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Connect the World
56 Palestinians, Six Israelis Killed in Violence; Hundreds Reported Wounded on Both Sides; Violence Forces U.S. to Shift Focus Back to the Middle East; CNN Speaks to Palestinian National Initiative President; Multi-Story Building in Gaza Collapses After Airstrike; Trevor Noah Asks "Hones Question" About Israeli`s Responsibility. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired May 12, 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: Welcome back. Rocket fire, airstrikes clashes on the street a bloody back and forth in the Middle East
is growing ever more volatile and more deadly.
A barrage of rockets launched from Gaza towards Israel was met with Israeli airstrikes in response there has already been a high human toll. Well,
authorities now saying 56 Palestinians, including 14 children and 6 Israelis have been killed. An Israeli soldier is among the dead.
Violent protests now spreading beyond Jerusalem the Israeli military is beefing up forces in cities with a mixed Jewish Arab population and moving
tanks towards the Gaza border. And the big fear right now is about what happens next?
A UN Envoy warns what started as a flare up in tensions could lead to all out war. From diplomats around the world we are hearing this message for
the two sides step back from the brink. Well, CNN`s Hadas Gold has been following the dramatic escalation and tensions. She brought us this report
a short time ago from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HADAS GOLD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky air raid sirens have continued to whale across southern Israel including now reaching the cities of Beer
Sheva as well as Ashdod North of Ashkelon, where we were yesterday. More rockets being fired from Gaza into Israel and the Israeli military is
continuing to strike what it says are Gaza militant targets along the Gaza Strip. Becky we see no signs of this deescalating anytime soon.
An exchange of airstrikes and rockets between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants with tensions in the region escalating into dangerous
new levels sirens blaring through the streets of - near Tel Aviv, a warning of incoming rockets launched by Palestinian militant groups in Gaza.
And in Tel Aviv, people running for cover as rockets lit up the sky. Some of more than 1000 fired into Israel so far this week with its air defense
system intercepting most of them. Hamas, saying the most recent attacks were in response to Israeli airstrikes. And earlier its leader vowed they
will not back down.
ISMAIL HANIYA, SENIOR HAMAS POLITICAL LEADER: If Israel wants to escalate. We are ready for it. And if it wants to stop, we`re also ready.
GOLD: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sending a warning of his own.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Hamas and Islamic Jihad will pay for this and they will pay a heavy price.
GOLD: Meanwhile, in Gaza, the destruction from hundreds of Israeli missiles is evident. This tower block completely collapsing the Israeli Army saying
it was a key Hamas intelligence site and others heavily damaged. And with hundreds of injuries the human cost of the conflict is high and likely to
grow.
Palestinian health officials say 53 people have been killed in Gaza, including 14 children, and at least 5 Israelis have been killed by rocket
fire the Israeli military said the international community calling for calm in the region and condemning the attacks including in the United States
where President Joe Biden has received a briefing on the ongoing violence from his National Security Adviser.
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Since last week. He has directed his team to engage intensively with senior Israeli and Palestinian
officials, as well as leaders throughout the Middle East. His team is communicating a clear and consistent message in support of the escalation.
And that is our primary focus.
GOLD: And the Israeli military says it has continued to target hundreds of what it says are Gaza militant sites across the Gaza Strip, saying that
they have attacked anti tank missile squads, drone launchers, as well as rocket launchers.
They also announced today that they have killed a number of Senior Hamas Commanders including those close to Muhammad Daif, the Head of the Hamas
Armed Wing. Hamas said that it will be retaliating in kind Becky.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Yes, Hadas Gold on the story for you. CNN`s Ben Wedeman more familiar the most with the images that we are now seeing from the region
having covered the hostilities over the past near three decades and when I say you are familiar with these images that is a depressing sort of deja vu
Ben for you. You have been watching what is going on in Gaza? Tell us what you understand to be happening there on the ground?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Becky, my deja vu is having deja vu at the moment. What we`re seeing is an inexorable
escalation. As the UN Envoy mentioned it does appear that at this point at this moment in time that the militant groups in Hamas in Gaza and Israel
are heading toward what appears to be full scale war.
