Return to Transcripts main page

One World with Zain Asher

Israel's Iron Dome Defense System Intercepts Incoming Rockets Near Tel Aviv; The United Arab Emirates Announces $30 Billion Green Investment Fund To Help Developing Nations; One Of Vermont Shooting Victims Speaks Out; House Members Vote To Expel Congressman George Santos; U.S. Supreme Court Icon Sandra Day O'Connor Passes Away At 93. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired December 01, 2023 - 12:00   ET

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

[12:00:00]

BIANNA GOLODRYGA, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Rockets intercepted over Tel Aviv and explosions in Gaza as the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas

ends. "One World" starts right now. Return to battle. The seven-day pause is over and the death toll is rising in Gaza as Israeli strikes resume.

Also ahead, who knew what, when? New reporting says that Israel knew Hamas was planning an attack a year ago. And later, rarely seen, about an hour

ago the U.S. House voted to kick George Santos out of Congress. How the vote just made American history.

Hello everyone, live from New York, I'm Bianna Golodryga. Zain is off today. Israel's Iron Dome defense system is intercepting incoming rockets

near Tel Aviv, just hours after the seven-day truce between Hamas and Israel came to an end.

And in Gaza, explosions could be heard as Israel resumed combat operations earlier, saying that it struck over 200 targets this morning alone. Hamas

says Israel refused all offers to extend the pause, a claim Israel dismisses as pure propaganda. Israel says that it is Hamas that violated

the terms of the deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EYLON LEVY, ISRAELI GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN: Unfortunately, Hamas decided to terminate the pause by failing to release all the kidnapped women as it was

obligated to do so and kidnapped children and by resuming rocket fire. Chosen to hold on to our women, Hamas will now take the mother of all

thumpings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: This is the aftermath of an Israeli strike in southern Gaza today. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says more than 100 people

have been killed in today's hostilities. Israel is also dropping leaflets there urging people to evacuate. And the IDF released an interactive

evacuation map for the next stage of war, showing Gaza divided into hundreds of districts.

Before the truce ended, Hamas released eight more hostages on Thursday. In all, Israel says 80 Israeli hostages and 24 foreign nationals were freed

from captivity during the week-long pause in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. As negotiators scramble to restore the pause in fighting and

allow more hostages to be released, the U.N. Children's Agency is sounding the alarm, saying humanity is giving up on the children of Gaza.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES ELDER, UNICEF SPOKESMAN: This is our last chance. This is our last chance before we delve into yet again explaining why another entirely

avoidable tragedy was not stopped -- whilst no one sought to stop what is a war on children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: CNN's Oren Liebermann joins us now from Tel Aviv with the latest. And Oren, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirming just

hours ago that the IDF account -- that the ceasefire ended due to Hamas violating the agreement. Is there any indication though of whether the

truce can be reinstated? And if so, what would that take?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: So, we've heard from the Qataris that there are ongoing mediation efforts to get back to a truce and

get back to a situation where humanitarian aid can flow into Gaza. We've also learned from U.S. officials that those efforts are ongoing, Israel and

Hamas talking indirectly through Qatar, Egypt, and the U.S.

The question, of course, is what would it take to get back to that truce, and the U.S.' position, and Israel's position for that matter, is that

Hamas simply has to come up with a list of 20, or rather 10 women and children to release for a pause in 24 hours. Israel believes that Hamas is

still holding at least enough for one day of pause, 10 women and children, and perhaps enough for another 24 hours of pause on top of that. The

problem is, Hamas doesn't seem to believe that, claiming that they're trying to move to a discussion on the broader aspect of hostages, which

includes elderly men, as well as men and women of fighting age.

So, there you see the disconnect there. The negotiations are ongoing, even as we speak. And it's worth noting that to get to the first truce, there

were negotiations in the middle of an intense war. So perhaps it shouldn't be too surprising that there are negotiations right now. The question

though, what are the prospects of them getting anywhere?

A senior State Department official at least hinted at the possibility that there may be another truce soon, even perhaps as soon as today. However,

from where we're standing right now, I have to say that seems incredibly optimistic. We saw a rocket fire on Tel Aviv for the first time in two

weeks, perhaps even more.

