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Connect the World
Soon: Start Of Former U.S. President's Second Trial; Europe Lags In COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout; Spanish Foreign Minister: EU Does Not See Eye-To- Eye On Human Rights In China, But Must Engage On Some Issues; CNN Speaks To Chair Of UAE'S Space Agency As The Country's "Hope" Probe Enters Mars Orbit Moments Ago; Biden Administration Lays Out New Path For Diplomacy; UAE "Hope Probe" Enters Orbit Around Mars. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired February 09, 2021 - 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 HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, Mars is about to welcome a new visitor, a probe crafted by scientists from the United Arab Emirates
in just the last few moments. The Hope probe should have slipped nicely into a smooth orbit around the planet or indeed spun off into the depths of
space never to be seen again.
Mars so far away that we are waiting for that thumbs up or thumbs down from the Hope probe to travel here to tell us how its trip is going. And we will
get that final confirmation in the next few minutes bang on 8:08 pm local time here.
This is no easy task to get this done the scientists, they're on tenterhooks see Hope probe has to slow down for more than 75,000 miles per
hour to a touch over 11,000 miles per hour, which still sounds pretty fast to me. We are tracking what's going on for you and take a look at these
landmarks.
These landmarks celebrating the efforts tonight, I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to connect the universe. While Emirati scientists await news
from Mars, how's that for a statement? In Washington, the U.S. Senate set to become a courtroom just two hours from now once again.
The historic second impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins inside the U.S. Capitol that same building draped in police tape just a month ago as a
crime scene, the charge incitement of Insurrection. Well, Congress met certified Joe Biden, as the next President will the evidence videos of the
siege.
And Donald Trump's own words, as he urged supporters at least 20 times before the rioting to fight or keep fighting to keep him in office, the
defense illegally dubious argument that a former president cannot face an impeachment trial as a private citizen.
Trump's lawyers also claim none of his speech that day directly incited violence the jury 100 U.S. Senators, most of them inside the Capitol during
that siege fleeing for safety, the verdict, a conviction that would set up another vote to bar Donald Trump from holding elected office ever again.
67 Senators are needed to convict because 45 Republicans already have voted the trial is not constitutional. That outcome does seem highly unlikely.
CNN's Lauren Fox shows us the events leading up to today's trial and what to expect once it starts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAUREN FOX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In just hours, Former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial will begin on Capitol Hill inside
the same building stormed by a violent mob just over a month ago.
REP. JASON CROW (D-CO): This is an extraordinary situation and that you actually have a trial that's being held at the crime scene with jurors that
were victims of the crime being prosecuted by victims of the crime. There's really no precedent for this.
FOX (voice over): Now the Senate will decide if Trump is guilty of inciting that insurrection, but they will first have to vote if the trial is
constitutional this afternoon. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reaching an agreement on the rules starting
Wednesday, House Managers and Trump's lawyers will have up to 16 hours each to present their cases, followed by four hours for Senators to ask
questions to both teams.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): The structure we have agreed to is eminently fair. It will allow for the trial to achieve its purpose, truth and
accountability.
FOX (voice over): Trump's legal team previewing their defense, filing a 78 page brief accusing House Democrats of engaging in political theater and
calling the trial unconstitutional because he's no longer president.
SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AK): I think it's beyond the Senate's constitutional authority to have an impeachment proceeding, the point of which is to
convict and removed from office a man who left office three weeks ago.
FOX (voice over): Trump's lawyers also saying he did not direct anyone to commit lawless actions, and arguing these words on the day of the
insurrection were meant in a figurative sense and protected by the First Amendment.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: We fight like hell, and if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore.
FOX (voice over): In total, Trump used to fight for its variants 20 times at that rally. The House Managers submitting it response in their own brief
writing the House did not impeach President Trump because he expressed an unpopular political opinion.
[11:05:00]
FOX (voice over): It impeached him because he willfully incited a violent insurrection against the government.
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D-MN): This wasn't about his first amendment right. He's more than exercise that over the years, this was about him literally
inciting a riot.
FOX (voice over): And with Trump refusing to testify, House Managers will use videos from the insurrection, showing rioters actions, planning to
outline how many appeared to be following the then president's commands.
