the Jewish Council of the Emirates among these photos taking part. My team caught up with him well before this peace deal was
agreed. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSS KRIEL, PRESIDENT, JEWISH COUNCIL OF THE EMIRATES: For me to live in a Muslim country has been absolutely beautiful and wonderful. It's a kind of
a reunion in a sense, and none of us could have imagined how spiritually powerful that would be. And I think my Judaism has just flourished around
here in UAE.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Away from this region now, and this hour Donald Trump leaving the Coronavirus the 6 million U.S. cases a 183,000 deaths behind him and
heading to Kenosha in Wisconsin as he pushes what is now the one plank, it seems, of his campaign strategy, promoting himself as a law and order
president, using the false argument that racially charged violence in just a few cities is happening across the country, that America is proverbially
and some ways literally on fire.
So what better place to do that? Throwing fire on Kenosha. That is a battleground state facing their own social reckoning after a police officer
shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times as his children watched from a car in turn sparking protests and violence.
[11:10:00]
ANDERSON: Well, the president seeming to defend or at least explain by using a golf analogy. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It's a joke. Just like in a golf tournament, they miss a 3-foot--
LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST: We're not comparing it to golf because that's what the media would say.
TRUMP: No, I'm saying people joke. People joke.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, to be clear, a man was shot and he is now paralyzed from the waist down. I want to be very clear about this. Nobody missed a golf
putt. There is no such rationalization coming from the president when it comes to the mostly peaceful protests that have happened across America
this summer the president again and again presenting an image of a wrecking ball of chaos and savagery swinging its way through the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: But in recent days, our nation has been gripped by professional anarchists, violent mobs, arsonists, looters, criminals, rioters, ANTIFA.
You had radical anarchists, you had horrible people, you had agitators.
They're not protesters, those are anarchists, they're agitators, rioters, they're looters.
I'm the only thing standing between the American dream and total anarchy, madness and chaos.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, his challenger in this November's election, of course, is Joe Biden, and he is now zipping into gear to try and counter the moment
that Donald Trump is looking to generate. Well, he makes a fairly obvious point.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Fires are burning and we have a president who fans the flames rather than fighting the flames. But we must
not burn. We have to build. This president long ago forfeited any moral leadership in this country. He can't stop the violence because for years
he's fermented it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I want to bring in White House Reporter Stephen Collinson here. President Trump is now on his way to Kenosha despite the city's Mayor
pleading with him not to go.
The president claiming that the violence and the protest that we're seeing erupt there and in other places is a taste of the anarchy that awakes if
Joe Biden wins the White House. Stephen, Biden, some say rather belatedly, is now fighting back. Is this too little too late at this point?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: I think that Biden has fought back quite effectively in the last few days. Of course, he's been in his
basement as the Trump campaign says sheltering from the Coronavirus for months. But I think his fight back was clearly a sign that Democrats are
worried that the president can't be allowed to create this path in the nation of chaos.
And then almost like an authoritarian leader promote himself as the answer for that chaos, the kind of strong man that can get things back on track.
Si it's clear that Biden has started this new strategy. I think the jury is still out on whether the almost caricature of violence in America, a frame
the president is painting, will eventually be an effective political tactic.
But he's a long way behind in the polls; there are only eight weeks to go. He can't really talk about the economy which he was hoping to run on, on
the Coronavirus because he's mismanaged the pandemic, so this really is the president's last resort. He's got to make it look like America is on fire
even if it isn't.
ANDERSON: Do you feel safer under Donald Trump, was the title of Joe Biden's speech. And, of course, it comes at a time when the U.S. has just
cleared 6 million Coronavirus cases, not something that the U.S. President is keen to discuss or even talk about in any way.
COLLINSON: Right. And Biden, the Democratic Nominee, is trying to broaden the argument as one not just about violence in cities, which most Americans
aren't experiencing, but it's about whether they feel safe to go to school, to college, to go back to work, because the virus is still out there, and
the president has not really put into place the measures that could make it safe to do all those things.
He is arguing that the president's tax cuts, for example, which would drain social security retirement savings, will make Americans less safe. You can
see what he's doing here. He's trying to take the president's scorched earth narrative and then create a bigger argument that no one is safe in
Donald Trump's America.