[12:05:00]

At least 10 launches of the Iron Dome interceptor, picking off rockets as they came towards central Israel and south us here in Tel Aviv. And Israel

has resumed its war at an intense pace, carrying out punishing strikes across southern Gaza, which is where they told Palestinians in northern

Gaza to evacuate to.

The IDF says they carried out strikes against what they called terror targets in Khan Younis and Rafah, which is the border crossing through

which, according to what we know right now, no humanitarian aid has flowed to this point.

Those strikes, according to health authorities in Gaza, have led to the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians and hundreds more injured. That, as

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Israel is taking steps to try to reduce civilian casualties. Bianna, that is absolutely something we'll be

following closely given the intensity with which this war has resumed.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, the IDF just recently confirming the death of three Israeli hostages held in Gaza, as well. Oren Liebermann, thank you. Well,

with the truce on hold, how is the aid flowing into Gaza? Ben Wedeman joins us now with that part of the story, because that, too, is on hold.

The U.S. Secretary of State in Dubai saying that he believes Israel has indeed taken steps to tell Gazans where the areas that are safe to go are

and where to stay out of harm's way. That having been said, Ben, what are you hearing about how that is all playing out in real time in southern

Gaza?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): Well, for one thing, Bianna, they've dropped leaflets in the Khan Younis area

instructing people living on the outskirts of that city to move down south to the town of Rafah, which is right on the border with Egypt. They've also

put something else out, a rather complicated map which shows Gaza divided into a variety of districts.

And there's a QR code on it. So, people can go, use that QR code and in theory find out where is safe, where is not. The problem is, of course,

internet connectivity in Gaza is rather spotty at the moment, so it may be difficult for people to access that QR code for one thing.

And of course, as you mentioned, there's no more aid getting into Gaza as of the end of the truce at 7 A.M. this morning. And of course, the problem

is wildly more complicated by the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of people who have fled from the north of Gaza, now in the south of Gaza,

and their situation in terms of living, in terms of food, in terms of sanitation, is dire.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (voice-over): There isn't much left to retrieve from the moonscape that was Zahra city in central Gaza. Just some scraps of wood pulled from

the ruins. The odds and ends that were once people's lives.

We've come to get what we can, says Amjad the Shanti. The kids' things, our clothing, whatever we can get from under the rubble. Here, found this, a

daughter's toy. No one can live here anymore, the destruction, total. Life in Gaza has been reduced to the basics, a pre-industrial existence where

people have become hewers of wood where they can find it. And drawers of water, even if that water is barely potable.

Bassem Al-Attar goes out early every day to collect the firewood his wife uses to prepare meals. United Nations estimates around 80 percent of Gaza's

population has been displaced. More than a million jammed into schools, converted into shelters.

People here are living on top of one another, says Bessim. The place is full of filth. All these kids are going to get sick. The World Health

Organization reports that without adequate hygiene, health care and food, disease is spreading. Bessem's wife, Hitam, tears up the daily bread, old

and stale, to be made into a thin soup with lentils.

We used to feed this to the sheep, now we give it to the children, she says. There's no more room at this school in Merazi, central Gaza. Umm

Shadi and her extended family of more than 20 sleep in the back of a truck, protected from the elements by a plastic tarp. She fled from northern Gaza

with only what she could carry, desperate now to find enough food to feed her children.

When my son tells me, I'm hungry, what can I say, she asks. We try, but we can't find anything. Our life is hard. Hard, perhaps, is an understatement.

[12:10:00]

Welcome to the apocalypse -- now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WEDEMAN (on-camera): Now, U.S. Secretary of State Antony, before leaving here, said he urged the Israelis not to repeat the kind of massive civilian

casualties and destruction in the south that was visited upon the north of Gaza. But we did hear Benny Gantz, who is a minister without portfolio and

a member of Israel's war cabinet, say there will be no cities of refuge in Gaza. Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: All right, Ben Wedeman reporting for us from Jerusalem. Thank you. Well, let's turn back now to what appears to be the second phase of

the Israel-Hamas war and an intensified military campaign in Gaza. Lieutenant General Mark Hertling joins me now for more on this story.

