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Israeli Red Cross: Two Killed in Mortar Attack; White House: Biden "Expressed Support" For Ceasefire to Netanyahu; Jordan Holds Custodianship of Jerusalem Holy Sites; Palestinian Call General Strike to Protest Israeli Operation in Gaza; Human Rights Attorney Noura Erakat Talks to CNN About the Palestinian View; U.S. Envoy to United Nations: U.S. Working to End Conflict. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired May 18, 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: Welcome back. Israel and Gaza heading into another tense night after the deadliest attack on Israel since the latest

hostilities began. A mortar strike killed two people and wounded seven near the border that brings the total number of people killed in Israel to 12

over the past week.

The attacks from Gaza to Israel resumed after a period of quiet overnight. Meantime, Israel said it struck more Hamas targets in Gaza. 213 people have

been killed there in all, according to the Health Ministry that Hamas runs. So the question is, is there an end in sight? Well, here's what the Israeli

Prime Minister had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The directive is to continue to strike at the targets of terrorism. The IDF is doing well. Today it has

eliminated another senior Islamic Jihad Commander. We have hit the Hamas naval unit and we continue to strike at the underground medium, the Hamas

Metro. And there are other targets; we will continue to act as necessary to restore peace and security to all residents of Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, Mr. Netanyahu talked with the U.S. President Monday for the third time since the conflict started. The White House says that Mr. Biden

supported a ceasefire but didn't press for one. Well, this despite calls from within his own party to do more to end the fighting.

The U.S. is continuing to block formal action from the United Nations, the Security Council meets privately on the crisis next hour. We've got a lot

more on the situation for you. On the ground, Nic Robertson, near the scene of that mortar attack in Israel, Ben Wedeman is in the Sheik Jarrah

neighborhood of Jerusalem as Palestinians declare a general strike. Nic, let's start with you at the border. What do we know about these latest

attacks at this point?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, we know that there was an effort to try to sort of use that apparent sort of window that

seemed to open overnight with Hamas not firing rockets into Israel, to have a sort of a humanitarian cool down period to allow humanitarian aid to

cross over the border.

But that seemed to come to an abrupt end when mortars were fired at one of the border crossings, an Israeli soldier slightly injured it. So that

humanitarian sort of chapter of what's happening right now that chance for some aid to get into Gaza that ended right there.

We've seen an uptick in the rocketing coming from Gaza today. Ashdod, Ashkelon being the focuses of some of those rockets coming out. Communities

right along the border here have been told that they should stay indoors and stay closer their shelters if not in their shelters, because not only

rockets but mortars are being used.

And it was mortars that landed on that farm that killed two Thai workers on the farm injured seven others the scene of quite some destruction at that

agricultural facility. But more broadly speaking, at the border, you can still hear the artillery being fired into Gaza.

You can hear the drones overhead, see the helicopters overhead at times hear the aircraft going over and hear - be able to hear sometimes the

impact of explosions in Gaza. So, you know, from what it seemed overnight, a humanitarian diplomatic opening this morning. This afternoon, it feels

somewhat different Becky.

ANDERSON: And Israel is stopping its entry of international aid trucks to Gaza after mortars landing at crossing points. What more do we know at this

point?

ROBERTSON: What the Israeli Defense Forces are saying is that they had allowed this crossing to take place. It seems a sort of an arrangement and

an understanding that there would be no firing exchange of fire in that area. And then they say that Hamas or another group fired mortars at the

crossing.

And from the Israeli Defense Force, they're saying this shows that that Hamas cares less about getting humanitarian aid to its people and more

about fighting from a perspective of being inside Gaza.

This was an opportunity after a week of Gaza being closed off to get in what officials there what UN officials and medical officials say is much

needed additional medical supplies is equipment to repair electricity facilities that are damaged potential sewage facilities that have been

damaged as well. But to get some needed goods and to repair some of the big amount of damage that has happened there.