[11:15:00]
COLLINSON: It's to kind of neutralize the law and order portion of this. It could be something that is effective with the key voters in this election
who are white voters in the suburbs around big cities in swing states.
Donald Trump did quite well with those suburbs in 2016. He's trying to create that those suburbs could be under attack if Biden wins. Biden has to
counter that narrative in a broader way, and that's kind of what we've seen him do in the last several days.
ANDERSON: Yes, and he provided some taste of what's to come in his sort of narrative, I think, encountering or certainly responding to these comments
from Donald Trump that Joe Biden is a radical socialist and weak. Let's just have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: Ask yourself do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really? I want a safe America, safe from COVID, safe from crime
and looting, safe from racially motivated violence, safe from bad cops. Let me be crystal clear, safe from four more years of Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: And in your column, meanwhile, in America, Stephen, you write, at this rate the election three days after Halloween could come down to who
comes across as the least scary candidate. Just elaborate, if you will.
COLLINSON: Right, so the president is trying to argue that America under Joe Biden would be a blaze perpetually, a land of extremists and radicals.
Biden has clearly taken the opposite view that, really, what we're living through in America and have been living through over the last four years, a
generational pandemic, violence on the streets is exactly why people shouldn't vote for Donald Trump, because he is a frightening demagogic
figure.
I think what we have to realize is that the number of voters that are potentially up for grabs in this argument is quite small, but it's also
quite significant. Today, for example, as you mentioned, the president is heading to Kenosha, Wisconsin. That is one of the most tightly contested
districts in America.
Donald Trump won it by about 220 votes in 2016 over Hillary Clinton. The entire State of Wisconsin he won by about 27 votes out of 3 million cast.
So you can see these broad arguments and these clashes between Donald Trump really come down to several hundred votes in a lot of states that could
decide this election.
So that's why the message is so intense. That's why Trump is going to Kenosha. It's probably why Biden will end up there before much longer.
ANDERSON: Yes, isn't that fascinating? We're talking tens, perhaps hundreds, but it could come down to tens of votes in areas like that.
Stephen, always a pleasure.
Well, as we look at America's woes right now, consider this musing from the French Diplomat Alexis de Tocqueville (ph). I quote him in saying, the
greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults. He observed that
way back in the 1800s, not so long after the country's founding. Many would do well to remember that today.
Not least of which are those in Lebanon where there is plenty to fix. A global effort to restore Beirut's schools, museums and cultural sites I'll
talk with the Head of UNESCO about what is that ambitious effort, coming up.
Plus more than 6 million Americans have contracted COVID-19, so what has the country learned since the outbreak began? We will take a deep dive as
we look at that and the bizarre and outrageous conspiracy theories that are fueling protests in Europe back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: French President Emmanuel Macron back in Beirut has promised from his first visit a month ago in the wake of that deadly blast that ripped
through the capital's port area. You can see him here with the Lebanese President Michel Aoun.
The purpose of his trip, he says, is to mark the end of a political chapter and help the country marred in political and economic crises rebuild a
better future, well, more on his trip a little later this hour.
He is not the only one who is coming to Lebanon's aid. UNESCO, one of the world's biggest United Nations Outreach Organizations, has kicked off the
Le Beirut initiative, meaning for Beirut the aim, to raise millions of dollars to help the city rebuild hundreds of historical buildings damaged
by the port blast and speaking from outside the gardens of one of Beirut's most historic buildings that stands scarred and ruined from the blast,
UNESCO's Director General appealed for help.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AUDREY AZOULAY, UNESCO DIRECTOR-GENERAL: I believe that there is no solution but to work together. I know that it's not always easy. Perhaps
this is also an opportunity for national mobilization for an issue that is worthwhile.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Audrey Azoulay joins me now live from Paris. You were able to see firsthand the wreckage wrought from that blast. The manifestation, many
say, of a broken system that has simply failed the people of Beirut. On your trip, as I understand it, you met with President Michel Aoun. What
came out of that meeting?