Great to see you, Lieutenant General. So, Israel even confirming that its operation in southern Gaza will have to look different than what we saw --

the mass aerial bombardment in northern Gaza. What does a more surgical operation look like, and do you think Israel will be able to accomplish its

goals given that?

MARK HERTLING, RETIRED LIEUTENANT GENERAL, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: It's going to be very difficult, Bianna. You know, first of all, they continue to use

precision weapons, artillery rounds, bombs that are precise hitting targets. But when you have these large explosions, which comes from these

very large bombs when they're attempting to hit and destroy tunnels that are sometimes 50 to 100 feet under the ground, it makes a large crater.

I mean, that's just the fact of kinetics and the operations. But I think what we're going to see Israel do, they've learned a lot from the first

phase, the first six weeks of the operation. And unlike what they did in the past in terms of basically steamrolling the entire Gaza City, when they

go into Kani Banyanis or into Rassafah later on, you're going to see them probably try and push the non-combatants, the Palestinian citizens, to

certain areas of the town that don't correspond to where they have intelligence on Hamas operating.

You know, it's going to be very difficult though, because Hamas purposely uses parts of cities and types of infrastructures to cover their movement.

And Hamas wants to see the kinds of casualties that occurred in the first six weeks of the Israeli campaign because that brings more ire onto the

Israeli army.

That's part of their combat plan. Hamas wants to embarrass and have the world rise up against Israel. So, whatever Israel does in terms of

attempting to move citizens around or attempting to be more precise and go slower in their operations, there are still going to be collateral effects

and civilians are going to be injured and killed.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, no doubt Hamas violating rules of war by using civilians as human shields -- that, we know. I'm just wondering, given Israel's

ambitious goals, and that is taking out not only the leadership, but the group's 24 battalions, thus far they said they have taken out about 10 and

only accomplished 40 percent of the job in northern Gaza, given the parameters of what Tony Blinken said, you have weeks, not months to

accomplish this in, do you think that's in a realistic timeframe?

HERTLING: I don't, Bianna. And I also am skeptical about the numbers that Israel is producing in terms of 10 -- of, you know, basically a quarter of

what they need to do. You know, it's very difficult if you're looking at the so-called body counts of your enemies or what you've destroyed, to

determine how much is left of the Hamas organization, which in and of itself consists of thousands of soldiers. I inappropriately use the word

soldiers, thousands of terrorists.

And these individuals have moved during the pause in the operations. They've maneuvered to different parts of the battlefield. They've taken

hostages more than likely and bodies of hostages to those different parts of the battlefield.

And as Israel attempts to expand their operation, it's just going to be increasingly difficult to go through these, what's expected to be 300 miles

of tunnels, and some of them are 50 feet underground, some of them are 200 feet underground. It's the worst kind of condition for a military

operation.

GOLODRYGA: No doubt, most would agree that it was the right thing to do, to see these, to put this truce into place so that 80-plus hostages can return

home to Israel. But from a military perspective, how big of a setback do you think that was for the IDF? Obviously, it was a decision everyone

believed was worth making.

[12:15:00]

But from the regrouping that Hamas may have been able to make in those four or five days, not to mention the aerial surveillance that Israel had to

curtail as well, how big of a setback was that?

HERTLING: Well, just from a military perspective, and I'm glad you couched it that way, Bianna.

It is always advantageous for the defending force, which in this case is Hamas, to get a truce or a ceasefire or a pause in operations. Because

during that time, they can conduct maneuver. They can move around. They can strengthen their defenses. They can set up new positions. They can

establish ambushes and sniper positions. All of those things weigh in the advantage of the defender, Hamas.

For the Israeli force, it's a reduction in their momentum. They were starting to roll. They were killing and generating more intelligence from

their killing of Hamas forces. And so -- and as you said, they had to reduce. They didn't completely eliminate their intelligence collection, but

they did reduce it quite a bit.

So, during that period, it's much tougher for the Israeli force to connect some dots. But at the same time, you have hostages coming out. And I would

suggest the Israeli Defense Force probably has gained an awful lot of intelligence from those hostages.

The only problem there is you have to weigh, you know, the military asking questions versus the psychiatrists asking questions of those recently

released, because they are in a very traumatic state. And they will give some information, like where they were held, how much they were moved, how

many soldiers -- how many terrorists were around them, what kind of food were they eating, what were the conditions?