[11:05:00]
WEDEMAN: Keep in mind that the first actual military hostilities broke out on Monday evening. It`s Wednesday evening here. And what we`ve seen is the
death toll is well over 50 at this point on the Palestinian`s side, 6 on the Israeli side, and the rhetoric does not indicate any calming of the
situation that there will be more and worse violence. But of course, the largest number of victims of that violence will be the civilians on both
sides.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WEDEMAN (voice over): Once more hell is unleashed in a small crowded place as Israel`s fire and brimstone laid down on Gaza, and Hamas and Islamic
Jihad rockets roar out of Gaza into Israel.
A conflict left to fester again is burst into flames. We heard an explosion two rockets one after another says Gaza resident --. I found my 18 year old
granddaughter dead. My son was injured in the head and his other daughter had a broken leg.
By Wednesday, midday, more than 50 people had been killed in Gaza; according to the Palestinian Health Ministry among them at least 14
children hundreds have been wounded. In Gaza, where 80 percent of the population are refugees or their descendants once more, they`re made
homeless.
At 6 in the morning, we were told to leave because they were going to bring down the building in front of us says Abdelaziz Abou Syria (ph). We ran
out, waited in the street for four hours and in the evening, went back and found everything destroyed. There`s nothing left.
Neither the militant factions nor Israel show any signs of backing down. Israel has mobilized reserves and is moving tanks toward Gaza, while Hamas
has put out videos of its rocket teams, the message clear. Escalation appears inevitable. And all the death and suffering that go with it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEDEMAN: And that death and suffering has been going on for decades and decades. Keep in mind that Gaza has gone through the first Intifada, the
Second Intifada, the war of 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2014. And now this on top of that, of course, since 2006, when Hamas won in elections there, the Gaza
Strip has been under an Israeli embargo, basically.
And now of course, they`re dealing with COVID as well, which we haven`t really mentioned much in the last few days. So it is a small slice of land
that has suffered more than enough, Becky.
ANDERSON: Ben something is broken here, isn`t it? The old approaches to resolving the situation whether it`s through war or negotiations have
failed, taking us nowhere and to nothing but violence. As said again, something is broken. So what is the fix at this point to your mind?
WEDEMAN: Well, it could be diplomacy, but a different kind of diplomacy, keeping in mind that in 1993, the Oslo - the Oslo Accords, were signed and
they were eventually supposed to lead to the creation of two states, Israel and the Palestinian state, living side by side with East Jerusalem as its
Capital.
But what we`ve seen in the ensuing years is that Israel, despite that accord has continued to deepen the presence of settlements in East
Jerusalem, in the West Bank, making a Palestinian state of any viability utterly impossible.
At this point, and increasingly, many people, analysts and experts are saying that the only real solution is to create a single state including
the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, perhaps even including Gaza that would grant the inhabitants of those areas full rights under this state and
full privileges, and that is perhaps the only solution. It`s similar to what ended apartheid in South Africa.
[11:10:00]
WEDEMAN: And of course, we`ve seen these reports from - the Prominent Israeli Human Rights Group, Human Rights Watch have this year put out
reports definitively saying that the system that exists in this land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, a bounce to apartheid.
And of course, the only way apartheid in South Africa was done away with was the creation of one South African state where everyone has equal
rights. And increasingly many people are saying, including some Israelis, not a lot, but some that perhaps this is the only way out of this cycle of
suffering and violence and wars that these people are currently stuck in, Becky.
ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman is in Jerusalem for you today. Ben, thank you. Well "Connect the World" aims to not only bring you the latest on what is
happening with what is a fast moving story, but also to connect you to top analysis?
And you`re going to get that out of Ben`s take, which is on cnn.com find out why he writes? Israel holds all the cards in Jerusalem yet the city has
never been more divided head to cnn.com for that.
Well, let`s bring in Naftali Bennett now he`s the Leader of the Yamina Alliance in the Israeli Parliament, and he is a Former Defense Minister.
Sir thank you for joining us, you have expressed support for a forceful response from the Israeli government to what you call Gaza terrorists and
"Arab mobs".
You called on the government to quote not end the current round of fighting in Gaza before Hamas pays a heavy price. What is that heavy price, sir?
What is Israel`s plan?
NAFTALI BENNETT, FORMER ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER: A price that will deter them from shooting rockets at my own family and families across Israel
unprovoked. You know, I spent the night in a shelter with my wife and four children in - there were sirens.