AZOULAY: First of all, thank you for having me on the show. It was a very special trip that I took to Beirut last week. Before the visit to the
President Aoun, I was struck by the anger of the people of Beirut. I was struck by the shock, the devastation of the blasts, the traces of violence,
the level of destruction around the port.
And one of my first messages to President Aoun was to say that there is an immediate need to protect the areas, the streets behind the ports that are
home to so many historic buildings, cultural heritage. There was a need, absolutely urgent need, to protect it from real estate speculation, to
protect it from predators, and then to rebuild.
I gave this message for cultural heritage with also for the schools that have been destroyed in this very special area around the port.
ANDERSON: You say $22 million would be needed to rebuild damaged schools in Beirut. How are you going to go about raising that money, and are you
receiving enough help from the international community?
AZOULAY: For the schools, there are two priorities for us. The first one you mentioned is to rebuild the damaged schools around the port in the
neighborhood of - for instance, where I visited two schools, a public one and a private one.
And you have to know that even before the blast the public school system was very much fragilized by the crisis in Lebanon and by the economic
social crisis also because the public system is hosting a lot of refugee children.
[11:25:00]
AZOULAY: And then came the blasts, and we estimated, and there was a report yesterday by the World Bank confirming those estimates that around $22
million were needed just to rebuild the walls and to on sole supporter for beginning of remote learning.
ANDERSON: OK, I just want to stop you for one second here. I'm going to try and come back to you. I do though just want to get to the U.S. where Donald
Trump is speaking at the joint air force base.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: --when they came to me this is taking place in our country. I can't believe it, either. One of the
reasons I'm making the trip today and going to Wisconsin is we've had such a big success in shutting down what would be right now a city that would
have been Kenosha, a city that would have been burned to the ground by now.
And we're going to really say hello to law enforcement and the National Guard, and it all stopped immediately upon the National Guard's arrival. So
it would be easy to stop. I saw last night where these radical anarchists were trying to get into the Mayor's house and lots of bad things were
happening to this poor, foolish, very stupid mayor.
How he could be Mayor, I have no idea. All he has to do is call, and within ten minutes, their problem will be over. As you know, they have to call us.
They have to call and request help. All he has to do is call, and the problem will end. They had tremendous numbers of people really harassing
him horribly and I guess trying to break into his house.
And he still sticks up for them because he's a fool. Only a fool would stick up for them like that. These are anarchists, these are agitators,
they're rioters, they're looters, they're bad people. They're burning down Portland.
You take a look at that, you take a look at the scenes last night and then the fake news media will say they're friendly protesters. Because you
people, I tell you, if we only had an honest press in this country, we would be much more advanced. But we have a very dishonest press.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You spoke a lot about the anarchy that you're referring to. What about racial divisions? Would you like to bridge some of those
gaps, and do you think that anything that you're saying is helping the matter?
D. TRUMP: I think it's helping because I'm about law and order, and if you look at the black community, they want the police to help them stop crime.
The Hispanic community, they want police. 82 percent, 84 percent, numbers that you haven't even seen they don't want crime. They don't want to be
mugged.
They don't want to have any problems. It's just a shame. And as far as the previous administration, take a look at Baltimore what happened? Was it
Freddie Gray? Take a look at Baltimore, take a look at St. Louis, take look at Ferguson, take a look at what happened?
What they had put what we're doing to shame. It put it to shame. Take a look at those places. You always had Portland. Portland has been like this,
I read an article for 50 years this has been going on. I would like to stop it, and we can stop it quickly. All they have to do is say, okay,
president, now we're ready.
When I watched that scene last night with all of those really horrible people outside of the Mayor's house, I also saw the way they shot the young
gentleman in the street. He was targeted. They targeted him. They shot him in the street and then they were so happy that he died.
You don't mention that. You mention somebody spray-painted somebody from the other side. They shot a man in the street. They executed a man in the
street a religious man in the street. And you don't mention it. It's not even a story.
You talk about other things. The press should be ashamed of themselves, I think the press is actually - the media is what's fueling this, more so
than even Biden, because Biden doesn't know he's alive. The press is really fueling this, and they're fueling it horribly, and you're doing a great
disservice to your country. Okay, any other questions?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to visiting Portland?