SEN. BOB CASEY (D-PA): There's still a lot we have not seen yet. Video evidence and other evidence will have a thorough review. And I think that's
important for history, that we hold officials accountable, especially for something as grievous and as dangerous as inciting a mob to attack the
Capitol.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That's Lauren Fox reporting. Former Ambassador Norman Eisen has a unique perspective and all of this. He served as Special Counsel for House
Democrats in Donald Trump's last impeachment trial. And he joins us now from New York.
It is an uphill battle for Democrats to get conviction here, many experts point to a likely acquittal and have been for quite some time, which will
beg the question for many what's the point of holding a long and arduous trial if you're effectively on the losing side?
NORMAN EISEN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Thanks for having me back on the program. The point of having this trial is that no one is above the law. The
president willfully incited an insurrection, think about that he caused that angry mob after whipping them up for months by telling them the
election was stolen, their democracy was being stolen.
He told them over and over again to fight and if they didn't fight, they wouldn't have a country left. When they attacked, that became a high crime
and misdemeanor an impeachable offense under our constitution. And we don't know yet whether the Republican Senators will come over.
We don't know what surprises this trial will hold. But we do know this. A president does not have a January exception to do whatever they want,
before they leave office, they must be held accountable. That is what the trial is about.
And even if the Senators don't come along, the American people deserve to hear the whole story and render their judgment.
ANDERSON: Donald Trump's defense, of course, says that this trial is not constitutional, sir.
EISEN: Well, like so many things that Donald Trump says particularly when it comes to the law that is nonsense. In the United States, it has long
been established under our constitution that former officials can be impeached and tried.
We did it in the 19th century it was Secretary of War, Belknap. It was discussed by the founders of our country, the framers of the constitution.
The constitution provides for a disqualification remedy for ex presidents. So the claim that he can't be tried is just misdirection because the
Senators, the Republican ones, don't want to talk about the terrible things that Donald Trump did in inciting this mob to attack his own government.
ANDERSON: Why is there such a fear from the Republican Party, to convict?
EISEN: It's one of the most tragic questions and painful answers in American politics today and those in democracies all over the world know
that not everyone is always able to maintain the high standard of political courage that you need in your leaders to keep a democracy healthy.
I think they're afraid of the retaliation that they'll lose their jobs from the Trump voters in our primaries in the United States, and they may be
physically afraid. But fortunately, this trial is not just being argued to those Senators. The American people have already voted Trump out once.
And ultimately, the impeachment managers will be arguing to the American people and in turning Trump out they showed courage. Let's hope the Senate
does the same. ANDERSON: To your mind, should there be witnesses or not in this trial?
EISEN: Well, the most powerful witnesses in the trial are already on video. That's Donald Trump, urging his followers not just on January 6th, but four
months beforehand, whipping them into a frenzy telling them on January 6th to fight using fighting words, the that's all on video and they understood
what he meant.
[11:10:00]
EISEN: You have witness out who've said I came to the Congress to fight because the president told me to. So those witnesses are on video. Now,
there could be other important witnesses, we'll see how the trial develops? The trial rules explicitly.
They were just written to include a vote on witnesses after the argument and the questioning. So we'll see whether other witnesses show up as well?
ANDERSON: Thank you, sir.
EISEN: Thank you.
ANDERSON: The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines got off to a rocky start in March of Europe. We've been reporting on that, of course. Just ahead, I
speak with Spain's Foreign Minister about how it was all handled and how she says Europe is now on the right track?
And then the Biden Administration wants a two state solution to resolve the Israeli Palestinian conflict, can diplomatic talk finally translates into
action? I'll discuss that with a Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel. And why the UAE is over the moon to be connecting with Mars.
I know that many of you are watching from home as this country makes history with its attempts to converse as it were with the red planet. I'll
be speaking to the force behind it all the Chair of the UAE Space Agency Sarah Al Amiri joins me live in just a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Well, the European Union's COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues to lag behind other nations such as the U.K. and the United States. I'm going
to do this story in just a moment.
But we have been reporting on the UAE as attempts to really get to Mars and breaking news now they've done it the UAE's Hope probe now orbiting Mars,
the signal just hitting Mission Control in Dubai. We'll be speaking to the Head of the UAE Space Agency in just under 20 minutes from now. What a
moment for the scientists in the UAE.