[11:05:00]

ANDERSON: I want to bring you in Ben. Do we have Ben? I think we do. And I'm hoping we still have Ben. Do we - it seems that we are losing Ben's

shot. He is in Sheik Jarrah. We'll get back to Ben. Important to know that there are funerals going on today on both sides, both in Gaza and indeed,

in Israel, for those who have lost their lives in this latest conflict. And indeed protests across Palestinian territories more from Ben momentarily.

Well, the top U.S. diplomat has been engaged in what could be called telephone diplomacy, The White House says Secretary of State Anthony

Blinken is reaching out to dozens of his counterparts in Europe, in Israel, and indeed across the Middle East.

Several other countries have stepped up in efforts for a ceasefire, including France, Egypt and Jordan, which are working together we are told.

Let's get more insight on those efforts now. We are joined by Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Ayman it's good to have you.

Foreign Minister you are and continue to be deeply involved in trying to hold what Jordan's King Abdullah has described as an Israeli military

escalation, the likes of which we haven't seen for years. Now, regionally, the Egyptians have always played an important role in mediation efforts

between Hamas and Israel. And the Qataris also both working behind the scenes to try and affect a ceasefire. In your assessment is a ceasefire

imminent?

AYMAN SAFADI, JORDANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, I can't answer that yet, Becky, but it has to be imminent, because there is no sense in the

continuation of the aggression on Gaza and the continuation of the killing and the destruction the toll is simply too high from humanitarian

perspective.

From a political perspective, the impact is this escalation those Israeli images are having across the region are pushing the whole region towards an

unprecedented wave of anger in the past few years. Ultimately, this is a situation that has to stop.

As I said, there is no sense to it, and Israel has the key now they have to decide to stop so that we all get to the business of trying to calm things

down and look at the root cause of the conflict and start moving forward.

ANDERSON: You have been in Washington, speaking directly to the Biden Administration, who to date say they will support a ceasefire, but will not

demand one, why not?

SAFADI: I'm sorry, I missed that question Becky.

ANDERSON: You have been shuttling between Washington and Aman it has to be said for four weeks now, speaking to the Biden Administration warning them

of what was likely to come. This is an administration who, to date at least say they will support a ceasefire. But the Biden Administration will not

demand one. Why won't they demand one? Why won't they call for a ceasefire? What's your understanding of the position in Washington at this point?

SAFADI: Look, we've been working very closely with Washington to address this very dangerous situation, even before the 10th of May when the

conflict took a worse turn. We were talking to the Americans about the need to restrain Israeli majors that are causing this conflict.

The Americans are engaged, we're in discussions with them. They've sent some very good messages visibly, the need for Israel to respect the

historic status quo at the holy sites and in Jerusalem, for settlements to stop for evictions of the people of Sheik Jarrah not to happen.

So we are engaged with them. We're working with them on all of that. Egypt is also working extremely hard to try and get a ceasefire. Today "His

Majesty" had a joint meeting with President Macron and President Al-Sisi and later spoke with Merkel. I've been in touch with Secretary Blinken.

All of us are trying to bring about an end to this to this aggression to this escalation. But again, our understanding is that it is Israel who's

still saying no to a ceasefire, and we need to continue to hammer down with that demand that a ceasefire has to happen. And we have to look once again

Becky at why we are here? And I think the conclusion that we all must get to is that the status quo is untenable.

[11:10:00]

SAFADI: The current escalation has exposed the absurdity of false presumptions of the past that you can jump over the Palestinian issue and

that you can marginalize the Palestinian issue and have peace. I think we need to look at the current escalation from a broader perspective, why we

are here?

The immediate reason is that the, again illegal measures that Israel has taken first in trying to illegally evict the people of Sheik Jarrah from

their homes, then the escalation and the encroachment on the Masjid Al Aqsa Al Mubarak.

We were warning then that stop because this is pushing the whole region towards an escalation that none of us want. Our messages were not heeded

our warning were not listened to. But beyond the immediate reason, I think what is happening speaks to the fact that the level of frustration with the

absence of political horizon the consolidation of occupation the disownment of the two states solution by some Israeli politicians as the only path

forward.