All of those will contribute to the Israeli potential for continuing the offensive. But it seems like through the entire truce or the pause, the

Israeli forces have been chomping at the bit. They wanted to go back into action and destroy these thousands of terrorists that are threatening their

citizens.

GOLODRYGA: All right, Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, thank you so much for your expertise. We appreciate it. Have a good weekend. Thanks.

HERTLING: Thanks, Bianna. You, too.

GOLODRYGA: Coming up for us, an update on that humanitarian aid which was coming into Gaza during the truce. Plus, world leaders are making a dire

plea for climate change, saying the world is headed towards dangerous, unchartered territory.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLES III, KING OF THE UNITED KINGDOM: Some important progress has been made, but it worries me greatly that we remain so dreadfully far off track.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:20:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: Well, there was a glimmer of hope during the first full day of the climate conference in Dubai. The United Arab Emirates announcing a $30

billion green investment fund that will help developing nations. On top of that, for the first time ever, more than 100 countries are taking the

pledge to help food producers reduce their climate vulnerability.

All moves in the right direction, but largely the atmosphere has been one of doom and gloom, with warnings that the world is not moving fast enough

on the issue. Here is the urgent plea from two world leaders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING CHARLES: Some important progress has been made, but it worries me greatly that we remain so dreadfully far off track.

ANTONIO GUTERRES, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: We cannot save a burning planet via fire holes of fossil fuels. We must accelerate a just equitable

transition to renewables. The science is clear. The 1.53 limit is only possible if we ultimately stop burning all fossil fuels.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Joining me now in New York is CNN's Chief Climate Correspondent, Bill Weir. So Bill, how much should we take solace in this $30 billion

green investment fund?

BILL WEIR, CNN CHIEF CLIMATE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting, Bianna. There's a little bit of theatrics going on here. Obviously, the UAE is

stinging a bit from the criticism that a petro state is even hosting a climate change conference, given their sort of conflict of interests,

especially with the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company running the show here, as well.

But this really stands in sharp contrast to the early pledges from other Western countries, including the United States, which donated about $17.5

million dollars into a lost and damaged fund. If you look at this $30 billion pledge, you break it down.

Only $5 billion of it is going to developing countries that really need to adapt to the changes and brace for what's coming. Twenty-five billion of it

will go into general climate investment around the world. You can see there some of the pledges so far. The U.K. kicking in $75 million, Japan $10

million, Australia -- I think was around $15 million or so.

So, some Pacific Islanders and people from countries that are much more vulnerable and developing look at those pledges and say, we need hundreds

of billions of dollars to mitigate the problem, at least according to U.N. scientists.

Speaking of pledges, we saw a rather admirable one in the meeting just a few weeks ago between President Biden and President Xi in California, but

it is notable that neither world leader, the world's largest carbon emitters, are not present at this summit. Is this a missed opportunity and

what is the reaction you're hearing from people there on the ground?

WEIR: Yeah, well, I mean, there is disappointment that the biggest emitters historically and then currently with the U.S. and China aren't there. Vice

President Harris is flying over, although there was a thaw in that relation in recent weeks.

And John Kerry and his counterparts with the Chinese are expected to announce a big pledge, a joint pledge about reducing methane, which we know

better as natural gas, which is 80 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in the near term to over-cook in the planet right now. That could be big

and a lot of other nations could follow suit.

You know, the Chinese-American sort of bilateral conversation around this led to the Paris Accords, originally. They are the two big players are

doing things behind the scenes even if they're not out front and visible and leading in the way a lot of folks would like to see them do.

GOLODRYGA: What is the position on renewable energies and technology that is not proven to be scalable? But it is promising. There are concerns among

some experts that relying too much on engineering our way out of climate change may be sort of an easy way out that's not likely to actually bear

anything -- any merits. But, your take, Bill, on the investments, the billions of dollars that companies are putting forward on this technology.

WEIR: Well, Bianna, we're actually expecting also this weekend maybe an announcement that a number of countries are tripling their renewable

energy, which is probably going to happen anyway because of market forces. On-shore wind and solar-powered batteries are now the cheapest forms of

energy ever in the history of humanity right now, and those are exploding around the world.