Right, coming to Sarah Al Amiri and just as soon as we can get to her. Meantime, Spain's Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya was recently in
Abu Dhabi. I caught up with her and asked her if she thought the European vaccine rollout was a mitigated disaster. Here's what she told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARANCHA GONZALEZ LAYA, SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER: Absolutely no. It's been very clear that for Europe going European was the right approach but going
on European not just for the rollout of the vaccine or the purchasing of the vaccine for the development of the vaccine.
[11:15:00]
LAYA: Let's not forget that what has happened is almost a miracle in less than one year vaccines are on the market. And this is thanks to the great
brainpower of scientists, the organizational and production capacity of pharmaceutical companies, but also thanks to the very abundant public
support funding that the public sector in this case the European Commission. Governments in Europe have poured with pharmaceutical companies
to ensure fast production.
ANDERSON: Can you talk about the public sector support, what about public support? How damaging could this or these issues to the vaccine rollout is
to the public perception of the European project as a whole? Let's be quite frankly, with respect there has been an upsurge in anti-EU rhetoric. It
goes alongside a lot of European populism. But this, these problems that Europe has faced is that they're not going to do that perception, any
favors aren't they?
LAYA: Let's explain to them that, yes, there have been glitches. But yes, most of the glitches are due to the fact that pharmaceuticals have found
very practical difficulties in scaling production. And let's explain to them that the bulk of the pharmaceutical companies are honoring their
commitments.
And let's ensure that we explain over and over again and put the facts on the table because for vaccine development, we need trust.
URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION: Europe invested billions to help develop the world's first COVID-19 vaccines to create a
truly global common good. And now the companies must deliver, they must honor their obligations.
ANDERSON: Is this a message that you are perhaps pitching to the President of the Commission Ursula Von Der Leyen who was able to almost single
handedly get everybody on her bad side when she got into the spat with AstraZeneca?
LAYA: Well, let me tell you, Becky, we in Spain have been supporting the President of the European Commission from day one, and we will continue to
do so because we think her strategy is the winning strategy.
Now we don't change your horse just because your horse needs a little bit more time. You need to continue on the right track. And Ursula Von Der
Leyen's track is the right track, and this is why she has the full support and trust of the Spanish government.
ANDERSON: Most EU countries, including Spain have secured enough doses of vaccines to vaccinate their entire populations twice as I understand it.
The EU is a huge funder of the W.H.O.'s Covax vaccine sharing initiative. Publicly, it absolutely advocates for equitable access to vaccines.
To your mind, should the blog put its money where its mouth is and ensure that there is no stockpiling of vaccines to the detriment of lower income
countries those needs these vaccines so desperately?
LAYA: Absolutely, yes, this is not only what we are saying this is also what we are doing with capitalized Covax. We've injected funding from our
budget into Covax because we know there are many poor countries in the world that will never have access to the vaccine, unless somebody pays for
them.
There's no use protecting only our national citizens. If we do not protect the others, so no stockpiling in Spain, we're not stockpiling. We are
putting the vaccines and using the vaccines as we get them. I know that right now is a difficult period because there is less vaccine that they are
needs.
But I know also that pharmaceutical companies are moving very fast forward. And we will soon be in a position where in addition to the Covax locations,
which are already ongoing, we will be able to give part of our vaccines to other countries.
ANDERSON: Let's talk about the EU/Russia position. At a meeting with Europe's top diplomat just last week, Sergei Lavrov who is the Foreign
Minister in Russia described EU leaders as deluded, culturally arrogant, and as unreliable partners.
Much of this was as a result of level of distaste with the way that that Europe has accused Russia of trying to assassinate Alexey Navalny last
year. How would you describe current EU/Russia relations at this point?
LAYA: Rather on the low at the moment, they are rather on the low and I think the use of these big words that you just described are in a way a
reflection of that. And this is not good, is not good for Russia certainly is no good for the European Union.