All contributed towards the creation of environment that led to the current explosion. It is in all of our interest to stop to pause, to get back to

the roots conflict and accept that occupation is the root of all evils. If we are to have peace and stability we have to stop the occupation.

We have to respect the holy status of Jordan and the holy sites of Jerusalem. We have to respect the human rights of Palestinians, to freedom

to dignity and to statehood. This is where the real issue is, this is the reality that everybody is going to have to realize.

So now we're for we need to focus on two things. One, stop the aggression, stop the provocations, make sure that we get a ceasefire, make sure that we

do help the people who are tremendously suffering, and I've been doing more suffering than any people have to in the world.

And secondly, call the spade a spade and accept that, as long as you have occupation, we're not going to have peace and the responsibility of all of

us is to work together towards creating a horizons for peace re engaging in negotiations, moving forward towards a two states solution, which would

address the legitimate rights of all and ultimately realize the peace that's right for everybody in this part of the world.

ANDERSON: Foreign Minister, the tone from Washington may be a sea change, certainly from the Former Trump Administration. But a different tone is not

enough and by not demanding a ceasefire Joe Biden's critics accuse him of enabling Israeli action in Gaza.

For example, military action, in Gaza, and indeed, enable the Israelis to carry on with what you describe as these provocations and in the Sheik

Jarrah neighborhood, and Al Aqsa. So I just wonder whether you subscribe to those accusations of this Joe Biden Administration that they are enabling,

not helping de escalate what is going on at present.

SAFADI: Look, what I would say, Becky, very clearly is that de escalation has to happen. The aggression on Gaza has to stop. Political horizon needs

to be created. And for all of that we need a leading role by the United States of America. Its role is indispensable.

We are in touch with our American partners, we are in touch with our European partners, and we are in close coordination with our Arab as well.

All of us realize what needs to be done; all of us are working towards that. Ultimately, now the responsibility for all that has happened lies

with Israel, and the responsibility for ending all this very dangerous escalation is again, within Israel.

And it's I think it is Israeli government that needs to shoulder the responsibility of ending this aggression and allow all of us the space

needed to start thinking of how do we work long term on ending this injustice to which the Palestinians have been subjected creating horizon

for peace, and move forward.

Right now, as we continue to discuss what to do and what needs to be done? People are being killed. 61 kids in Gaza alone have been killed. Again,

this is just the more we continue into this vicious cycle, the more difficult it's going to be stopped, the more difficult it's going to be to

control the repercussions of this we need to realize that.

We need not be at it every two or three years. Remember, we've been here. This is somehow a deja vu. We've been here before and we saw Gaza being hit

very hard. We saw its infrastructure destroyed. Its people coordinate and where are we now? Back at it again, this has to stop.

[11:15:00]

SAFADI: And beyond that we need to, again focus on the root cause of all, which is occupation, which is the absence of peace, which is the absence of

the fulfillment of the rights of the Palestinian people. We all have a responsibility to continue to work together to bring this to an end, and to

send a message of hope to the people, because ultimately, what this is doing as well, is playing into the hands of spoilers across the spectrum.

We cannot afford to do that we cannot let them decide the future of our region. We must take ownership of that. We must all stop and say what is

wrong is wrong. What Israel is doing is not conducive to peace; it's conducive to more conflict. This has to - it has to stop. And we all need

to go back and work and work within the established parameters for peace on the basis of the two states solution.

ANDERSON: Foreign Minister and I'm going to press you on this issue of an imminent ceasefire, which doesn't seem likelihood at present. I just want

to provide some information for our viewers and get your response.

A senior Hamas leader with direct knowledge of mediation efforts has told CNN, that one stumbling block is Israel's insistence that Hamas must

initiate the ceasefire at least three hours before Israel, at which point Israel would follow suit. Hamas flatly rejected this proposal, according to

the Hamas leader who spoke to CNN. Is that your understanding? Can you provide any more information as to what you understand to be the details of

any ceasefire at this point?

SAFADI: Look my understanding is that talks for ceasefire have not been progressing, because Israel is not agreeing to it yet. I think what needs

to happen now is to agree on the principle of the ceasefire. And then details will have to be worked out.