There was a holocaust survivor, 85 years old who was murdered by a rocket that was shot from Gaza. She was on her wheelchair. This is what we`re
talking about so any action that our government takes to stop all of this I will back even though I`m in opposition.
ANDERSON: They were provoked Hamas says. Sheikh Jarrah and the action by Israeli security forces at the Al Aqsa Mosque. Last hour, I spoke to the
Gaza Director at UNRWA, have a listen to what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHIAS SCHMALE, GAZA DIRECTOR, U.N. RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY: I just heard this afternoon that the sister of my communications officer was killed in
an airstrike. So this hits home very closely.
I was informed this morning by one of our area staff, as we call them, our Palestinian colleagues, that a young girl going to Wooden Rose school was
hit by shrapnel, and now has shrapnel stuck in her chest. And then it was yesterday or the day before four children were killed as a result of this
violence.
(END VIDE CLIP)
ANDERSON: I heard what you said it must be incredibly frightening for your own family. Hold on, sir. It must be incredibly frightening for your own
family and there have been deaths on the Israeli side. That is important to report.
There are over 50 people and counting who have been reportedly killed in Gaza, including 10 kids 220 have been injured, including 41 children. I
have to ask why innocent civilians are being targeted there.
BENNETT: Because Hamas is killing them by hiding behind them turning schools into terror centers into putting kids and families around rockets.
That`s the cynical way of Hamas. All of this is unprovoked.
If you have a grievance, you talk you don`t shoot rockets. And I`ll tell you more an Arab father, 54 years old and his daughter Nadine (ph) 16 years
old was murdered by a Hamas rocket shot from Gaza into the City of Lydia here in Israel.
So when I say its indiscriminate murder, I mean that. We handed the Palestinians Gaza, all of Gaza take it it`s yours and they created a state.
There is a Palestinian state. They could have turned it into paradise. They decided to turn it into a terrorist state.
ANDERSON: Sir, the UN is called on Israel to "Respect international humanitarian law" which stipulates airstrikes should only be directed at
military objectives. How can any strikes on Gaza which is such a densely populated area be targeted at military sites only?
[11:15:00]
ANDERSON: It doesn`t suggest that Israel is respecting international law or that perhaps will you admit that these airstrikes have been indiscriminate?
BENNETT: Absolutely not. Perhaps you suggest that we just lay back, let them shoot rockets at us not shoot back because they`re hiding the rockets
behind women and children. Would you do that, Becky?
If your family was under fire, would you suggest that your government not defend you because they`re hiding the guns and rockets behind civilians?
ANDERSON: Naftali Bennet we should call a spade a spade here. Israel - Israelis and Palestinians are not all equal footing, are they? And they
haven`t been for decades from a military perspective Israel`s capabilities blow the Palestinians out of the water.
And that`s an understatement. Do you accept that it is Palestinian citizens and civilians who are suffering the most from this offensive being carried
out, sir?
BENNETT: They are suffering the most from their own government that I repeat. If you take any government in the world that places its rockets and
terror centers, within schools, within hospitals right now, the command of Hamas is in Shifa Hospital (ph), running a military terror campaign against
my family.
So if anyone thinks that we`re just going to tie our hands and create this false morality, there`s nothing moral about not defending your people. Any
country is expected to defend its citizens. And you Becky should not be speaking about us.
It`s them. Its Hamas, who needs to - it`s deplorable what they`re doing, using their own people as human shields. There`s nothing more cynical than
that. And I think the whole world should call that spade a spade.
ANDERSON: The world is calling for de escalation on both sides sir. What we see in Gaza is the escalation of the hostilities, the violence that we have
seen in Jerusalem over some weeks now. What about the peaceful worship as for example, at the Al Aqsa Mosque who got attacked by stun grenades and
tear gas shot by Israeli Police?
There were many Palestinian worshipers who were not inciting any violence, or breaking the laws. I must ask these questions and you understand why I`m
asking these questions.
BENNETT: So are you suggesting that the Israeli Police just out of nowhere out of the blue, decided to start throwing grenades at peaceful worshipers?
Is that where you`re - do you actually believe what you`re saying? Do you think that`s how Israel manages itself?
