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CNN International: Israel and Hezbollah Trade Strikes Amid Ceasefire Push; Palestinians Fear More Evictions in West Bank Under Trump; Trump Picks Billionaire Scott Bessent to Lead U.S. Treasury; Sinner Leads Italy to Another Davis Cup Crown. Aired 9-9:45a ET

Aired November 25, 2024 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[09:00:00]

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ELENI GIOKOS, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: This is the scene in Beirut, hit by strikes just a short while ago. Sources tell CNN, the Israeli Prime

Minister has agreed in principle to a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah. It is 04:00 p.m. in the Lebanese capital. It is 06:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm

Eleni Giokos. I'm in for my colleague, Becky Anderson, this is "Connect the World".

Also coming up this hour, authorities here in the UAE have arrested three Uzbek nationals in connection with the death of an Israeli rabbi. At least

one person is dead after a cargo plane crashed at a Lithuanian airport. And the Menendez brothers are set to make their first public court appearance

in nearly 30 years.

Well, let's check in on how the markets in New York are set to open around 30 minutes from now. All in positive territory, as you can see behind me,

looking pretty good. All in the green, about half a percent up for NASDAQ and S&P and as you can see, the DOW Jones, eight tenths of percent to the

good.

This is on the back of news that President-elect Donald Trump's pick for treasury state secretary, Scott Bessent, is sending markets much higher. A

lot of optimism of what he could bring to the table. And as you can see, market participants are showing their views through the numbers that we're

seeing this morning.

We are going to check in on those overall numbers in around 30 minutes from now. So, moving on, and big developments coming out of Israel. Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved, in principle, the outlines of a ceasefire deal that's being discussed with Hezbollah.

That's what we're hearing from a source familiar with the matter. The source also saying Israel still has reservations over some details of the

proposal. Now all this comes as we're seeing an uptick in air strikes. The Israeli military said on Sunday, it struck 12 Hezbollah command centers in

Beirut's southern suburbs.

And this video shows Israel's air defenses intercepting Hezbollah projectiles fired from Lebanon. We're live in Jerusalem with CNN's Nic

Robertson. Nic, great to have you with us. We've seen an increase in rocket fire, frankly, from both sides of the border. This while we're hearing that

perhaps a ceasefire could be imminent, that there are close to a deal. What is it going to take to get it over the line?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, as you said we're hearing from the Prime Minister's office. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

has agreed in principle for the ceasefire deal. Serious consideration still remain principle among those as we understand at the moment.

We don't know the details of discussion, but they've been that Israel wants the right to strike back at Hezbollah if it breaks a ceasefire deal, the

terms of which call for a 60-day ceasefire, and that perhaps is the largest sticking point, but the language around it is clearly what's going to

settle their minds or not on in this case.

A regional source has said that they believe that this is getting close. So, I think the indications are from both sides of the equation here that

this is moving in the right direction. It's the closest it's been in since the absolute sort of increase in hostilities began in the middle of

September.

So, it's a moment, it appears of opportunity, a moment for diplomacy. But meanwhile, as you say, from the military front, a real uptick. 250

missiles, 7 injuries incoming from the -- or incoming those 250 incoming missiles from Hezbollah yesterday, causing 7 injuries inside of Israel.

And as you said, an increase in the fire from the IDF going into Lebanon as well. Targeting has been actually hitting the Lebanese army as well, for

which the IDF apologize, killing a Lebanese army soldier and injuring a couple of others. This is not uncommon to see an uptick when you get close

to it.

When you get close to deal, go back to 2006 that was the last time Hezbollah and Israel was sort of at a full front war, right? And then

again, as you got close to the ceasefire, the level of strikes, counter strikes, went up, and that appears to be where we're at now. Caveats, in a

way, we've been here before. Details still to be worked out, but it does seem to be a positive moment.

GIOKOS: Nic, I want you to give me a sense, because you've been doing a lot of reporting on how Palestinians in the occupied West Bank bracing for a

second Trump Administration. What did you discover? What can you tell us?

[09:05:00]

ROBERTSON: Yeah, this comes at a time of already high concern about the desire of some of the right-wing members of Prime Minister Benjamin

Netanyahu's cabinet, who want to annex the whole of the occupied West Bank and the settler movement the same. Now I've been talking not just to

Palestinians, but to people within the settler movement.