D. TRUMP: I may. I'm also going to be speaking with the Pastor, who is talking to as per your question previously very well involved and respected
man. I look forward to that. I spoke to him yesterday, by the way, a pastor of the family, as you know.
I spoke to him yesterday. I had a great conversation. I think he's going to be there. But I'm speaking, really today; I'm there for law enforcement and
for the National Guard because they've done a great job in Kenosha. They put out the flame immediately.
As soon as they came in, boom, the flame was gone. Now maybe it will start up again in which case they'll put it out very powerfully.
[11:30:00]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: --do you know anything about Tiktok, and what percentage you want in many other --?
D. TRUMP: When I told them that they have until September 15 to make a deal. After that we close it up in this country. And I said that the United
States has to be well compensated, because we are the ones that make it possible. And so, we should be compensated. So the treasury has to be well
compensated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, do you have an update on airlines, what your administration wants to do to help airlines?
D. TRUMP: We'll be helping the airlines, yes. You have to help the airlines. It's a tough business, always is. Airlines are a tough business
in good times, and we're about ready to get back to good times. If you look at the numbers this morning, some of the numbers coming out are incredible.
We have now the all-time highest stock market if you take the average. We're at a number that nobody would even believe. We're doing well. We have
tremendous - I tell you, we have tremendous - what would you say is the best word, the enthusiasm for the country, the enthusiasm for the comeback.
The V, look at the V. Now I think it's a super V. And Morgan Stanley, of course, which is one of the most respected on Wall Street, would you say,
they just made a big prediction. You know what the prediction was, right? That President Trump is going to remain President. So we'll have to see.
We'll have to see.
But I cannot imagine anything else, because if somebody else got in, namely my opponent, your stock markets, instead of being records right now, they
will crash. Your 401(k) s will be down to nothing, your stocks will be down to nothing, and we will have a depression like you've never seen before.
We're going to have an incredible economy. Next year is going to be one of the best years that we've ever had, and everybody is getting a big tax cut.
Thank you very much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible)
D. TRUMP: Yes, we're working with the drug companies on substantially lowering drug prices. I've put out a favorite nations clause, I've signed
it. That means we get the lowest prices anywhere in the world, we match whoever gets the lowest.
And the drug companies are having a real problem with that, so they're coming to see me, and we expect to get a very substantial price reduction
on prescription drugs which have never been done before.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: --coming?
D. TRUMP: They're coming, yes; they're coming, this week.
ANDERSON: All right, well, that was President Trump on his way to Kenosha, as we understand it, in the State of Wisconsin, repeating some of the
inflammatory remarks that we have become accustomed to hearing from the U.S. President.
Well, I want to get back to our guest from UNESCO. We were discussing Beirut and the need for support in rebuilding that city. Audrey Azoulay is
on the line with me from Paris. And we were discussing that you were in Beirut recently, we were discussing the needs, the opportunities and the
financial support the country is desperately in need of.
The French President is there in country at the moment. Before he arrived, he said, and I quote, "It's the last chance for this system". You met with
Michel Aoun during your trip. He is part of that system, a system which as far as its critics many of the Lebanese people are concerned, is a corrupt
system. What did he tell you, and what was the takeaway from your meeting?
AZOULAY: I insisted for me the two priorities in the reconstruction and the future of this country, which is to preserve its cultural heritage, to
preserve its fabric of creativity, which were severely hit by the explosion, and also special attention for the education system.
We were just discussing that, and you mentioned the need of financial support, the need of multilateral cooperation, and that's why I also
appreciate the attention of many countries towards Lebanon. We need, for instance, just to rehabilitate the schools that were damaged or destroyed
by the blast. We need around $22 million.
And the good news that I can just bring today to show that there is solidarity and there is attention from the world is that, today in a
meeting dedicated to Lebanon of the global coalition for education that we created during the pandemic of COVID.
[11:35:00]
AZOULAY: Today we've already managed to have a pledge of around 12 million coming from education - and mainly from Qatar and also from UNESCO's core
funds.