Don`t you see that word democracy; the Supreme Court of Israel, just a few meters away from here has an Arab Supreme Court Justice. We have Arab a
Members of Parliament, by the way, unlike most of the other countries around here, we`re a vibrant democracy. And any Arab can go and worship on
the Temple Mount.
When there`s violence when there`s crime. Yes, we apply law; any country has to apply law in order to keep law and order. That`s what you do. I can
tell you and assure you that Israel does not wake up out of nowhere and start harming anyone. We`re a country with rule of law.
ANDERSON: Sir, you have been called an apartheid state by Human Rights Watch of late. This is the occupiers versus the occupied. This is a
symmetric, isn`t it at this point. Let`s just have a listen to what Hamas`s leader had to say. I want to report on what is being said across the board
here. Just have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANIYEH: If Israel wants to escalate, we are ready for it. And if it wants to stop, we`re also ready. If they want to remove their hand over Jerusalem
we`re ready.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Israel does hold all the cards in Jerusalem Naftali Bennett, yet the city has never been more divided. Where does this end sir?
BENNETT: Actually the city has been way more divided when it was under era rule Jews were forbidden to go to the Wailing Wall while it`s under Israeli
rule, and it`ll continue to be under Israeli rule, any Muslim, any Christian, any Jew can enjoy the freedom of religion.
[11:20:00]
BENNETT: So actually, it`s been way more divided. Now it`s united--
ANDERSON: Where does this end is the question?
BENNETT: Oh, it ends very simply. The moment they decide that they don`t want to annihilate us, this all ends. That`s all, you know not many of your
viewers are - understand the reality that we`re surrounded by folks who explicitly say, they want to kill all the Jews.
It`s a very strange feeling. So you know, when I go to work, I`ve got four kids, my wife, they want to kill us. We don`t want to kill them. So it`s as
symmetric you`re right. When they - the moment they give up their desire to annihilate the Jewish people in the Jewish land, there`ll be peace.
ANDERSON: What about the chance of death to Arabs of late in Jerusalem?
BENNETT: Excuse me?
ANDERSON: What about the chance of death to Arabs by Jews in Jerusalem of late?
BENNETT: No, that`s despicable chant, just like death to Jews is despicable chant. That`s unacceptable.
ANDERSON: This escalation, sir, has, quite frankly wrecked your chance, hasn`t it to form a government with - and others at this point?
BENNETT: I don`t know. But that`s irrelevant. What`s relevant is that when we`re under attack, I as opposition member, stand behind my government,
because those who are out to kill us, they don`t make any distinction between Jews and Arabs left and right.
In fact, as I suggested earlier, Hamas that killed two Israeli Arabs, father and daughter in the city of Lod. So we`re all behind the government
and the state of Israel in defending ourselves.
ANDERSON: I just want to do some domestic politics here. Because despite the fact you say isn`t important, it is within the big picture and the big
scheme of things here. You could still serve as prime minister when to do so would mean that you will need the support of lawmakers from Arab
parties? Given the current situation, is that something you could still do?
BENNETT: I`m not going to discuss domestic politics on this interview. What I will say is any government I participate in or lead under no
circumstances will I allow myself to have my hands tied, while defending my people. So we and I will always do the right thing for the good of the
state of Israel and its citizens, regardless of the political machine.
ANDERSON: So you`re confident you will be the next prime minister of Israel to be sworn in just a few weeks time?
BENNETT: I`m not confident. It`s a very complicated and you know, difficult situation. And certainly, it`s pretty messy Israeli politics are pretty
messy, unfortunately. But we`re doing our best to get the country out of this muddle. I don`t want to get to fifth elections within 2.5 years. So
that`s certainly not what Israel is about. I grew up in the high tech arena in the military we worked very orderly and this is quite a mess. I have to
admit.
ANDERSON: Naftali Bennett thank you, sir. What role does the U.S. have to play in the Middle East crisis? We`ll look at how the region is quickly
returned to the forefront of U.S. foreign policy that`s coming up. And we will hear from the Palestinian side you`ve just heard from Naftali Bennett.