They see Trump's pick as ambassador here, Mike Huckabee, as really in line with their thinking, and that worries Palestinians, because they see the

annexation going on already.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE HUCKABEE, FORMER GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS: There is no such thing as a West Bank. It's Judea and Samaria.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Mike Huckabee and at times controversial visitor to Israel looks set to return as President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be

ambassador. If he does, he'll have plenty of friends. Yishai Fleisher, an activist and settler, has met with Huckabee many times.

YISHAI FLEISHER, SETTLER LEADER: He happens to be a great friend of Israel, and of the kind of Israel that I represent those lives in its ancestral

heartland, which is Judea and Samaria, what on CNN may be called the West Bank.

ROBERTSON: Even the occupied West Bank?

FLEISHER: Right. Even occupied West Bank. But we don't see it that way.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): But the history of the West Bank is complex and deeply disputed under international law. Israel is deemed to be occupying

the land. Huckabee will be arriving when settler violence against Palestinians is significantly up over Trump's last administration.

And the Israeli government's claim to the land is at its most politically charged in years. Powerful right-wing nationalists in the government want

to annex the entire occupied West Bank, so too does Fleisher.

FLEISHER: We're still fighting a war of liberation for that piece of land.

ROBERTSON: And it's how can we begin to be helpful in that liberation?

FLEISHER: I think he will be.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): 50 miles north, on the fringes of the West Bank, Palestinian village, Bardala, Israeli diggers are gouging out a new barrier

through the middle of Palestinian farms, on land they say is a security risk. The Israeli government is in the process of taking more land, the

Head of the Council tells me, claiming no security threats here.

IBRAHIM SAWAFTA, HEAD OF BARDALA COUNCIL: -- Huckabee --

ROBERTSON (voice-over): What the media is talking about with Huckabee is already happening, he says. These actions are part of Israel's systematic

policies to occupy and annex all of this land. Their goal is to drive us out of this area. He shows me documents, he says, pro-Palestinian families

have owned this land for more than a century.

As we talk, Israeli troops show up to serve an eviction notice on the farmer below. He's been told his buildings are unlicensed.

ROBERTSON: What he's saying is this document is the official document informing him that he has to be off this land by 09:00 a.m. on the fourth

of December. Otherwise, all of this, he loses it.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Khaled is 60 years old, heartbroken. I don't know how to describe my feelings to you, he says, this is my livelihood. My

children rely on it. Then someone comes along and takes it away. You can't argue with them. We have no power. They have the power.

ROBERTSON: In the villages around here, they call this silent annexation. Little by little, the Palestinians losing their land to Israeli settlement

expansion.

ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI DIPLOMAT: If Israel unilaterally annexes large parts, large swaths of the West Bank, this is not going to fly well in the

Arab world.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Pinkas is a Former Israeli Diplomat, believes Huckabee settler friends could harm Trump's bigger objectives, Saudi-Israel

normalization.

PINKAS: He's going to be pressured by the Saudis, the Qataris and the Emiratis, to strike a bigger deal. He's going to want to build on the

Abraham accords.

DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND CURRENT PRESIDENTIAL-ELECT: Saudi Arabia very soon --

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The price of which Trump's biggest regional friend, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says is a Palestinian state.

MOHAMMAD SHTAYYEH, FORMER PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRIME MINISTER: Maybe there is an opportunity with Saudi Arabia for us, and that is why we're closely

coordinating with Saudi Arabia.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): The Palestinian Authority's Former Prime Minister believes it's Trump's friends who will triumph in influencing the Israeli

government, not Huckabee's.

SHTAYYEH: This man is not the one who will be decredding the shots. He is a player. He is an important player, but he is not the player. He is not the

president.

ROBERTSON (voice-over): By the time Huckabee arrives, more land, like farmer Khaled's will have been seized. What will the future hold he says,

it's a question everyone here is asking.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[09:10:00]

ROBERTSON (on camera): You know, and this also comes at a time when the Israeli government has decided to remove detentions from settlers. This was

a form of punishment they were putting on the settlers under pressure from the Biden Administration, but just last week, they decided to remove that

stricture on the settlers.

And that comes at a time this weekend when settlers actually attacked an Israeli general, the tensions really exist. And the moment for settlers,

there's a sort of a fire brand youth, and there's a leadership cadre, if you will, but there's a real sense that Trump is going to help them deliver

what they want.

GIOKOS: Well, Nic, thank you so much for that reporting. Good to have you on. The Israeli government is imposing sanctions on Haaretz, the country's

oldest newspaper. The Israeli cabinet points to the paper's critical coverage of the war against Hamas. Haaretz describes the move as an attempt

to quote, silence a critical, independent newspaper.