But it is not replacing coal, oil, and gas and that's the sticking point right here. The Sultan running this thing from Abu Dhabi likes to talk

about unabated emissions which means we have to stop unabated -- we have to catch the carbon dioxide or methane at the smokestack, bury it underground

and we can keep burning that way.

[12:25:00]

But that's has not been proven at scale, so there's a lot of skeptics. The most exciting announcement would be if Saudi Aramco or Exxon Mobil came out

and said, these are the oil fields we have decided not to tap into. Until that happens, you'll hear a lot of this adjuda from world leaders saying,

where's the leadership?

How are we going to decarbonize if we can't stop the root of the problem? It's sort of like when your bathtub is overfilling, you can bail it and you

can mop, but until you turn off the tap, it will never end.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, not holding my breath for these oil producers to say that they won't tap anymore in the near term. Bill Weir, thank you so much.

WEIR: You bet.

GOLODRYGA: Well, coming up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY MADOWO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the last section of the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side into Gaza. This is the only border entry

point and exit that is not controlled by Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: Complete standstill. Right now, hundreds of trucks with critical aid for Gaza are stuck at the Rafah crossing. Also ahead, running for his

life and fearful his friends might be dead. One of three Palestinian college students shot in Vermont speaks to CNN about his horrifying ordeal.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: Welcome back to "One World". I'm Bianna Golodryga. During that seven-day pause in the fighting between Hamas and Israel, trucks carrying

desperately needed aid were allowed to enter Gaza each day. That's now at a standstill. Eyewitnesses say no trucks have crossed into Gaza today from

the Rafah border crossing in Egypt. CNN's Larry Madowo reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MADOWO: This is the last section of the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side into Gaza. This is the only border entry point and exit that is not

controlled by Israel. A lot of trucks are making this journey here. On our way in, we saw several miles of trucks filled with aid waiting to get to

this point. One driver tells us he has been waiting for nine days just to get this point.

After they cross over from Egypt into Gaza, they have to go to Nizanah, where Israeli officials verify what's in these trucks, and the drivers tell

us that can take up to three days. There's several hundreds of trucks waiting for that process before they can offload their cargo to aid trucks

to distribute them across the enclave.

So, the process between this section of the Rafah crossing in Egypt into the crossing into Gaza can be a while. We see ambulances coming in.

Egyptian officials tell us, several hundred injured. Almost 400 have come in here since late October to bring in the injured from Gaza, to be treated

at Egyptian hospitals. And some family members have been going back, as well.

This is part of the crucial part of the deal, to release more hostages from Hamas. If aid can come in, the deal included 200 trucks that can come in

every day. U.S. officials estimate that about 240 have been coning in every day, bringing food and water and medical supplies, emergency relief items,

as well as shelter as the rainy season comes in Gaza, which often leads to some flooding, some displacement, as well.

But this has been the crucial corridor for aid into Gaza, and there has to be a way to make that happen. Even if the truce is not extended, this has

got to be a way to make sure there's more aid coming into Gaza.

Egyptian officials tell CNN that this crossing has been open 24-7 since October 7th. But obviously, that is only technically because aid cannot

just go through here into Gaza. It's going to go through Israeli checkpoint and that slows things down considerably. Larry Madowo, CNN, at the Rafah

crossing in Egypt.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: The October 7th Hamas terror attack on Israel was unprecedented and shocking in its brutality. But according to another report, it

shouldn't have come as a surprise. "The New York Times" says Israel obtained Hamas' battle plan more than a year ago. But military and

intelligence officials dismissed it as just aspirational and too difficult to carry out.

The Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" has also reported the claim. CNN spoke to "New York Times" staff writer Ronen Bergman about some of the specifics in

this new report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONEN BERGMAN, STAFF WRITER, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Israel didn't believe that Hamas has the ability to send teams throughout the border. This is a

detailed, meticulous plan. And one cannot be not impressed by the extent of knowledge of the Hamas about Israel. All the preparations, all the

surveillance devices on the border, they are all -- and the automatic submachine guns, they are all strictly mapped.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: A detailed and articulate plan. Time now for The Exchange and my conversation with Israeli journalist and intelligence expert Yossi Melman.