I know our Egyptian brothers are working very, very hard in Gaza in trying to deliver that. I know that everybody else is trying. We're trying

engaging with everybody to try to get to that point. What is important now is to get everybody agreeing to a ceasefire and principle, then the

elements of a longer term truce will have to be discussed, but we do not have.

And we should not be negotiating the terms of a truce while people are being killed. Let the hostilities stop the details will be worked out

later. We've been at this before, who fires the last bullets? Who fires the last missile? That is just absurd, given the tremendous human cost that's

going on.

What needs to happen now is to accept the ceasefire. Hamas to accept the ceasefire, the aggression to stop and the details can be worked out. And

there's a lot of countries out there in the region in the States in Europe and beyond in France, everybody is trying to help achieve longer term calm

but in order for that to happen the attack on Gaza needs to stop.

ANDERSON: This conflict hits home for Jordan and many of those living there because of course over 2 million of Jordans' population are of Palestinian

origin. Jordan also holds the custodianship over the holy sites in Jerusalem including the Al Aqsa Mosque.

I just want you to get your response to those seams at the mosque last week given Jordan's custodianship over it.

SAFADI: I'm not sure I got the question right. But I'll try and answer to what I understood. Look, "His Majesty King Abdullah" is the custodian of

Christian and Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, and therefore protecting the status quo the historical legal status quo is a priority for Jordan with

"His Majesty" have been warning for years that you cannot encroach on the Al Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites because if you do that you're playing

with fire.

We've learned that Jerusalem is a red line. Before the 10th of May we've been doing everything we possibly can, warning everybody that unless Israel

stops for vocation at Al Haram. We're going to be where we are now. And that continues to be a priority for Jordan.

We have to uphold the international law. Israel has to uphold and respect the historical status quo at the Haram we have--

ANDERSON: OK.

SAFADI: --there are understandings between Jordan and Israel that go back, the latest of which go back to 2015, which were brokered by Secretary Kerry

at the time. They need to uphold - to abide by that as well. The bottom line is that the Haram is a red line.

[11:20:00]

SAFADI: Jordan continues to do everything we can to make sure that we protect and preserve the Muslim, Christian identity of the Haram that we

preserve the status quo so that Jerusalem can remain the city of peace. This is a priority for us.

Jerusalem must be protected, Haram must be protected. And everybody needs to understand that the minute you start encroaching on the Haram, the

ripples are going to be across the Arab Muslim Christian world. And the repercussions in Jordan we've seen the anger and the anger is not just

limited to Jordan, it's across and it's spreading fast. The more killing you have, the more destruction you see, the more anger is going to spread.

ANDERSON: And just stand by because I do want to get to Sheik Jarrah the neighborhood - Jerusalem, where the Supreme Court hearing on forced

evictions was recently postponed. I'm getting to Ben Wedeman. Ben, what's going on where you are?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are in Sheik Jarrah, where Israeli soldiers are trying to stop us from broadcast. So

what this is - this is a flashpoint that's been really one of the main flashpoints in Jerusalem now, not just for months, but for years.

Right behind me is the area where there are Jewish settlers living in this Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem occupied East Jerusalem. And

what we're seeing today is more demonstrations. Today's demonstrations Becky are part of the general strike that's going on around the West Bank,

East Jerusalem, and within Israel proper by Palestinian Israelis in solidarity.

We have a situation in Gaza. But really this is continuing outpouring of anger and resentment after years of occupation, where Palestinian citizens

in East Jerusalem feel like second class citizens because they're not citizens at all.

They don't have the rights as citizens, many of them have temporary Jordanian passports and therefore what we see here in the last few hours is

the Israeli police I must say a heavy hand are using stun grenades. They're spewing this, what in Arabic is called - the sewer water. They sprayed it

on me they sprayed it on my producer.

They're spraying it randomly on cars and houses and bystanders in this area and this - in this city. You can see in the background of a - fire in the

background. I have to say Becky this is really indicative gives you a feeling of you know where we're focusing recently since Monday before last

on the situation in Gaza.