[11:20:00]
LAYA: We are inevitable neighbors, inevitable neighbor means neighbors you can't change your neighbors, right? This is not a question of arrogant EU
but if there is a European Court of Human Rights, and it said that the imprisonment of Navalny wasn't was arbitrary. We just would just repeat
that.
ANDERSON: Does Spain or would Spain support further sanctions against Russian individuals off the back of this?
LAYA: I mean, I think we will have to have a conversation in the European Union after the visit that the high representative took to Moscow.
ANDERSON: A disastrous visit, it has to be said. LAYA: Well, we would want to hear what he discussed with Minister Lavrov, where we will not jump into
conclusions what Europe does next?
SERGEY LAVROV, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: I would like to comment on three prisoners who were sentenced to 10 years in prison for organizing
referendum in Catalonia.
ANDERSON: The Russian Foreign Minister's criticism of Europe was quite personal when it came to Joseph Burrell, who of course, was Spain's Foreign
Minister.
LAYA: It's very clear to me that Lavrov's argument that we've got political prisoners in Spain just doesn't fly. We don't have political prisoners, we
have politicians in prison. And if they are in prison is because they've broken the law. It's as simple as that.
Our wish would be that the relationship improves. But at the end of the day, you need the two sides to improve a relationship. You can't just
simply wish for relationship to be good, without the other side engaging and making it better.
TRUMP: The European Commission was frankly, in many ways tougher than China. I say that respectfully, but that's the way it is. They've taken
advantage for a long time.
ANDERSON: I want to talk about Europe in a post Donald Trump world. Donald Trump's ultra nationalism in areas of trade, and diplomacy coupled with
years of drawn out Brexit negotiations have convinced many leaders in the EU, it seems that it is time for the bloc to become more self reliant. Has
the experience of the last four years, fundamentally changed Europe's strategic thinking with regard the U.S.?
LAYA: We see the arrival of the Biden Administration with hope, with hope for what it means of giving an EU compass to the Transatlantic relation for
hope of what it means of international cooperation of multilateralism of two partnership to address most - many of the most complicated issues we
are confronted with.
But as we do this, we in Europe have also realized that it's important for Europe to build a little bit more strategic resilience. It means wanting to
work with every partner we can to address our global challenges, but also being ready to work on our own if we have no partners.
ANDERSON: Does that include working with China to the detriment of for example, human rights Europe now finalizing a landmark trade agreement with
China, which has been criticized by analysts in Washington as a decision to place commercial interests ahead of human rights?
LAYA: For Europe this 21st century looks like the rise of China, the competition, it means for the U.S. and the hugest spillover effects it has
on the rest of the world. At least in Spain, we're very clear our foreign policy is one of interests anchored in values. And it's not going to be
easy to navigate.
And it is not easy to navigate today, because it's true that we have relations with countries where we don't necessarily see eye to eye on
values. And this is the case with China. We will never be able to address climate change, reduction of emissions, de-carbonization of our economies.
We will never be able to protect biodiversity, we will never be able to guarantee financial stability if we do not engage in a dialogue with China.
Now, does this mean that we have to accept everything that China wants?
ANDERSON: What about what's going on with the Uyghurs at present? Is that something that the EU should be categoric about?
LAYA: Well, I think - ANDERSON: As far as in terms of values.
LAYA: I think the EU has been pretty categoric about the Uyghurs. We have been pretty categoric about this as individual member states as well as
collectively, because - and we've been categoric about this because for us, respect for human rights and for fundamental rights and for freedom is the
basis of the European Union is Article One of the Treaty of the European Union.
[11:25:00]
LAYA: So yes, we are categoric about this.
ANDERSON: Do all EU members share that position? Values first, when it comes to China? They don't do that. But the difficulty with the European
Union, of course, there are 27 countries, all competing for a slice of the narrative and the action.
LAYA: Now, you may say not everybody does it.
It's true - it's true, that sometimes it's easier to say than to do. Europe should be judged not by the narrative, they should be judged by the action
by what Europe does.
And when Europe goes out there and defends the rights of people that are arbitrarily imprisoned when Europe defense, LGBT rights around the world
when Europe defends women and women's rights.
ANDERSON: You are here in the UAE and I know that you are spending some time in a number of the capitals around this region, your position?
LAYA: I think, you know, we tend to look at the region as a region. But there are many nuances in this region. This region is made of countries.