And I think it's just a beginning. There is a whole of attention. People want to support the Lebanese people despite the difficulties, despite the
political crisis, despite this very low level of trust that there is today within society towards the political institution and political precedent.
ANDERSON: Let's very briefly discuss the fact that nearly 1.5 billion kids have been out of school during this COVID pandemic leading to an education
crisis, of course. What is the solution at this point?
AZOULAY: First, the scale that one has to represent the scale of this crisis when you have at the peak of the pandemic 90 percent of the children
without school. The school closed on today as it's the reopening of the academic years in many parts of the world. Many will not find their schools
open, either the opening is delayed or the schools remain closed.
And what we saw during this period is that, this situation has widened all the inequalities that existed before. It's very striking in terms of
digital inequalities. For instance, in the world, only one children out of two had access to a computer at home, so it's very hard to discuss about
remote learning without any access to computer.
That's why UNESCO tried to mobilize the international community, the private partners, the media and the telecom industries to support a way of
remote learning. Because we're facing a very serious I think crisis that we had collectively underestimated at the beginning. Because when children
don't go to school, they don't learn, they don't have access to social services, they have a source of mental health, so it's a very important
challenge which is still ahead.
ANDERSON: With that, we're going to leave it there. We thank you for staying with us. Apologies for the interruption and it have been a pleasure
having you on. Thank you. There are some ways to get in touch if you'd like to help specifically with the work that UNESCO is doing lots more
information on their website. If you'd like to donate, go to unesco.org.
Well, up next, America hitting a new COVID milestone, and in Germany, dark conspiracy theories are spreading fast. How one U.S. fringe group is now
making strides in Europe?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: We have just heard from U.S. President Donald Trump painting protesters against racial injustice's lawless rioters. That was as he
leaves for Kenosha in Wisconsin, a city simmering with racial unrest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Local officials are concerned the trip will only inflame a community already on edge. Mr. Trump is scheduled to meet with law enforcement. He
has no plans to visit with Blake's family. On Monday the President failed to condemn the deadly violence in Kenosha and instead appeared to defend
the teen accused of killing two protesters there.
Well, in that same press briefing yesterday, the President talked about the progress - sorry, today, the progress that the country is making fighting
the Coronavirus. But contrast that positivity with these dramatic figures. The U.S. has just surpassed 6 million cases and has had 183,000 deaths.
And just ahead of a holiday weekend, White House Coronavirus Task Force Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx says it's now up to Americans themselves to
take personal responsibility to help slow the outbreak by wearing masks and social distancing.
Well, the far right rhetoric and civil unrest that is inflaming some American cities is also playing out across the Atlantic. There is a common
threat now gaining supporters in Germany. It's the bizarre conspiracy theory spread by a group called QAnon from Satan worship to sex trafficking
schemes.
The internet-fueled rumors are stoking street protests. Fred Pleitgen met up with some of these believers, many of them supporters of Donald Trump.
And he joins us now from Berlin. Fascinating. What did you learn?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you're absolutely right, it certainly was very fascinating. We went to that
demonstration in Berlin on Saturday, which, by the way, pulled about 40,000 people here to the German Capital. And of course most of the people who
were there were simply protesting against the pandemic measures of the German government.
But we were also quite surprised how many folks we saw who openly said that they follow the QAnon conspiracy theory, and how many of them then also
said that they not only believed that Donald Trump was a great President, but who indeed said that they were disciples of President Trump. Here's
what we found.
An attack on Germany's democracy protesters from the demo against the country's Coronavirus restrictions tried to storm the German parliament on
Saturday. Among them, people carrying flags of the German right, a symbol that is now associated with Germany's far right, along with Russian flags
but also U.S. flags.
We also found many supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory, this man waving a rice flag with the QAnon symbol and the likeness of Donald Trump.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: You like Donald Trump?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I like.
PLEITGEN: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a deep state. I have long time manipulate to people, to human and--
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: QAnon is a sprawling conspiracy theory that claims without evidence that a group of certain worshipping members of the deep state are
plotting to destroy President Trump and establish world domination. They claim measures against the pandemic are part of that conspiracy, and at
least according to some we spoke to, that President Trump is an angel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's an angel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For me not at all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
PLEITGEN: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a connection. He has a connection.