I`ll speak next to the Leader of the Palestinian National Initiative Party who will have been watching this violence play out from the West Bank. His
response to some of what you`ve just heard from Naftali Bennett and his thoughts on a solution at this point.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:25:00]
ANDERSON: Well, the rising tension between the Israelis and Palestinians has quickly shifted the focus of U.S. foreign policy back to the Middle
East. It is one of many threats competing for attention along with for example, China and Russia. U.S. President Biden and his Secretary of State
Anthony Blinken know the region and its history. Blinken and his Jordanian counterpart addressed the violence earlier this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Even as all sides take steps to de escalate, Israel, of course has a right to defend its people on its
territory from these attacks.
AYMAN SAFADI, JORDANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: You have repeatedly said in Jordan that your understand is a red line and maintaining peace and
stability in Jerusalem is key.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well meanwhile, pro-Palestinian protests like this one in Washington are happening around the world. Let`s bring in White House
Correspondent John Harwood at this point. John, like it or not Joe Biden`s Administration is under heavy pressure to put the Israeli Palestinian issue
squarely back into focus.
I just wonder what the plan is, if any, after all, and he is under pressure, not only from those others around the world, particularly from
this region to get informed by progressives in his own party, increasingly critical of Israel`s treatment of the Palestinians, and who hoped Biden`s
pledged to put human rights at the forefront of his foreign policy agenda will extend to Israel, your thoughts?
JOHN HARWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that certainly is a source of pressure on President Biden. And President Biden, of course, is
following Donald Trump who unequivocally sided with Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government.
But what Joe Biden has wanted to do is not to elevate this issue. It`s not a top rank priority for him. And now that this violence is broken out, the
biggest concern for the White House at the moment is to tamp it down.
So they`re engaging in a pretty aggressive way with both sides diplomatically, to try to urge restraint and hope the situation settles
down. Joe Biden has not wanted to make mediating the Israeli/Palestinian for a conflict, a focus of his administration in the first few months.
He`s focused on other things in foreign policy. You mentioned China, trying to restart the Iran nuclear deal trying to set a different tone with
Russia. But this is certainly a problem for him at the moment.
ANDERSON: John Harwood is in Washington. Next up - thank you, John I speak to a Palestinian Political Leader in the West Bank back in region about the
conditions that led to what is this escalation and hostilities? And ask him what he believes has to happen next to end it?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:00]
ANDERSON: Free Palestine that familiar chant happening at rallies around the world. A few minutes ago, we showed you protest from the U.S. This one
now from Cape Town, South African government has formal diplomatic relations with the Palestinians and recognizes the state of Palestine.
Well, thousands of people marched in London waving Palestinian flags, a few people holding Israeli flags and so appeared as police stood guard. Well,
I`m joined by Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, now from Ramallah. He is President of the Palestinian National Initiative Political Party, which aims for the
creation of a Palestinian state through non violent means.
And as we watch these images, over the last 24 hours, the idea of a Palestinian state through nonviolent means seems a long way away sir
doesn`t it? I must ask you as a Palestinian, how does it feel to be watching all of this unfold from where you are?
DR. MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI, PRESIDENT, PALESTINIAN NATIONAL INITIATIVE: Well, actually, I think, on the opposite, the idea of non violence has proven to
be very effective during the last month. And what do you see today is the exception, I mean, for a whole month, Palestinians in Jerusalem, as well as
in the whole of the West Bank and Gaza stick to nonviolent resistance.
And they were attacked viciously by the Israeli army, even when they were praying peacefully inside the mosque the Al Aqsa Mosque. They were
threatened to be evicted from their neighborhood 500 people in Sheik Jarrah. They were threatened to be ethnically cleansed as they were in 1948
before.
And yet we stick to nonviolent resistance. And you saw thousands and thousands of young people just using nonviolent methods. But unfortunately,
the level of violence from the Israeli army was unprecedented. We had 1000 injuries so far and six young people have lost their eyes, four are in
critical conditions.
And that`s why we were doing only nonviolent protests. Today, four people today and yesterday, four other people were also killed in the West Bank,
one of them is a 16 year old child, and also during demonstrations, which were not violent.
But of course, what you see in Gaza now is an exchange of military actions mainly because Israel did not respect the rights of the Palestinians in
Jerusalem and the rights of the Palestinians to pray peacefully during Ramadan time.
And that is of course what we see today, even yesterday, when Hamas warned Israel that it should not start bombarding and bringing down high rise
buildings, which are civilian buildings, otherwise, Hamas would respond with rockets on Tel Aviv, Israel did not listen.