But of course, the real problems are in places like this, where the irritation of this occupation continues, and there doesn't seem to be any

end in sight - about two states solution.

ANDERSON: OK.

WEDEMAN: --clear--

ANDERSON: Well, it was important to get to Ben and I wanted to get back to the Foreign Minister. But we are unfortunately not able to do that. So

look, I'm going to take a very short break, see what we can get Ben's shot back up, very much appreciated the time the Foreign Minister of Jordan

spent with us. Clearly an incredibly important stakeholder in what is going on across the Jordan River from Amman.

And we spoke to the Jordanian Foreign Minister this evening a lot of good stuff from him. We will take a very short break back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:25:00]

ANDERSON: Spain has a crisis on its hands on the shores of North Africa. It's been turning back thousands of migrants who swam to the Spanish

territory of - from a Moroccan beach nearby. In the past two days some 6000 migrants have come ashore including children and even babies. Let's bring

in Journalists Al Goodman from Madrid. What do you know of the details out?

AL GOODMAN, JOURNALIST: Hi, Becky well, the Spanish Prime Minister has just arrived in Ceuta. He's received somewhat cool reception from some of the

people there who are say this is unprecedented this number of migrants coming in from Morocco in just basically a 24 hour period. They came in

from two beaches; Ceuta of course is on the North Coast of Morocco.

And so they came they swam out along these breakwaters a short distance, according to officials, and then came back down the other side and they

were on Spanish soil. And this came as a giant surprise. So now, the Spanish government says that about 6000 migrants have come in and just the

past 24 hours.

They say that they've returned almost half of them about 2700 to Morocco, but not apparently the minors about 1500 of the 6,000 1/4 were minors. So

Spain is scrambling. The Spanish Prime Minister was supposed to be in Paris today he cancelled that he rushed right down to Ceuta.

He's also going to go onto the Spain's other enclaves on the North Coast of Morocco Melilla a little bit later. But clearly, officials seem to be

scrambling to try to put this crisis to an end. European Union leaders have backed given support to Spain, saying that there needs to be a deal on

migration.

Many analysts here in Madrid and in Spain, think this would have been impossible to have occurred without the Moroccan government, either giving

its acquiescence of looking the other way but Spanish government has said nothing like that publicly Becky.

ANDERSON: Al Goodman is in Madrid for you on the story. Thank you Al. Just ahead Human Rights Attorney Noura Erakat has a message for the United

States for supporting what she calls Israeli apartheid.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:30:00]

ANDERSON: More now on our top story, the Israel/Gaza conflict. Across Palestinian territories, and in Gaza, Palestinian groups have been calling

for a general strike today to protest the Israeli operation in Gaza. Demonstrators turned out in the West Bank North of - and what they are

calling solidarity with Gaza and Jerusalem. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need to - occupation and give up - and because I want my children learn that this is our land, and we live within our land.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, my next guest has been calling for global solidarity with the Palestinians Human Rights Attorney Noura Erakat is with me. She is live

from Fairfax, Virginia. Thank you for joining us. Again, Noura, we spoke last week, we talked a lot about the situation on the ground and you gave

us a very cogent perspective.

Right now, a week or so in many international leaders are expressing support for a ceasefire, but Joe Biden, who is amongst them, isn't calling

explicitly for a secession of violence. Do you hear a different tone? And do you believe from Washington and beyond? And do you believe we are

getting any closer to a secession of violence at this point?

NOURA ERAKAT, HUMAN RIGHTS ATTORNEY: So it's like a couple of things really clear. This ascension of what we see as spectacular violence will not cease

the violence against Palestinians who are under siege in Gaza who are marked for removal in Jerusalem, who have been treated as second class

citizens who have been denied the right of return and who live as persona non grata as occupied people.

What we need is more than ascension of violence, we need sanctions against Israel in order to put pressure on one of our times apartheid regimes in

order to shift the tide for a better future. Let's also make clear that the United States and American taxpayers are not merely bearing witness to some

international configuration, but are pillars in the structure of violence.