Yossi, it's good to have you back on the show. So, prior to this damning report, we had been hearing various accounts of Hamas planning to do

something, and the takeaway was that all the dots just weren't connected here.

This report in detail lays out almost exactly what took place on October 7th, and it appears that Israeli intelligence and officials knew much more

about this than we knew just a few weeks ago. How do you respond to this?

YOSSI MELMAN, ISRAELI JOURNALIST: Well, actually, the information was coming out immediately after October 7th from various sources from the

intelligence community, from low level officers, but also from more senior officers. And portraying a very clear picture that there were -- there was

an information, but simply it was ignored because it was subjected to the concept that Hamas is weak, that Hamas is incapable of launching a major

attack on Israel -- and Israel, simply from the government.

[12:35:00]

I talk to the intelligence community -- simply ignore these signals and indications including that Israel obtained parts of their war plan of

Hamas, because Israel did not believe that Hamas is capable of launching a major, major attack with 3000 combatants, warriors, and maybe it would be

sort of a raid, but not all out, full-scale war.

GOLODRYGA: Yeah, so Israel had two blunders, according to Ronen Bergman's assessment. And that is that Israel didn't think that Hamas was capable of

launching an attack like this, describing it as more aspirational.

But perhaps even more damning is that Israel intelligence, leading up even to Prime Minister Netanyahu, didn't think that it was within their mental

thinking among Hamas' leadership as to what they wanted to do, that they had taken -- turned a new page and wanted to focus more on diplomatic

relations and running Gaza, as opposed to fighting with Israel.

MELMAN: Bianna, there were several blunders, not just at the tactical level or the operational level. The blunder was from the -- by the government of

Netanyahu, which put a lot of money into Gaza via Qatar, hoping that Hamas would use it to rebuild Gaza, to reconstruct it, and Hamas was interested

not in launching a war against Israel, but in, helping to build the economy there. So, that was the cardinal sin.

And it's not just the last year, it's over two years. The former head of Mossad, Yossi Cohen, flew to Qatar and came back with money. Qatari envoys

were driving to the Gaza, to the crossing points between Israel and Gaza, and bringing suitcases filled with dollars and money. So, the plan was at

the government level. And then the intelligence community ignored completely the signals and the indications which were available to the

Israeli analysts.

By the way, many of them were female analysts and I can quote what a former, another former head of Mossad said, Tamir Pardo said, he said that

women at the intelligence community are much better, more sensitive, has less ego and therefore they are more attentive to understand pictures and

to put the dots together.

GOLODRYGA: So, Yossi, does that raise the question of sexism and misogyny within the intelligence and military community in Israel? Because as you

mentioned, a veteran analyst is described in this article from Unit 8200, Israel Signals Intelligence Agency, having warned her superiors months

ahead of what this plan was and what information she was able to glean and it seemed to fall on deaf ears. And we're hearing similar accounts from

young Israeli soldiers whose job it was to be on the lookout along the border. Sadly, some of them were killed on October 7th.

MELMAN: Well, more than 10 watchers were killed and I think before they were murdered they were raped, there are hostages in Gaza which are still

at the hands of Hamas -- female hostages, soldiers. Yes, it was part of the culture.

It's true that in recent years, the Israeli intelligence community with its three agencies tried to promote women to more managerial and commanding

posts, but it wasn't sufficient. And yes, it's part of the overall culture in Israel, which is a male-dominated culture, especially in the military.

GOLODRYGA: We keep hearing from Prime Minister Netanyahu that an investigation will be conducted to address all of this after the war. We

saw similar investigations after the Yom Kippur War in 1973. I'm just wondering from your perspective, you're an expert in this field, is this

just the tip of the iceberg and is there concern that once that investigation begins that people may not have full access to all of the

details like we see laid out in this piece?

MELMAN: Well, after the '73 Yom Kippur War, the government set a state commission headed by a Supreme Court judge. But still, the military leaders

didn't want to resign.

[12:40:00]

They were forced only after an interim report, which basically accused them of all these malfunctioning and responsibility. This time, I think, it

would be different. First of all, Prime Minister Netanyahu and maybe even Defense Minister Yoav Gallant would try to evade and avoid an inquiry

commission. Secondly, even if there is inquiry commission, they would try to blame the military leaders and intelligence chiefs.