And countries have different profiles, different situations, different challenges, and different opportunities.
So we would want to engage with the region on an individual basis, in addition to having good relations with the GCC, which is one of the
regional - one of the regional urban centers, wider, Middle East, but they are many, it's a turbulent region.
But there are also incredible opportunities for advancing more stability, more peace, more security, and we certainly Spain that has historically had
engagement with this region that has close relationship with most of the countries in this region, in one way or another that has troops on the
ground that has contributed to peace and stability would want this to continue.
Let me give you an example. Becky, this year, we will celebrate 30 years of the Madrid Peace Conference, the first conference that brought together
Israel and Palestine to advance their peace talks 30 years ago. It happened in Madrid 30 years later, many things have changed, but some have not.
And maybe it's also by coming and engaging and talking that we can advance issues that are important to us in Spain as a nation.
ANDERSON: Do you worry that it will take another 30 years and still we will not see peace between Israel and the Palestinians?
LAYA: I hope is not the case. I hope it's not the case because what I see is the population in both countries is impatient. They are young, they are
dynamic and they want to get on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, that is the Spanish Foreign Minister speaking to me earlier this week. Well, a reminder of our breaking news this hour, they have done
it. The UAE's Hope probe now orbiting Mars and there are celebrations here in this country. The applause in the control room there as the news came in
a sense of relief, I'm sure by many of these Emirati men and women involved in this mission the country's leaders applauding their efforts.
This is an historic Feat. The Hope probe is marked. The UAE is only the fifth country in history to reach the red planet and the first Arab country
to do so. The probe expected to create the first complete portrayed of the Martian atmosphere.
The probe firing thrusters 30 minutes before reaching Mars to slow down from a speed of more than 75,000 miles per hour to just over 11,000 miles
per hour. And we'll be speaking to the Head of the UAE's Space Agency in just under 20 minutes from now do join us for that. Well, it is a history
making mission taking a short break back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Now this is something you just don't see every day eerie orange skies over parts of Southern Europe over the weekend. The pictures you see
now are from France. Meteorologists say the vivid sunrises and sunsets appear to be caused by a huge swathe of dust and sand carried by the wind
from Africa's Sahara Desert and that is sure a long way to travel.
It turns out this is actually quite a common occurrence. But the winds were particularly strong this time around bringing more dust particles than
usual to the skies over Europe. While I'm talking to you from a country that is quite frankly feeling out of the world, or out of this world right
now, over its mission to connect with the red planet.
The UAE's Hope space probe achieving orbit with Mars just a short time ago. The Arab world's first interplanetary mission is achieved and it is a big
deal. The UAE only the fifth country in history to reach the red planet and it has been patient waiting while its orbiter traveled about 190 million
kilometers over seven months.
The UAE glowing with pride, its landmarks lit up in red to celebrate reaching the red planet. Well, I want to bring in the driving force behind
all of this. Sarah Al Amiri is the Chair of the UAE Space Center, Space Agency and Minister of State for Advanced Technology. She is beaming as we
connect with her from Dubai, this hour. How you feeling Sara?
SARAH AL AMIRI, CHAIR, UAE SPACE AGENCY: Becky, I'm over Mars at the moment. It's been quite a remarkable journey of over six years now working
on this mission, a series of challenges. I think the most nerve wracking of them was the last 27 minutes that I don't ever want to redo in my life
again.
But we did it. We're around Mars for the very first time as the fifth nation and the very first Arab nation.
ANDERSON: Well, believe me you don't have to go through that again, because it is done. And congratulations, Minister, this is absolutely remarkable.
Do just explain if you will, what has just been achieved in terms of interplanetary missions?
AL AMIRI: For right now we have the very first weather satellite of Mars around orbit that will give us a better understanding of climate change on
Mars and also the role of climate the role plays an atmospheric loss. This is the first for the world this is a first for scientists around the world.
We're really looking forward throughout the next few months to get to the point where we are able to release the data to the public. But for me what
was most interesting is this spacecraft for the very first time has been designed for this mission.
It was used at its toughest point 27 minutes to get into orbit. It went exactly according to plan through the meticulous efforts of countless
people sleepless nights, over 5.5 million working hours for us to get to the point that we are at today.