PLEITGEN: To who?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To --. You will see wait till 3rd November, and on the 4th November the pandemic is finished worldwide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: President Trump has re-tweeted claims from accounts linked to QAnon hundreds of times and has repeatedly refused to denounce the QAnon
conspiracy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: Well, I don't know much about the movement other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: But the President's words are undermining Germany's own response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Angela Merkel's government is generally viewed
as being successful in combating COVID-19.
But that Saturday's demonstration, she and members of her government are pictured in what seemed to be concentration camp inmate suits calling for
her to be locked up another man in a Trump shirt and a Maga hat saying this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PLEITGEN: What do you think about German's Chancellor, Angela Merkel, because internationally she's been praised for the way she's dealt with the
Coronavirus crisis.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think she is Hitler's daughter.
PLEITGEN: If she's Hitler's daughter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I think.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:45:00]
PLEITGEN: And Becky, needless to say Angela Merkel is not the daughter of Adolf Hitler. She was born long after Adolf Hitler was already dead. But
one of the things that we are seeing at demonstrations likes that one.
And certainly at the one that we were at is that, to a much larger extent, you're seeing folks who are very open about being with QAnon, and also a
demonstration before where you had people who follow conspiracy theories, you'd often have Russian flags there.
A lot more American flags at those demonstrations and a lot of people who obviously say that they are very, very big fans and indeed disciples as we
said of President Trump. Becky?
ANDERSON: Fred Pleitgen on the story for you. Thank you, Fred. Next up, Lebanon facing crisis after crisis the country sometimes struggles to even
keep the lights on for its citizens. We'll speak with the caretaker energy minister, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: I want to show you these live pictures coming from Beirut. The police there in riot gear obviously pushing protesters back on the streets.
Relatively peaceful at present but things can change, of course.
Those are scenes out of Beirut as we speak. That's all as the French President Emmanuel Macron is in Beirut once again to help push the rebuild
of the country after the damage from the blast that rocked Beirut on August the 4th.
This time around Mr. Macron is urging government reform, the people of Lebanon simply don't trust their politician's basic services are -
electricity cuts off for hours. In the day the country is being governed by a sectarian power sharing system.
Since its independence from France a hundred years ago, many argue that system has caused crisis after crisis in Lebanon. So by its discusser's
issues with Lebanon's Caretaker Energy Minister, Raymond Ghajar, who joins me now live and sir, you were one of the first ministers to resign after
that Beirut blast. Was that resignation an acknowledgment of your implicit role in a system that many say is rigged?
RAYMOND GHAJAR, LEBANESE CARETAKER MINISTER OF ENERGY & WATER: Good afternoon. Well, first of all, I did not resign. I did think about
resignation. I said the government ought to have resigned immediately after the blast as just a sign of solidarity with the Lebanese people. But we
resigned as a government.
I think the - since the two ministers that resigned, you know, the Minister of Information and Minister of Environment and before that the Minister of
Foreign Affairs. But I did not resign. I said we should have. Frankly, I didn't feel that my resignation was useful after the blast because we got
hit the most.
The electricity to Lebanon, the electricity company was totally destroyed, and the general manager was, you know, injured heavily, and we had some
losses. You know, we had three people basically got killed in the blast, and we had around 30 people who were injured. So it was my duty to stay and
run the service, you know. It wasn't a point to resign by myself and let the utility to recover from a very major blast.
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: Okay, but perhaps we should say you didn't want to resign, because you didn't want the electricity utility to do even worse that it is
already doing. It sucks up 25 percent of Lebanon's budget deficit, and yet the lights go on for a couple of hours a day. It is ridiculous.
As a Caretaker Energy Minister, in a party of the free patriotic movement that has held this portfolio for many, many years, aren't you and your
colleagues in that party accountable for the mess that is Lebanon today?
GHAJAR: Well, again, a little bit of correction. I'm not a member of any political party. It's true that the free patriotic movement has been at
this ministry for a number of years, and before that other ministers were there, too. Let me just tell you exactly what is the problem with the
electricity sector. I mean, it would only take a few seconds.