And now Hamas and Jihad and all other parties are declaring they are ready for a ceasefire. But Israel is refusing all mediations. And obviously they
are preparing for a very dangerous military ground operation in Gaza.
ANDERSON: Where is the Palestinian leadership in all of this? It has to be asked. It has been described as inept and inefficient at best and at worst,
corrupt. Critics accused Hamas and the Israelis both sides of being opportunistic at this point, opportunism that could lead to war where is
the representation for Palestinians?
[11:35:00]
BARGHOUTI: Absolutely. You have a good question Becky. And I agree with you. We should have had the elections. Israel declared that will not allow
elections in Jerusalem. My opinion was, and our opinion was that we should proceed with elections in Jerusalem regardless Israeli decisions and make
voting process an act of nonviolent resistance.
Unfortunately, the Palestinian leadership decided to postpone or cancel the election. This was a mistake because it affects the democratic legitimacy.
ANDERSON: OK, I`m going to have to stop you here for one moment, because as you and I speak, Mr. Barghouti, we are getting images from Gaza of another
multi story building just collapse after it has been struck from above, an airstrike, of course.
So as you and I speak two images now on the screens, for our viewers, an enormous plume of black smoke appearing over the skyline of Gaza and a
closer shot of a building completely collapsing, we`ve just been talking about the risk of further escalation sir.
You know, as I described these pictures to you, I don`t know whether you can actually see a television screen at this point. But these are
incredibly concerning. Just what are your thoughts at this point?
BARGHOUTI: Well that is the question. What can justify the Israeli behavior of destroying people`s homes? What can justify the fact that hundreds of
people now will not have places to live in and stay in?
What can justify the continuous bombardment of this little place called Gaza, which is no more than 140 square miles with 2.1 million people
suffering from Israeli military siege since 15 years, where 80 percent of the young, educated people are unemployed, where poverty is much higher
than any other place in the world?
Where water is contaminated and polluted, where fishermen are prevented from fishing in the sea what is the justification for this injustice?
Israeli claims, it is defending itself, but it is not defending itself, it`s actually pushing the people in the region into a blood bath.
And in my opinion, the real opportunistic person here is Netanyahu, who is trying to use this fight using the blood of Palestinians and Israelis, to
escape the fact that he`s threatened with three cases of corruption. And just to stay in power as Prime Minister.
What`s happening is a war crime and it should not be allowed to continue. Let me say, what we suffer from here is not just attacks on us regularly
and periodically. I`ve been in Gaza in 2008, and 2012 and 2014 when Israel attacked us, thousands of Palestinians were killed.
Thousands of young people were injured hundreds of children. Today alone, I mean, up till now today, we have 14 children killed, including a disabled
child and his mother, and more than 60 Palestinians killed. What can justify that? There is no justification.
And the reality is that this is - this continuous escalation and continuous rounds are happening mainly because Israel continues its illegal military
occupation of Palestinian territory system since 54 years. And because Israel as with B`Tselem, which is an Israeli Human Rights Organization,
Israel is consolidating a system of apartheid, persecution and racial discrimination, which are both considered as war crimes by international
law.
ANDERSON: Mr. Barghouti let`s be quite clear, as we look at these images coming out of Gaza that we have literally just watched live on our
television screens as a multi story building collapsed in front of our eyes as a result of an air strike.
The building you see now, viewers on your screens viewers just joining us, had been twinned with another building, which is, as you can see, just gone
down. This is in Gaza, where there are more than 2 million people in an area which is not quite or round about twice the size of D.C. that is house
more and dense this area is.
These strikes are in response sir Israel says two rocket attacks raining on Tel Aviv and elsewhere in Israel over the past 24 hours. As we consider
these images that we are watching we do have to hope and we have to hope that more people will not be killed.
It is clearly a risk that people have been killed and there is clearly a risk that many, many people will have been injured.
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: Look, Hamas tends to fill the void of an often absent Palestinian leadership. And you and I have just been discussing that. And what`s the
fix here sir because something is broken, and it`s been broken for years.
BARGHOUTI: That is true. But let me ask you Becky don`t these images of Israeli strikes on these buildings remind you of 9/11 in the United States?
Don`t you feel the same way about people losing their homes, their lives are threatened.