We provide Israel with $3.8 billion a year, we have blocked 43 Security Council resolutions that have attempted to use international responses in

order to resolve this issue, and allow Palestinians to live to give us a modicum of freedom.

The United States is part of the problem. And that has become obvious to people who have seen it block three UN Security Council resolutions in

order to allow Israel to continue its brutal and excessive force targeting Palestinians in a besieged Gaza Strip, where they have nowhere to hide.

So yes, I do see the tide turning one of the reasons that this is not just devastating, but also I'm going to poke Palestinians across these

fragmented demarcations have risen up to call this moment, a Palestinian Intifada of unity. This is our moment of unity and uprising.

And we have seen the international community finally break through the dam of the fear of speaking out for Palestinian freedom, because of the - of

anti-Semitism has been weaponized and now have found the support to speak out in support.

ANDERSON: Noura, what happens next realistically and politically for Palestinians? If a ceasefire does take effect, as you have pointed out, as

you believe it will not end the issues between Palestinians and Israelis on the ground, not to mention Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank

and Israel all live under different governments.

What is the way forward for all Palestinians? And where is their voice? Where is the leadership? You have to concede that the inept leadership for

Palestinians must play into what is going on at present?

[11:35:00]

ERAKAT: Like any other freedoms struggle, there is not a direct blueprint for what this looks like for the future. What we have asked for is freedom,

justice, dignity. What we have asked for is for international solidarity and support to stop funding Israel's apartheid regime to stop protecting

it.

We are like all other peoples, whether they be the peoples of Vietnam, whether they be the peoples of South Africa, whether they be American

blacks who struggled against jury segregation. This is the road that we are on.

No, there is no silver bullet, there is a process we ask you to join in that struggle in process. One of the reasons this has been so difficult to

communicate to an international community is because our oppressors have been Western civilization's canonical victims.

But that victimhood is not a blank check in order to oppress and other people, and to basically leave us as sacrificial lambs to history in order

for a tone to the deep violence against Jewish communities. We are in a singular struggle. We are in a struggle for all of our humanity that is

mutually reinforcing, and not mutually exclusive.

And I am heartened to see that a number of people who wouldn't have spoken out before are speaking out because of the extent and the depth of the

atrocity of Palestinians and the same propaganda that has been used to blame us for our own death. So we are breaking through a dam. I encourage

everyone to keep pushing.

ANDERSON: The U.S. Ambassador at the United Nations this weekend, making what many have described as an impassioned speech and the U.S. not prepared

to sign a joint declaration on the situation on the ground at present vetoing that statement.

I just want our viewers to hear from the Ambassador to the UN and then followed by the Palestinian Representative stand by.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UN: The United States calls on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians and to respect

international humanitarian law. In the hours since the council last met on this issue the United States has been working tirelessly through diplomatic

channels to try to bring an end to this conflict.

RIYAD MANSOUR, PALESTINIAN REPRESENTATIVE TO UNITED NATIONS: Shame on the Security Council that met several times and was unable even to say a single

word in an official document against this aggression, and to stop this aggression, although there is consensus among them, calling for stopping

this aggression and policies--

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: The voice of the U.S. at the UN and indeed that of the Palestinians. I do just want to press you on this issue of Palestinian

leadership at this point. President Mahmoud Abbas has been in power Noura for 16 years, he isn't well liked amongst Palestinians to find him in his

government corrupt and inept. He's delayed elections prolonging his presidency.

The Palestinians simply do not have a strong or effective leadership to represent them, Hamas filling that void at present. I mean, I have to press

you again. I understand what you're saying. And I realized that you talk about this being a struggle for all Palestinians without a voice and a seat

at the table, in any negotiations going forward.

How concerned are you that Palestinian - the Palestinian street will not get an opportunity to really effect change?

ERAKAT: Becky, you don't need to pressure me to critique the Palestinian leadership, which I have been critiquing in my writing in my work for a

very long time. They are inept. They have been co opted into the U.S. and Israeli sphere of influence, trapped within the Oslo framework that is a

sovereignty trap for us.