We produce electricity, not enough, obviously, to serve the demand. However, we sell it at almost half the cost of production. So the source of
loss and the requirement for subsidy is a government decision, and it has been a government decision for at least 25 years.
Because we have consistently decided - the governments, not this government, the government and parliament have consistently decided to sell
electricity at half the cost of production. So this means a big loss, a big loss worth 1 or $2 billion a year. Okay?
Now when you lose that much money a year, you don't have enough to build new facilities and nobody would want to build new facilities because this
is obviously not a good business. It doesn't make any sense.
ANDERSON: Sir, can I just - okay, I understand what you're saying, and I'm well aware of how the system works. I'm watching as you and I speak,
pictures of protesters on the streets of Beirut, and I'm seeing the police pushing those protesters back. Let's hope things don't get any more ugly
than they already seem.
So are you telling me that you want the people of Beirut to really understand that this is not your responsibility, it's the responsibility of
a revolving government in a system that they have complained for years is corrupt.
What do you say to the people of Beirut? You're trying to explain away an issue which has been going on for years and costs the country billions of
dollars. And as I say, the lights still don't go on.
GHAJAR: Yes, well, I'm not trying to justify, I'm just saying, you know, being a minister for the past few months and having been an adviser at the
ministry for many years, being an academic by virtue of my previous position, what I'm saying is that there have been repeatedly requests by
previous governments and by the electric utility to parliament and to governments to adjust the tariff.
And that request is also by the IMF, by the World Bank. You must adjust the tariff. People were happy paying a tariff of, say, 10 U.S. cents per
kilowatt hours for electricity provided by the national utility and paying 27 to 30 cents for electricity provided by the private diesel generators.
Okay?
This has been the case for at least 15, 20 years, okay? And then they say where is the deficit - from? It is basically mismanagement. It is not
mismanagement only. There are obviously things that could be improved, many things, technical losses, nontechnical losses that is electricity based.
However--
ANDERSON: You acknowledge, at least, that there are significant improvements that need to be made. Sir, I'm right up against the back of
this show so, thank you for coming on and at least explaining where you stand.
I mean, the French President has said that unless he sees real change in the country, he will switch tack and he will take measures which will
include withholding vital bailout money and possibly imposing sanctions on the ruling classes.
So it will be interesting to see what happens next. We will continue on this show to hold those who are in power accountable for their decisions. I
hope you understand that we are doing our job as journalists. Thank you, sir.
GHAJAR: Of course.
ANDERSON: We're watching those live pictures, Messy protests again kicking off in Beirut. In the next half hour or so, we will hear from the French
President Emmanuel Macron in Beirut there as a self-anointed political savior of sorts.
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: What could have given him such a neo-colonial sense of self? We will get to that in a moment. Macron has been touring the country for the
past day or so, meeting the great and the good, like the much-loved singer Fairuz (ph) who is a revered character in the country with a status, the
borders on the exalted.
There is certainly a halo effect from these pictures simply being near her exudes a sense of approval. That is smart politicking. Macron less likely
to gain such prestige from these scenes, meeting with those whom protesters in the street would see as treacherous to the very fabric of Lebanon.
But where exactly did that fabric that embedded framework of the state come from? Well, here it is September the 1st, meaning it is exactly 100 years
since this photo was taken. You can see General - Josef Eugene (ph) of the Republic of France after signing to existence the state of greater Lebanon
from the steps of the residence of pines or pine in Beirut. You can see R.F. on some of the signs for French Republic.
To this day you can still see those letters stamped across the walls and documents of Lebanon You can feel the history breathing through your
screens, and indeed, Lebanon can feel it breathing down its neck. Many would trace many of the problems that Lebanon sees as far back as here,
foreign powers imagining a state into life and this, a view in the other direction.
Spectators climbing trees for a view of the goings-on, watching a phantom of an idea, a nation state usher into life at the stroke of a European pen.
And all this time later, Lebanon still a spectator to itself in so many ways. Since the signing, well, the rest, they say, is history and present,
and I would argue, future. For now, it is a very good evening.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