I believe, and I think we discussed it before, that the chief of staff, the head of the Shin Bet Security Service and the chief of military

intelligence -- all of them would not wait for an inquiry commission and they will resign after the war.

Hopefully, you know, they can boast that they won the war, but even -- whether they win it or not, still I think they are men of honor and

integrity and they will resign. But will we see the full picture of what really happened? What were the blunders? Well, I hope so, but I'm not sure.

It depends on the nature of the inquiry commission.

GOLODRYGA: Just one of many investigations that will be needed and demanded. This one leading up to the horrific attack, and then obviously

one trying to investigate the terrible delayed response by the military. Some people waiting hours -- hours for help to arrive. Yossi Melman, always

great to see you. Thank you so much.

MELMAN: Thank you. Thank you, Bianna.

GOLODRYGA: Well, one of the three Palestinian college students who were shot and wounded in Vermont last weekend is speaking out about that heinous

attack. Kinnan Abdulhamid told CNN that he and his two friends were out on a walk when the suspect shot them, and he has been fearful ever since.

CNN's Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the first time, a victim of Saturday's shooting in Burlington, Vermont, revealing a horrifying timeline

of the attack in his own words. Twenty-year-old Kinnan Abdulhamid, one of three Palestinian college students who were wounded, tells CNN in a

telephone interview that as they were walking close to the suspect's house, they saw him on his porch, first looking away from them.

KINNAN ABDULHAMID, VICTIM OF SHOOTING IN BURLINGTON, VERMONT (phone interview): And he turns around, looks at us. And without saying a word,

it's almost surreal, he just went down the steps, pulled out a pistol, and shot my friend. I heard the thud on the ground, and then he started

screaming.

TODD (voice-over): Abdulhamid says a split second later, the suspect shot his other friend, and he heard another thud on the ground. He says he took

off running. He drew a diagram for police showing that he ran to two different houses for help. He says at that point he thought his two friends

were dead.

ABDULHAMID: It really seemed like he was aiming to kill. He was aiming for a vital spot and I thought he'd shot him again.

TODD (voice-over): Abdulhamid has a bullet wound in the right glute. His friend Tassin Ali Ahmed was shot in the chest and Hisham Awartani suffered

a bullet wound to the spine.

MARWAN AWARTANI, FATHER OF HISHAM AWARTANI: I have no words. I just -- I hope he would walk again.

TODD (voice-over): Appearing with his mother on ABC's "The View", Kinnan Abdulhamid says he didn't think he or his friends would have left the

hospital if they hadn't heard the suspect had been caught. I still have this underlying fear because of the experience. So, sometimes even like

knocking at the door could like give kind of a bit of a fear response.

TODD (voice-over): The suspect, Jason Eaton has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder in the second degree. But because two of the

three young men were wearing traditional Palestinian scarves called kafias at the time of the shooting, and because they had been speaking Arabic and

English to each other, police are investigating whether this was a hate crime. Police say Eaton bought the gun he used in the attack legally.

Meanwhile, police in Syracuse, New York, tell CNN Eaton's ex-girlfriend called them 10 years ago and asked them to remove his shotgun from her

home, saying she was afraid to return the gun to him herself, citing his history of mental illness and domestic violence. NBC reports no criminal

charges were filed at the time.

STEPHEN GUTOWSKI, CNN CONTRIBUTOR, ANALYST ON GUN ISSUES: Even a domestic violence misdemeanor would prohibit somebody from owning guns legally for

the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, he didn't have that on his record either.

TODD: Kinnan Abdulhamid also told CNN that he and his friends had taken at least one other walk through the neighborhood that weekend before the

shooting, wearing their kafias. He says he fears that the suspect might have seen them then and might have stalked them before the shooting. Brian

Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: Our thanks to Brian Todd for that. And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[12:45:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GOLODRYGA: A historic moment in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier. The House voted to expel Congressman George Santos. The vote was 311 to

114, meeting the two-thirds majority required for such an expulsion. One hundred and five Republicans, members of George Santos' own party, voted to

expel him.

Now, all this stems from a scathing report from the House Ethics Committee accusing Santos of using campaign funds for his personal purposes. This

makes George Santos only the sixth lawmaker to be ousted from the House. He told CNN after the vote the House set a dangerous precedent.