And then exile be speaking about this with Anat Saragusti, Press Freedom Director of the Union of Journalists in Israel. Egyptian authorities say 17

people are missing after tourist boats sank in the Red Sea. Officials tell the Associated Press that 28 people have been rescued so far.

Some were airlifted to receive medical treatment. According to the Red Sea region governor, the boat named the sea story, was carrying 45 people made

up of tourists and crew members on a multi-day diving trip when it went down near the coastal town of Marsa Alam.

It's not immediately clear what caused the boat to sink, but the Egyptian meteorological authority on Saturday warned about turbulence and high waves

on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday. Authorities in the UAE say they have arrested three Uzbek nationals in

connection with the death of an Israeli rabbi in the United Arab Emirates.

The White House is condemning the killing of Rabbi Zvi Kogan and says it is working closely with Israeli and UAE authorities. On Sunday, Israel's Prime

Minister called the killing an antisemitic act of terror. CNN's Paula Hancocks joins us now for a little bit more information what we're learning

this is the developing story, of course. What more do we know?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, Eleni, we're hearing from the Ministry of Interior here in the UAE, saying that they have named three

Uzbek nationals as suspects in this case. And they say that they are starting legal proceedings against them. Now, at this point, they haven't

said anything about motive, or, in fact, about the circumstances which led to this killing.

They have said that they are committed to swiftly take the necessary measures to uncover the details, circumstances and motives of the incident.

Now we know that the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been very clear that he believes that this is an antisemitic attack, calling it

a heinous attack.

But at this point, we're not hearing details of the circumstances from the UAE side. We do know, though, that on Thursday that the Chabad movement,

which is the group that he was part of, say that he was abducted from Dubai, one of the Emirates here. And then on Sunday, we do understand that

the ministry of interior said that they had discovered his body.

Now, we do believe, from the Israeli side of things, that he is being repatriated at this point, that his body is being taken to Israel, and is

it.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

HANCOCKS: We are expecting a funeral in the coming hours.

GIOKOS: I want to talk about the Jewish community here in the UAE. What kind of number we're talking about here? Because Israel has put out

cautionary guidance for the Jewish community.

HANCOCKS: Yeah, it's not large.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

HANCOCKS: We believe it's in the thousands, but it is a fairly small Jewish community within the UAE. It was only in 2020 when the UAE started

established relations with Israel. It was part of the Abraham accords that the U.S. brokered agreement, and that is really when we saw the growth of

the Jewish community here.

We have spoken to a couple of members of that community. There is concern, obviously, within the Jewish community here, there is fear. We have spoken

to some who didn't want to speak on the record, didn't want their names put in the public arena for, as you can understand.

But we've heard from the Israeli side that they are reissuing a travel warning, which they had in place, which says they do caution against

nonessential travel here. And for those that are here, they say minimize your movement and stay in secure places.

[09:15:00]

GIOKOS: All right, Paula Hancocks, thanks so much for that update. Good to see you. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has nearly finalized his list of

cabinet picks to lead the next White House Administration. One of his latest picks includes Brooke Rollins to head the Department of Agriculture.

Much of the confirmation process for Trump's choices is expected to go smoothly since Republicans won the majority in the Senate during the

election, but some of Trump's controversial cabinet picks, including Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense and Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National

Intelligence, pose a major test of just how fast Senate Republicans are willing to go to support the President's elect.

CNN's Alayna Treene joins us now from West Palm Beach, Florida. Alayna always good to have you on. Republicans on Capitol Hill warned that there

are mounting concerns about Hegseth and Gabbard. What more can you tell us?

ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: That's right. And one thing, and you mentioned this -- but it's something to keep in mind now, is that we are learning

that as much as Republicans control both chambers of Congress, and many of them want to prove their loyalty to the president elect before the next

four years.

We also saw them really have a backbone last week when they made clear to the Trump transition team that Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump's initial pick to

be his attorney general and lead the Department of Justice was not going to get the numbers needed to get confirmed.

So that's part of why there is such a big focus now I can tell you, in my conversations with those working on the Trump transition team about how the

confirmation process will go for the rest of his picks. Now, you mentioned two people in particular, Tulsi Gabbard, his pick to lead or be his

Director of National Intelligence, and also Pete Hegseth, his selection to run the Pentagon.