ANDERSON: Crafted by Emirati Men and women, scientists I know who have been working in conjunction with colleagues in other parts of the world.
[11:35:00]
ANDERSON: But just how big a deal is this to this country, the United Arab Emirates? AL AMIRI: Today marks our celebration for a Golden Jubilee. 50
years of coming from a country with relatively no infrastructure to a country that now has an orbit around Mars. It is a stipulation for our next
50 years, one that has a solid bedrock and science, technology, innovation and creativity.
Today, we put a mark on the capabilities of our engineers, and the ability for the UAE to transfer and build experience to build up sectors that are
heavily built on technology. ANDERSON: How big a priority was this project Sarah?
AL AMIRI: This project was a high priority project. It was observed by the top leadership within the country. And throughout the years that we've been
working on them, we've given them direct updates on where we've reached so far.
We saw today even the leadership of the UAE together with the team during the toughest moments without us even knowing what the output was going to
be? That marks the importance of the future generation, the generation that I'm grateful to be part of, to drive the development of the UAE something
important that is for us, we cannot stop and wait.
We need to continue diversifying our economy. We need to continue diversifying the way we work.
ANDERSON: Minister, I just want you to reflect, if you will, for our viewers around the world on how you and your team got here today?
AL AMIRI: I've started working on this program at the end of 2013. And it's been a series of challenges that we've sometimes thoughts were un-
surmountable. From a technical perspective, from also doing this for the very first time, people weren't used to the way that we were designing and
developing this mission.
We had only six years to design and develop it the budget that we had wasn't very high. We went through a lot of challenges. We went through
various times where things broke when they weren't supposed to be broken.
We had to fix it in time to get the spacecraft to where it needs to be today. I'm really grateful with the performance of the spacecraft. What has
made this mission remarkable Becky is not only the 200 Emiratis that we're working on this, it's the 450 people from different continents, from
different backgrounds from different beliefs.
This was truly an international endeavor. And this is what science needs to be. This is what exploration is all about. ANDERSON: I hope you'll get some
sleep tonight because I'm sure well you are prepared to admit that you have had some sleepless nights. But Sarah, it's a pleasure having you on thank
you so much for joining us.
Talking to the Minister here behind this project has the UAE's Hope space probe achieves orbit with Mars just a short time ago. Congratulations.
Lucky travelers to this country today will receive a very unique souvenir a Martian stamp in their passport. The UAE is commemorating its historic
mission to the red planet to make it even more special. The ink in that stamp in your passport if you are one of those who is entering the UAE
today is made using volcanic basalt rocks, the same rocks that give Mars its rusty red color, there you go.
Well, embracing allies and re engaging with the world the new U.S. Secretary of State lays out a clean break with Donald Trump's foreign
policy. I'm going to speak with a veteran U.S. Diplomat Martin Indyk just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The president strongly supports it. It is the only way to ensure Israel's future as a Jewish and democratic
state and the only way to give the Palestinians the state to which they're entitled.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: The only way to achieve lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians strong unequivocal support there for a two state solution from
the U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. It is part of President Joe Biden's new path for foreign policy, a reengagement with the world and a
determination to reclaim what he sees as America's leadership in addressing global challenges.
One of the biggest, of course, is the Israeli/Palestinian conflict as Sam Kiley reports Palestinians hope that President Biden will pressure Israel
to stop unilateral actions they say are blocking the path to peace.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAM KILEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A convoy of European Ambassadors trooping out to the West Bank to complain against Israel's forced removals
of Arab farmers from this land. The moment grand gesture meets grim reality. The day before Israel had destroyed a Bedouin camp, declaring the
farming area a closed military zone.
KILEY (on camera): So how many times has your shelter been confiscated this month?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three times every month three times.
KILEY (on camera): Do you have any hope that there is now a new president in America? That he can maybe help with this sort of problem?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We say Insha Allah the situation will get better with the new president? Maybe Insh Allah.
KILEY (voice over): These Bedouin farmers show little enthusiasm for these fleeting visits, seeing them as empty gestures while Israel continues to
build on the West Bank. This year ahead of Joe Biden's presidential inauguration, Israel rushed to announce the construction of 3352 new homes,
effectively for Jews only on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.