It`s a very dangerous act from the Israeli side. They do not understand how deep this crime can leave people with very strong feelings. By the way,
Palestinians in Israel itself - now also are conducting nonviolent resistance against what`s happening against us the oppression and
apartheid.
And the same is happening in the city in - an Israeli city, according to them, where they have just announced curfew. This policy of racism and
occupation is very dangerous. I agree with you. There is also leadership crisis here because we did not have elections since 15 years, which is
true. And we need to have a new democratic election.
But we need also the world to pressure Israel to stop preventing us from also conducting our elections freely and democratically in East Jerusalem,
which is part of the occupied territories; otherwise, this will be used as a justification for not having elections. And that`s not what we want.
We need unity, and we need democratic reform. But the world must also accept our choices. And the world cannot tell us whom to elect and who not
to elect, which, as you know, was a problem that we suffered from for a very long time.
I was myself, a mediator that helped in creating a national unity government, which had a very, very moderate program. But we were besieged
by the world, and then that government collapsed after 86 days. So there is a way of getting out of this, there is a way of stopping this terrible
violence by having immediate ceasefire.
And the world community must interfere immediately. Palestinians have no problem with having that ceasefire. It is Israel that insisting - is
insisting on continuing the attacks. And the world must immediately act. On the issue of internal Palestinian matters we need to have a unified
leadership. And we need to have a proper democratic process where the public of Palestine will be given the right to choose their leaders
democratically and freely.
ANDERSON: There has been a sort of unequivocal response from the Arab region. And we have seen the Jordanian Foreign Minister in Washington over
the past couple of days. And we have seen the Prime Minister of Jordan, for example, here in the UAE, what do - what role do you believe that Arab
leaders have, at this point in coordinated action to stop this violence, and I`m talking about stopping the violence on both sides?
BARGHOUTI: Well, there are two countries that always interfere and interfere positively. And usually they are the ones who managed to get us
both in the military operations and achieving ceasefire. And these are usually Egypt and to some extent Qatar. And I think both of them can play
that role now.
Some Arab countries are now in a very embarrassed situation, especially the regimes in places like United Arab Emirates, and others, because they
initiated a very wide process of normalization with Israel, and claimed that they are having a very nice peaceful relationship.
And now they are watching what Israel is doing. And of course, this is very embarrassing to them, because they thought they were moving us towards
peace. And actually, they have moved us towards a military confrontation and atrocities that are affecting the Palestinian people.
So all these factors will, of course be considered, and the public - the people of - the people of the Arab world are all supporting the Palestinian
rights because they feel that there has been injustice. Palestinians have been subjected to severe injustice for such a long time. And it`s time for
us to be free.
When I was watching the peaceful demonstrations in Jerusalem during the last month, I was really remembering the struggle of Martin Luther King,
and how he`s put up to those who have tried to oppress him to racists who did not want to progress towards democracy and peace?
And I thought this is exactly what we are trying to do here. We want freedom. We want to be equal to other people. We want to live in peace. We
want our children to go to schools and have normal education.
[11:45:00]
We want Palestine to be a normal country. And we cannot do that as long as we are occupied. We cannot do that as long as Israeli settlers take away
our land. We cannot do it as long as the Israeli government confiscates more than 85 percent of our water, and does not allow us to access our
natural resources.
There is something wrong with allowing a country to occupy another. It`s - there is something wrong with tolerating this injustice. And there is
something wrong with allowing Israel to be impunities` to international law and not to be accountable.
There is something wrong on the International Criminal Court says that there are workarounds that once and Israel prevents them.
ANDERSON: Right. I`m going to take a break at this point, because we must. We will continue to monitor what is going on both sides of this Gaza
border, of course. And we must be clear, as we are reporting many deaths and many, many injuries in Gaza. So we are also reporting deaths and
injuries in Israel.
It is at the end of the day, civilians whose lives are at stake here. We will take a very short break back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: OK, I want to get us back to Ben Wedeman, who is more familiar than most with the images that we are seeing and have been seeing coming
out of Israel and Gaza. Over the past 24 hours Ben`s been reporting on the hostilities in this region over the past three decades or so.
Ben, I hope you can hear me and we have just been watching images live of another building coming down a significant building. It`s a multi story
building coming down in Gaza. What can you tell us what do we know at this point?