These are two of the people that many people believe are going to be the most controversial, and I'll break that down. One is because Gabbard, in

particular, she's a former Democrat, but she also has deep skepticism of the way that surveillance has been conducted in the United States, how the

government has been using surveillance in recent years.

And really has signaled that she may break with traditional norms in that respect. She also has visited and seems to have close relationships with

foreign leaders that are viewed as adversarial to the United States, including --

[09:20:00]

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[09:25:00]

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[09:30:00]

GIOKOS: Right. It is the start of trading on Wall Street, and what a start it is. DOW JONES is up six tenths of a percent. NASDAQ looking good as

well, and so too is the S&P 500. Welcome back. I'm Eleni Giokos. I'm in for my colleague, Becky Anderson. You're watching "Connect the World".

So, this very positive reaction this morning seems to be on the back of Donald Trump's pick for treasury secretary. Investors hoping billionaire

Scott Bessent will soften the administration's approach to sweeping tax cuts as well as trade tariffs. CNN's Matt Egan joins us now from New York

with more on this.

I have to say, I've been watching the market since the election, and post- election rally has been pretty phenomenal. I guess the treasury secretary pick is creating a bit of excitement. Tell us more.

MATT EGAN, CNN REPORTER: Well, Eleni, this is a really critical job, and so I think investors and relieved that Trump went with a serious person here,

not another radical person or bomb thrower here. This is Scott Bessent, who is someone who could immediately get some respect and influence with

financial markets, and he's already getting some positive reviews.

Jeff Sonnenfeld from Yale told me that there is great relief over this election. JP Morgan, CEO Jamie Dimon thinks highly of Bessent and thinks

that this is an excellent choice. Also heard from Jay Timmons, the manufacturing CEO who's been critical of Trump in the past.

He called this an outstanding choice. And even Anthony Scaramucci, the fierce to the -- hedge fund executive who fiercely opposed Trump's

reelection, he called Bessent, a great guy, safe and stable pair of hands. And we are seeing this play out in the stock market, with the U.S. market

opening significantly higher.

This does seem to be about some relief, some optimism over the selection of Scott Bessent hearing a little bit more about his resume. He's a hedge fund

executive. He has deep knowledge of global markets. He's actually worked with some of the most famous investors on the planet, including Stanley

Druckenmiller and George Soros.

And in the past, Bessent has backed both Republicans and Democrats. And I think that the hope here from investors and from CEOs is that Bessent can

be a moderating influence against some of the more aggressive campaign promises from the president-elect, especially on trade.

Sonnenfeld told me that Besant is a supporter of using tariffs as a negotiating tool, but he's not going to be all about blanket tariffs,

because he knows history and he knows that Smoot-Hawley tariffs back in 1930 actually exacerbated the great recession, and Sonnenfeld said he

doesn't want a second Smoot-Hawley.

Of course, at the end of the day, a lot of these decisions are going to be made by Trump himself, but it does appear that at least one of the voices

in the room when those decisions are going to be making is going to be a more moderate one, Eleni.

GIOKOS: Yeah. I mean, that's the point. I think, you know, when we look at Trump's tariff policy and how much fear that's created, not only for

business, and of course, consumers in the United States, or what that means globally as well.

What have you learned about the potential for basin to you know, either go in a lot softer with tariffs, or, you know, figure out a way to ensure that

it's not going to hit the market that badly? It's quite curious to hear some of the things that he's been saying during interviews over the past

while.

EGAN: Yeah, I think a lot of this comes down to the details and the implementation. And so that's why it is really important that Scott Bessent

has been picked for this role. He did speak to Larry Kudlow over the weekend during a radio interview, and he did address some of these

concerns.

He argued that tariffs are not going to be inflationary. He argued that they're not going to be increasing prices significantly. Now others see

that the other way, Goldman Sachs put out a report just last night saying that, yes, across the port, tariffs are going to boost prices.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

EGAN: But another thing that we heard from Bessent during the interview over the weekend was a real focus on trying to fix the budget and address

the national debt. Take a listen to what he told Kudlow on that topic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT BESSENT, TRUMP'S PICK FOR TREASURY SECRETARY: I've been in the investing in the bond market for 35 years, and I think this is going to be

something that the bond market hasn't ever seen. So, you know, if we can get that spending down and get the growth that you and I love up, the

trajectory of the debt could be better than anyone could imagine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[09:35:00]

EGAN: Now this caught my ear, because we know that the bond market has not reacted all that well to the Trump victory. We've seen treasury rates move

significantly higher because of those concerns about adding trillions of dollars of debt, because of the concerns about this being inflation.