The Trump Administration said that Jewish West Bank settlements were not inconsistent with international law. Palestinians hope that Biden would
reverse this into line with Europe and the U.N. but he didn't mention the Palestinians or Israel in his first foreign policy speeches president.
KILEY (on camera): Do you think that you are a priority? It doesn't look like it to be honest.
MOHAMMAD SHTAYYEH, PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRIME MINISTER: I said the moment we are a priority. We know that Washington is occupied with so many
problems, Corona, the economy, all these sorts of things which we understand.
KILEY (on camera): Things like this for the agricultural communities of Bedouin are all too familiar on the West Bank, but there's growing anger
among the Palestinians, against the Israelis against their own leadership and against the international community.
KILEY (voice over): Well, a top Israeli official says the Bedouin are pawns in a political stunt, orchestrated by the Palestinian authority.
MARK REGEV, SENIOR ADVISER TO ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The Israeli government was willing to go an extra mile here. We offered them to be
relocated. We offered to build housing in that area, I think for political reasons the residents were allowed to do to accept those proposals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That just part of Sam Kylie's reporting that you can find at cnn.com. Joining me now from Doha, a Former U.S. Diplomat with decades of
experience in Middle Eastern Affairs, Martin Indyk has served as Ambassador to Israel and Special Envoy for Israeli/Palestinian negotiations amongst
various other roles.
He is currently a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and I have to say a good friend of this show, and it's always good to have
you on Martin. Earlier we played a little bit of sound from Anthony Blinken talking about the two state solutions. Let's just hear a little more of
what the new U.S. Secretary of State had to say.
[11:45:00]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLINKEN: Look, the hard truth is we are a long way, I think from seeing peace breakout and seeing a final resolution of the problems between Israel
and the Palestinians and the creation of a Palestinian state.
In the first instance, now, it's do no harm, we're looking to make sure that neither side takes unilateral actions that make the prospects for
moving toward peace and a resolution even more challenging than they already are. And then hopefully, we'll see both sides take steps to create
a better environment in which actual negotiations can take place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Martin, let's be quite frank, there seem to be no steps being taken right now on the ground. How exactly will a two state solution or any
peace process between the two sides be revived at this point?
MARTIN INDYK, DISTINGUISHED FELLOW, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Well, I think that what you heard from Secretary of State, Blinken is, on the one
hand, a clear commitment to the principle of a two state solution, clear opposition to unilateral act by either side that would make achieving that
solution more difficult but no real pathway to getting there, other than urging both sides to take positive steps on the ground.
And I think that this is a reflection of President Biden's own experience, one that I was involved in with Secretary of State Kerry, the last time
they were final status negotiations, and he was Vice President to President Obama. And the efforts by the United States at that point came to naught.
And I think he and President Obama concluded that as long as you have the same leadership on both sides, that nothing really can be done, that the
two sides are very far apart. And it will be very hard to bring them together just by American will alone.
So I don't think that there's any interest on President Biden's part to kind of pick up the effort to get the parties back into a negotiation,
which he doesn't really believe will go anywhere. We have elections in Israel, March 23rd. We have elections, hopefully, in the Palestinian
Authority, Palestinian leadership and for the presidency, sometime in May.
And then I think they will see what the situation looks like and what the prospects are there? And for the time being, you're not going to see a high
profile action. And that's why President Biden announced a Special Envoy for Yemen, but no Special Envoy for the Israeli/Palestinian negotiations.
ANDERSON: Yes, that is fascinating. So let's just talk about this Israeli election, which is forthcoming, as you rightly point out in March, and then
the Palestinian elections that have been promised later this year.
Certainly, what Anthony Blinken made clear on behalf of Joe Biden was that they want to see the two parties pick up negotiations once again. So walk
us through this, you know what needs to happen in these Israeli elections for Israel to pick up the negotiating stick as it were, once again, and
what about on the Palestinian side?
INDYK: So I'm going to quibble a little bit with your metaphor, picking up the stick of negotiations. I don't think there's an expectation that either
side is going to go - want to go back to the table immediately or and particularly United States doesn't really see the point of that.