Whereby Palestinians have to continuously demonstrate that we are good enough needed that we are eligible for freedom that we can protect

Israelis, even as settlers are taking our land, this Palestinian leadership has colluded against us has actually arrested Palestinians in order to

protect Israel.

When people tell me that well, if Hamas would just lay down its rockets, this would go away. I have to remind them that Mahmoud Abbas has been the

most compliant leader in Palestinian history has acquiesced to every Israeli and U.S. demand. And what has he gotten in response? The number of

settlers has increased from 200,000 to 600,000.

[11:40:00]

ERAKAT: The annexation wall has eaten up 13 percent of Palestinian lands. The Jordan Valley is 30 percent of the West Bank and has been eaten up. And

we have been trapped into - in response to our acquiescence. So I don't need any pressure. But also know that the reason that we have this

Palestinian leadership is because the international community would rather see this conflict just be contained, rather than resolved.

It is the international community's responsibility and not withstanding that we have seen an entire generation of Palestinians who have built

transnational solidarity with Hawaiians, with black communities, with people from the African continent and across the world, in order to remind

people once again, that this is a freedom struggle against apartheid, and against settler colonial removal and a desire to remain on our land.

ANDERSON: Noura Erakat, we thank you for joining us.

ERAKAT: Thank you Becky.

ANDERON: You're watching "Connect the World". I'm Becky Anderson. Well, I talked to America's Former Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk next about

what is this delicate some will call it U.S. diplomacy underway to end the Israel Gaza conflict or at least that is how Washington is describing it

that is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:45:00]

ANDERSON: I'm Becky Anderson. A risk of broader destabilization if fighting continues that blunt warning about the Israel/Gaza conflict coming from the

Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.

So far, though the U.S. President has not called for a ceasefire. Joe Biden did express support for a truce in the phone call Monday with Israel's

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He today, tells his country that military operations against Hamas will continue as necessary to restore

peace to the citizens of Israel.

I want to talk more about America's diplomatic role with Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk. He's joining me via Skype from

Washington. And you have probably forgotten more about negotiations on this file than most of us will ever know.

This is a deja vu I noticed so many people who've been involved in Israel Palestinian sort of peace process loosely termed for years, what do you

make of this U.S. position at a present?

MARTIN INDYK, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: Thanks, Becky. And you said a better than me. It is deja vu all over again. The way that Joe Biden is

handling this, in my experience is quite deft. And it says something about his relationships with world leaders in particular his relationship with

Bibi Netanyahu that goes back 30 years.

And, you know, he started out by making it clear to Bibi, that he had his back. He was going to go out and say that Israel had a right to defend

itself. And he's been consistent with that for seven days. At the same time, he responded to Netanyahu's request he said he would block UN

Security Council action where there's an automatic majority against Israel.

And he's done that. Now it's clear that the benefits that Israel can gain from continuing its bombardment of Gaza are diminishing rapidly as

international opinion turns quite dramatically against Israel. And so he's come out, as you said, to support a ceasefire, not demand a ceasefire, but

to support it.

Why does he do that? Because Joe Biden knows that it's not a good idea to jam another politician sensitive to domestic political circumstances. So he

doesn't want to jam him in public. In private I think it's a different story. But I don't know. I'm guessing here, that he's telling Bibi quite

clearly, it's time to wrap it up.

And I think that, that we will see in the coming hours or day's next couple of days that the ceasefire diplomacy will start to kick in.

ANDERSON: The problem is Martin, many people will say, you know, the time for diplomacy was you know, a week ago before 61 kids, for example, lost

their lives in Gaza. And the tone may be different, even out loud. But you know, at the end of the day, without, you know, knowing that Joe Biden is

making those calls to Benjamin Netanyahu and his saying, you know, that the time is nigh.

Biden's critics will say he just continues to enable the Israelis at this point. I do want to just note, the White House Spokeswoman's words. The

role we feel we can do is through the most effective - we feel that quiet and quiet and intensive diplomacy. Sometimes you have to step back from

politics for a moment. It's not easy to do that.

[11:50:00]

ANDERSON: He's taking a lot of flack, Joe Biden for his position here. Do you concede that? And do you also understand why?