Are not just tariffs, but also mass deportations. And so, this does seem to be Bessent, trying to talk to the market, trying to ease those concerns,

because at the end of the day, he knows better than anyone that the bond market has the potential to stop the Trump agenda in its tracks.

If we saw bond rates skyrocketing, then that would force the president- elect to rethink some of his plans. So clearly, Bessent is already trying to send messages to the market.

GIOKOS: All right, interesting times, and we're looking at the markets right now. DOW is up over 1 percent, so let's see how that goes. Matt Egan,

good to have you with us. Thank you.

EGAN: Thanks, Eleni.

GIOKOS: Well, it has been nearly 30 years since brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez were sentenced to life in a California prison for murdering their

parents, and now a judge must decide whether new evidence in the case could forge a path towards their release from prison.

The brothers also set to appear before a judge in Los Angeles later today to discuss next steps in their case. CNN's Jean Casarez is following the

story for us from New York. It is a story, of course, that is gaining a lot of interest, not only in the United States, but also globally as well, and

just in terms of what will happen next.

So, what are we expecting to hear today? And why is the Los Angeles District Attorney recommending the brothers be re sentenced?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this has just been a focus of his, now this is the outgoing district attorney. This is so ironic, because in

the final days of his campaign, he brought this front and center, telling all of Los Angeles County that he wanted them released.

And its life without the possibility of parole, which is the highest count, the highest conviction you can have, the most serious conviction in

California. And next week, the new DA is going to come on board, so it's a little strange. But today is a status hearing, and this is a normal thing

that is done in court.

As you proceed to the final hearing, it's just, where are we now? What are we going to do? What do we have to do? But you never know what's going to

happen in a hearing. And I think the main thing here is that the Erik and Lyle are going to be in court. We believe virtually from prison.

The judge can change that at any minute, but they will be attending this hearing, which is very, very significant. Now, the reality is that there

are two pathways for them to be released from prison. One is a habeas corpus petition, which alleges the sexual abuse that they had, according to

the district attorney and to Lyle and Erik back with their father, Jose Menendez.

It involves a letter that was written shortly before the murders, and then also a former member of the group Menudo, has come out saying that he was

sexually abused by Jose Menendez. But the other route, and the DA seems to be really focused on this, is rehabilitation, because there's a law in

California that says, if you have been rehabilitated to a point that we believe you will be safe in the community and add value to the community.

We will release you. Now, Lyle Menendez has gotten his bachelor's degree from the University of California Irvine. Some of the courses that he has

instituted for inmates are beautification, also adverse childhood experiences, also an ally for those that are younger, that have gotten life

without parole.

And then Erik Menendez, Associates Degree sign language course he's developed in prison for inmates who are profoundly deaf. And then also

hospice victim's empathy and a 12-step program. So that, I think when we get to that hearing said at this point, for December 11, will be the focus

of getting them out.

And then the question is, does it go to the parole board? Does the judge maybe lower the conviction, reduce it to manslaughter, where they could be

out immediately? There are so many different ways they can go on this, but we need to follow it all, because it's extremely significant.

GIOKOS: It absolutely is. Jean, great to see you. Thank you so much.

CASAREZ: Thank you.

GIOKOS: You are watching "Connect the World". Will be right back after the short break. Stay with CNN.

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[09:40:00]

GIOKOS: Italy is on top of the tennis world right now, their men's team claim the Davis Cup on Sunday, just days after the women's squad captured

the Billie Jean King cup. Lots happening. We've got Carolyn Manno joining us to take us through all this excitement. What's going on with Italy?

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's been quite a week for the Italians.

GIOKOS: So much luck, yeah.

MANNO: Yeah, a little bit of luck, a lot of hard work, and certainly earned Debbie.

GIOKOS: Yeah.

MANNO: And that fifth Billie Jean King cup earlier in the week is so deserved. And Italy becoming just the sixth team to retain the Davis Cup as

well. You really can't overstate the importance of Jannik Sinner to this team. He's a two-time major champion now. He's only lost 6 of the 76

matches that he played on the ATP Tour, claiming two majors, ending the year at those finals in such incredible fashion. So, we're going to hear

his thoughts on claiming another trophy coming up on "World Sport".

GIOKOS: All right, we're going to see you straight after this short break. I'll be back at the top of the hour. Stay with CNN.

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[09:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)

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