What the expectation is that both sides will take steps on the ground to improve the situation. The Israelis will resist expanding settlements; the
Palestinians will resist pushing the International Criminal Court to pursue Israeli war crimes.
The Israelis will take steps to improve the Palestinian economy and these kinds of things which are designed to promote greater trust between the two
sides in the intentions of the other, because that's what has been missing for so long now.
ANDERSON: Will Netanyahu take steps to prevent further escalation, as it were after all settlements in the last of the last three elections were
like front and center as far as the Israeli Prime Minister was concerned?
INDYK: Well, we'll have to see what happens after the Israeli elections? Will Netanyahu still be Prime Minister? Will he have form a right wing
religious coalition in which settlement activity will be an important part of the glue that holds this coalition together?
[11:50:00]
INDYK: Or will there be some other combination that will have less of an interest in pursuing more settlement activity because settlers won't be a
critical part of his coalition? It's very hard to say at this point. But we'll see soon enough, the same time, there is a development that I think
will cause all Israeli leaders to have pores.
And that is the fact that the International Criminal Court, a three judge panel decided that the ICC did indeed have jurisdiction over Israeli
activities in the territories. Now, this is a little complicated, but the issue of prosecuting Israeli soldiers for war crimes is I think, unlikely
to go ahead because Israel has a robust judicial system for dealing with these issues.
But the issue of Israeli settlement activity, which is judged to be illegal under international law, is something that the International Criminal Court
could well take up. And so I think that while we're in this kind of interim period where the prosecutor of the ICC decides whether to go ahead,
there'll be some reluctance to announce new settlement activity.
And then, of course, there's a question of getting the relationship with President Biden off on the wrong foot, if they were to announce settlement
activities in the near future. So I suspect that we'll see for a time limit to what they announced.
But if the Israeli - next Israeli government is a right wing religious government, it won't be long before these issues come to the fore again.
ANDERSON: Thank you, Martin. Before we go, in just the last few moments, the Ruler of Dubai, Mohammed Bin Rashid, tweeting, "Mission accomplished"
the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayed them pointing out this message that it is a significant accomplishment in the country's history
one sure to inspire future generations.
He says he also that today marks a second National Day for the UAE, this all of course, about the success of his Hope probe, the UAE's Mars mission
and it getting into the Mars orbit. This is an historic Feat. I know you know this place well. And I just want to leave you an opportunity just to
applaud the efforts. This is of course, the first Arab country to effectively reach Mars, your thoughts?
INDYK: I think it's a great achievement for the UAE and I particularly think it was noticeable that the Chairman of the effort that you
interviewed was a woman. I think this shows the way in which UAE is giving women that it gets women citizens an opportunity to really raise to the
highest positions the most important positions in the land and to have the greatest scientific training and education that they can achieve. So it's
an achievement on many levels, which they should feel very proud.
ANDERSON: Well, I'm sure Martin they're listening to your words, with a smile on their faces. Many people will not sleep in this country to know
that they will.
They will party or be there in a socially distance way with their masks on but there's a lot of pride here tonight. We thank you very much indeed for
joining us always a pleasure. Your insight and analysis is extremely important. I'm going to take a very short break back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: U.S. House Impeachment Managers are comparing to a "Violent Criminal Case" Congress will begin the second impeachment trial of Former
U.S. President Donald Trump in just over an hour from now. This House Impeachment Managers are arguing that Trump is to blame for the
insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in January.
In papers filed just a short time ago, they point to Donald Trump's speech earlier in the day and say he knew exactly what he was doing. Well, Donald
Trump has declined his invitation to attend his lawyers have dismissed the trial as "Political Theater" and as unconstitutional.
Our special coverage starts in just a few moments from now. So I will leave you with your parting shots tonight. And these are just the beginning for
the Emirates in many ways; you're looking at the tallest building in the world going out all out to celebrate this country. As the UAE Hope probe
gets to Mars.
It is the first Arab country to ever do so and only the fifth ever in the world. It is without doubt a remarkable achievement some of the country's
most important buildings lighting up red to celebrate reaching the red planet. Well, up next, CNN Special Coverage of the second impeachment trial
of Donald Trump, good night.
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END