Let's get the very latest on the Santos saga which is over, it appears. We're joined now by Annie Grayer in Washington. Andy, there was some doubt

as to whether this would even happen going into the vote. Walk us through the chain of events that happens now.

ANNIE GRAYER, CNN REPORTER: That's right, Bianna. Well, now that George Santos has been expelled, he tells me that he's leaving Congress. He's not

coming back. He told me, quote, to hell with this place as he left the House floor and got into his car.

So, we are not expecting to see Santos at the Capitol again, which has a huge impact on Republicans' very narrow majority in the House. They only

had four seats the margin before, and now that goes down by one. But it was really up in the air until the final moments, Bianna.

I mean, this morning, when House Republican leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, came out against expelling George Santos, there was question

if the momentum was tipping in the direction that would keep him in Congress. But then the votes started coming in. And it was overwhelming to

expel Santos. And that's, you know, that's where we are now.

GOLODRYGA: And an open seat up for grabs, as well. Annie Grayer in Washington, thank you. Well, an icon of the U.S. Supreme Court passed away.

Sandra Day O'Connor died earlier on Friday at the age of 93.

When she was appointed to the high court in 1981, she became the first female Supreme Court Justice. She spoke about the changing times and the

roles of men and women.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR, FIRST FEMALE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: In my day, my beloved husband John, who's admirable in every respect, couldn't even find

the kitchen, much less the washing machine. But times have changed, and that's a good thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:50:00]

GOLODRYGA: A true trailblazer. During her 24 years in the Supreme Court, she was known as a fiercely independent defender of the rule of law. After

retiring in 2006, she became an advocate for civics education. A Supreme Court statement says Justice O'Connor likely died from complications

related to advanced dementia.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, U.S. PRESIDENT: Five, four, three, two, one. All right, you got it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: Some tree. U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden lit the National Christmas tree in Washington on Thursday. It marks the

101st year of the event, which helps usher in the holiday season here in the U.S. Meantime, across the Atlantic --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RISHI SUNAK, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Five, four, three, two, one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GOLODRYGA: That was British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak counting down to the tree lighting in front of 10 Downing Street. Mr. Sunak used the occasion to

thank people serving in the National Health Service, law enforcement and the military who may not be able to spend the holidays with loved ones.

Well, a Christmas caper is going down in the U.S. state of Kentucky. A man is looking for the person who may have shot his inflatable Santa Claus

display in his front yard. Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos with the holiday whodunit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Since he's known for using a sleigh --but could this have been an attempt to slay Santa instead

of singing about him?

(MUSIC PLAYING, "SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN")

MOOS (voice-over): Did someone try to zing him? Donald Nelson heard a noise outside his Lexington, Kentucky home the other night.

DONALD NELSON, LOOKING FOR THE PERSON WHO MAY HAVE SHOT HIS INFLATABLE SANTA CLAUS DISPLAY IN HIS FRONT YARD: Kind of like a small bang or

whatever.

MOOS (voice-over): Nelson checked his surveillance video, which showed a car going by, a popping sound, and then Santa deflating. Was this a drive-

by shooting similar to when Frosty the Snowman was attacked by a masked man who jumped out of a pickup and slashed Frosty back in 2016 in St. Louis?

UNKNOWN: It's just mean-spirited. I mean it's silly vandalism.

MOOS (voice-over): But to try to take out Santa seems even worse.

[12:55:00]

No wonder, Santa's owner was mad.

NELSON: Discharging the fire arm at someone's home.

MOOS (voice-over): But there's a plot twist. Lexington police tell CNN, "all possibilities are being looked into, even possibly over inflation",

meaning Santa may have popped himself. Whatever happened left Santa with an 18 inch hole that neighbors offered to help sew up.

Next thing you know, Santa will be arming himself. For 93 bucks, you can get a six foot Santa dressed in camo with a sack of presents in one hand

and a gun in the other. Looking ready to hunt reindeer rather than drive them. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GOLODRYGA: That is quite the image of Santa. Our thanks to Jeanne Moos. And that does it for this hour of "One World". I'm Bianna Golodryga. Thank you

so much for watching. I'll be right back here with Amanpour in just a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END