WEDEMAN: Now that is the Shark building 14 floors. It contains offices belonging to businesses, media organizations. And it appears to be along
the same lines of what looks like a new Israeli tactic of simply collapsing buildings all together.
The first one was that Hanady building we saw last night, which had about 80 families living in it but did the Israeli military claims that they were
also offices of Hamas there. But what`s puzzling, is that - I`ve seen with my own eyes many, many times the Israelis have the ability if there are
individual offices, they can target them without bringing down an entire building but this seems to be what they`re doing now.
[11:50:00]
WEDEMAN: And in fact, in just a few days ago, we saw that they had made a much targeted strike on a particular office in a particular building. Now
we`ve seen a series of buildings, which they are just taking down. And I think this is probably, perhaps one way for them to sort of scare or
intimidate Hamas into changing its ways.
Obviously, that`s not going to work given the history of this conflict. But yes, it does appear that it`s a new tactic designed not to take out
offices, but to take down multi story buildings, Becky.
ANDERSON: And Ben for anybody who hasn`t been into Gaza I think it`s important at this point, to point out that this is a highly densely
populated area. Over 2 million people in an area and I think I`m right in describing is around twice the size of Washington, D.C.
And I use that analogy, because I want our viewers to understand just how small this area is. I mean, we`re not, you know, we`re not talking about a
vast area and an airstrike on a building that collapses in that sort of density and does what Ben? Does what physically and mentally to the people
in Gaza?
WEDEMAN: Let me point out that the Israelis have this tactic called the knock on the roof where they will send drones and they drop small
explosives as a warning to the people in the building to leave. And that`s what happened.
For instance, the first building they collapsed, the Hanady building, which was brought down just after sunset yesterday. They also will call people in
the building itself and tell them to get out. So actual casualties from these building collapses, shall we say? There don`t appear to be many, but
there`s an element of terror.
We are men in Gaza was able to speak to one individual lived across the street from the Hanady Towers that was hit yesterday. And he said that they
heard that the building across the street was going to be hit. He ran downstairs; he and his family were in the street for four hours after the
strike they went up. And they found that their home was essentially destroyed by the shock of the blast.
And of course, for many of the residents who are packed into these areas living around the buildings, it`s absolutely terrifying, because you can
just imagine the amount of explosives necessary to bring down a 14 story building. So call it what you may but this is perhaps the Israeli version
for Gaza, of what the Americans called shock and all back in 2003 in Baghdad, Becky.
ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman is in Jerusalem reporting on the story. Thank you, Ben. We will take a very short break we will be back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: Well, just moments ago, as we watched live, this building collapsed in Gaza the result of an Israeli air strike. The Israeli
authorities have been warning that they would respond to what was a walleye of strikes on Tel Aviv and other areas, including Lod over the past 24
hours Lod now under a state of emergency.
This, as I understand it, a 14 story building in Gaza collapsing just moments ago as the result of an Israeli air strike. Well, we have been
connecting you this hour to what is going on here in the Middle East the ongoing violence happening in Gaza and in Israel.
U.S. policy took a turn under the Trump Administration with clear support for Israel that put the Palestinians on the back foot as it were, that sort
of left Palestinians feeling rather forgotten even by their own people, but now they are finding allies again, in this latest round of hostility.
Some well known names are speaking out. Egyptian Footballer, Liverpool Footballer Mo Salah, tweeting, "I`m calling on all world leaders; including
the Prime Minister of the country this has been my home for the past four years to do everything in their power to make sure the violence and killing
of innocent people stops immediately. Enough is enough".
He said at Boris Johnson. Well, later Mr. Johnson tweeted I am urging Israel and the Palestinians to step back from the brink and for both sides
to show restraint and Late Night Comedy Host Trevor Noah taking part in the discussion emphasizing how this conflict is one of the most difficult
stories that has existed certainly in his lifetime but stated that it`s one that we must talk about. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TREVOR NOAH, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": I know I know that this is contentious. And I know that people are going to hate me for this. But I
just want to ask an honest question here. If you are in a fight where the other person cannot beat you, how hard should you retaliate when they try
to hurt you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Trevor Noah admits he does not have the answer, but thinks it is important to ask the questions. We`ll watch more coverage of this story
next on CNN. Zain Asher has that. It is from Abu Dhabi and the team here a very good evening wherever you are watching.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