INDYK: Yes, look, I think you've got to put it in the context. He's good at putting themselves in the shoes of both sides here. He cannot run diplomacy

by an applause meter. As harsh as that sounds, it's not going to be effective, just to come out condemn Israel and beat them up and expect that

they're somehow going to do your bidding.

It's not going to work like that, while thousands of rockets are falling on Israel. You know, so it's a question of how you get two sides to recognize

that it's time to call it quits, both sides are going to have to do it. The last time we were in this situation, the conflict went on for 50 days,

five, zero days.

So you know, seven days is not a long time, the casualty is a terrible, horrible. But that's why it's necessary, I strongly believe necessary to

bring it to an end as quickly as possible. But the question is how to do that? And I think Joe Biden is actually doing a very good job of bringing

Netanyahu around, but we'll see in the next few days whether I'm right.

ANDERSON: Yes, we spoke to the Jordanian Foreign Minister earlier on this show. I mean, he doesn't think a ceasefire is imminent. He certainly says

the ball is in Israel's court at this point. I just want our viewers to hear what the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said on

Sunday at the UN Security Council have a listen Martin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS-GREENFIELD: The United States calls on all parties to ensure the protection of civilians and to respect international humanitarian law. In

the hours since the council last met on this issue the United States has been working tirelessly through diplomatic channels to try to bring an end

to this conflict.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And look, you know, from the sources that I've spoken to on the ground, it is absolutely clear that the Americans have been working

exhaustively, behind the scenes. As the Spokeswoman at the White House pointed out, sometimes you step back from politics, and sometimes these are

quite intense operations.

And but look, you know, when you hear the words of the UN Ambassador there, many will say this is an empty gesture, because the U.S. continues to block

any formal action in the Security Council. This is a Security Council, let's remind ourselves, which is at present, run by the Chinese.

They have the revolving presidency, the U.S. very quick to attack the Chinese and indeed the Russians when they use their veto on issues of human

rights. Do you see the U.S. looking rather contradictory at this point in that same body?

INDYK: Well, again, there's a long history of U.S. diplomacy when it comes to the Arab Israeli conflict. And the United States has a basic principle

here, that allowing the UN Security Council to make the running is a fool's game for the United States, because it forces the United States to choose

between an automatic anti Israel majority in the Security Council and its alliance with Israel.

And when you know, Israel's in the dark, United States doesn't want to have to be put in that position. If there was something the Security Council

could usefully do, you would see the United States moving there in a heartbeat. That is to say for instance, if the ceasefire is worked out and

ready to go, I can imagine they go to the Security Council for resolution as we have done in the past.

But in at this delicate stage of diplomacy using the Security Council is a very blunt and likely to be counterproductive weapon.

ANDERSON: And you're listening to a man who worked as both the U.S. Ambassador to Israel and the U.S. Special Envoy for Israeli Palestinian

Negotiations. A role you left just before the 2014 Gaza War. I'm sure you are now looking at this and as you have pointed out on this show.

It feels like d,j. vu. Let's hope that something concrete and positive can come out. Martin it is always a pleasure. Thank you very much indeed for

joining us.

INDYK: Thank you.

ANDERSON: We are taking a very short break back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:55:00]

ANDERSON: Before we let you go, I want to whip you through a couple of positive COVID stories from around the world. Cheers to things slowly

inching back to normal in London at least people taking advantage of England's next stage of reopening. They are finally able to grab a bite and

a pint indoors, all while chatting with friends.

Imagine that? And one of South Africa's most revered figures is hoping to give his country's COVID vaccination drive a boost. Anti-Apartheid Leader

Desmond Tutu got his shots on Monday, the 89-year-old giving a wave and a thumbs up as he left the hospital.

It was the first day South Africa began vaccinating people over 60 and comes amid fears of a third wave in the country. Tutu's message to South

Africans getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is definitely the right thing to do. And we've connected your world tonight. Thank you so much for

joining us wherever you are working or indeed living and watching please stay safe and stay well. It's a very good evening from Abu Dhabi.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END