Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

France Police Slain During Terror Attacks; Jews Killed in Paris Kosher Supermarket Laid to Rest in Jerusalem; One Square Meter: Gothenburg, Sweden

Aired January 13, 2015 - 11:00   ET

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

BECKY ANDERSON, HOST: France remembers and reiterates a message that we've heard a lot over the last couple of days: we will not be beaten by

terror. The nation insisting it won't be changed by those attacks.

Also ahead, Jewish victims of the Paris attacks are laid to rest as Israel lays out an invitation to European Jews. We're live here in

Jerusalem with reaction to that.

And Charlie Hebdo takes a bold step with its first edition since the attack, putting a cartoon of Islam's Prophet Mohammed on its cover once

more.

Hello and welcome to a special edition of Connect the World from Jerusalem. I'm Becky Anderson.

We begin tonight in Israel where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the world to take a united stand against terrorism as the nation

laid to rest four Jewish victims of last week's terror attacks in Paris.

The bodies of all four men were flown to Jerusalem for burial. They were killed in Friday's siege of a French Kosher market.

Mr. Netanyahu joining hundreds of mourners at a state funeral for the victims.

Atika Shubert reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There is little consolation when a life is taken so abruptly, so violently, but to the

families of the four Jewish victims killed in Paris the government of Israel offered this: a funeral in the holy land, their bodies draped in

prayer shawls.

Israel's leading rabbis read from the Book of Psalms, clothing was torn in a show of mourning and the families lit candles for each victims:

Francois-Michel Saada, 63, a father of two children who now live here in Israel; Yohan Cohen, 22, a store employee; and Yoav Hattab, 21, the son of

Tunisia's chief rabbi.

The wife of 45-year-old Philipe Braham lit his candle.

"Philipe, my love," she said in Hebrew, "he was a great man. I said he was a person who thought first of others before himself, a wonderful

husband who loved his children and lived for his children."

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered this message to the Jewish community in France.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL (through translator): They know at the bottom of their hearts that they have one country, their

historic birthright, and it will always receive them with open arms. Today, more than ever, we are the true home of all of us.

SHUBERT: Well, the funeral service has now ended and the families are walking to the site where the victims will be buried, but I just want to

show you the crowds that have come out today to show their respect for the families. Thousands have come out. They've been streaming in all day from

all walks of life, young and old, families have been here bringing their children and we see them carrying Israeli flags, but also the photos of the

victims.

And what's an especially sad thing to note here today is that not only do you see the crowds come out, but this isn't the first time this has

happened. In 2012, of course, the Toulouse attack targeted a Jewish school. And some of the victims from that attack are also buried here in

Givat Shaul.

From Toulouse to Paris, for many here these attacks are further proof that they remained a threatened minority in France and Europe, in need of a

secure home in Israel.

Jordan Bounique (ph) was a friend of Yohan Cohen's. He moved here a month ago he explained because of the fear and insecurity in France. "You

always feel you have to be on your guard, you have to be careful, you never feel really at home, you feel truly rejected and excluded in France," he

said. "That's why I preferred to leave and live here now."

There is a Hebrew word, Aliyah , it means ascent. For many Jews, moving here to Israel, a return to the promised land is Aliyah , a step

closer to God, perhaps especially so in death.

Atika Shubert, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: CNN correspondent Ian Lee also in attendance at the funeral service today and you spoke to some of those who were there. What did they

tell you?

IAN LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Becky, I wanted to get an idea of who these four men were from their family and friends. And a relative of

Philipe Braham told me that he was a simple, hard-working and loving man and who didn't cause trouble to anyone.

Also, the father of Yohan Cohen by his grave site when he was laying his son into the ground broke down into tears saying, "I never had a better

son. You are a great person. I will look after your sister for you. And I love you."

These were very much strong connections that these people had. And it was a very sad and somber day for them, too.

And talking to some of their friends, too, I brought up the -- about possibly immigrating here to Israel and what they told me was interesting.

They said, but we're French. We like living in France. We don't want to leave. But if the situation gets worse then we may be forced to move here.

ANDERSON: And that offer of Aliyah , something we will discuss as we move through this hour. For the time being, Ian, thank you very much

indeed for joining us.

Well, this has also been a day of grief and tribute in Paris where the first attack happened, of course, six days ago. The Muslim police officer

killed in the attack on Charlie Hebdo was laid to rest in a cemetery on the city's outskirts. Ahmed Merabet was fatally shot by the gunmen pointblank

outside the magazine's offices. His brother described the killers as mad people who have neither (inaudible) nor religion.

Well, before that funeral, there was this solemn scene at national police headquarters.

All three officers who died were honored at a ceremony presided over by the French President Francois Hollande. They awarded each of them the

Order of Merit and said they died carrying out their duty with courage bravery and dignity.

Mr. Hollande also said the nation as a whole has shown tremendous courage and resilience.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): France showed its strength, its force. Faced with fanaticism, it displayed its

unity. Faced with those who wanted to fight it, and expressed its solidarity towards all the victims of terrorism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, some of those victims of terrorism laid to rest today both in Paris and here in Jerusalem, a day to honor and mourn those

victims.

CNN's Erin McLaughlin is in Paris and joins us now.

So what happens next so far as what France says it will do to fight terror and what it is trying to do going forward?

ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I first just want to reflect on the words of French President Francois Hollande who was very careful to

emphasize that the three police officers who died in those attacks really represented the values of the republic. They represented courage,

professionalism, they represented sacrifice. In his words, he said they died so that we can be free. And he named them one by one, including

Franck Brinsolaro. He's a married father of two. He was assigned to be the security detail at the Charlie Hebdo offices that had been receiving

death threats. He was killed in the Kouachi brother massacre.

Then there's Clarissa Jean-Philippe. She was a trainee police officer, a 26-year-old shot dead on the street by the Kosher market killer.

And then there's, as you mentioned, Becky, there's Ahmed Merabat, a Muslim police officer who was killed on the streets of Paris outside the

Charlie Hebdo offices by one of the Kouachi brothers. And his death was caught on camera to the shock and horror of the world.

His funeral was held shortly after today's ceremony. Around 800 people attended. And when his fellow police officers arrived at the

funeral, they received a round of applause -- very poignant, very telling round of applause.

You know, there's this hashtag that's been going around -- #IamAhmed, you know, people want to express their unity and solidarity with this

Muslim police officer, one of three police officers recognized today for their sacrifice, recognized for being and upholding the values of the

republic -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Erin McLaughlin reporting for you.

Still to come tonight, Charlie Hebdo gets set to release its latest addition. And based on the cover, staffers are not the least bit

intimidated by those who tried to kill them for what they do.

First, though, political division in Israel over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call to French Jews. Is he being insensitive? That's

next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, they were killed in Paris and now they've been laid to rest in Jerusalem. Loved ones of the four French Jews murdered in the

kosher grocery store siege on Friday said their final goodbyes earlier Tuesday. Hundreds of people gathered to honor the four men, the youngest

just 21 years old.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also paid tribute to the victims.

This is CNN and Connect the World with me Becky Anderson tonight for you live from Jerusalem. Welcome back.

Speaking at the funeral, Mr. Netanyahu reiterated his earlier message to Jews around the world telling them that Israel will always receive them

with open arms.

His message, though, has been somewhat criticized. At home, head of the Jewish agency that promotes Aliyah, Natan Sharansky says Israel should

be careful of the timing of such messages so it doesn't give the impression that it's exploiting anti-Semitism to further its own interests.

He joins me now here in the bureau.

And, sir, before I get you to address that, you were at the funeral service today. You accompanied the wife of one of the victims. Just

describe your feeling.

NATAN SHARANSKY, CHAIRMAN, THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL: Well, our (inaudible) brought 7,000 Jews during this year from France. And this

night it was especially difficult they had to bring four dead bodies. And it was very difficult for them.

But each of these families voluntarily decided that they want to be able to be buried in Jerusalem. There was a lot of symbolism, really that

people this difficult hour think about Jerusalem.

And I was just together with prime minister in France. I have to say with all the criticism which we can hear whether it is good or bad to speak

about Aliyah this moment, I didn't hear any of this criticism in France from Jews.

ANDERSON: Perhaps a surprising -- if not a criticism, though, from you of the prime minister on the issue of Aliyah, you certain -- given that

your job is to promote Jews around the world taking up the offer of citizenship, I want just to have a look at some of the statistics on

Aliyah, because I think this is important for our viewers.

The numbers of the Jewish community in France, it's estimated that more than half a million Jews live in France. Last year some 7,000 Jews

emigrated to Israel from France. It was the largest single year of movement, sir, of French Jews to Israel since the founding of the state.

The Jewish agency says it expects 10,000 French Jews will move to Israel this year.

Many of those who emigrated to Israel have settled in the coastal city of Ashdod, of course. The mayor there is anticipating the influx of French

Jews. At a ceremony yesterday he said, "I have started together with my teams re-evaluating the case of absorbing Jews from France. We understand

that we will need more manpower, more budget, more plans."

So what these some who suggest that the idea of absorption, of immigration here of Jews would also play into the policy of settlement

expansion. Can you answer that for me?

SHARANSKY; Well, 10,000 Jews from France, it was my estimation before this event. In the last few days, we've seen big increase in telephone

calls in asking to get information. Five time people want to participate in our seminars. So we really, together with the government, have to think

big about the challenges of integration.

I have to say our prime minister not only says that we welcome you, he demands from us to do everything possible not to (inaudible) to receive

tens of thousands of French Jews. And the real question now is not what this or another politician will say, the real question is how French Jews

feel. And I have to say I saw these days, I was in France, they all feel very frightened. And I didn't see one of them who think that it will be

better.

ANDERSON: I have to say that we did hear from the French prime minister today in answer to some of the accusations certainly from here

about the rise of anti-Semitism, for example, in France. The rise of radical Islam and extremist terror. Very vocal today in supporting these

appeals for more security.

Are you satisfied that you are beginning, at least, to see a French government on the move?

SHARANSKY: Of course, it is very important. It is very important not only for Jews, by the way, for the future of Europe, that the leaders of

Europe will be mobilized and will fight. I still don't feel that Europe is ready for this fight, because it is not ready to call it by name. It's not

ready to recognize, it's not ready to declare the war against extreme...

ANDERSON: Those are very strong words. You seem very, very concerned about the future for European Jews.

SHARANSKY: Not only for European Jews, I see a very big danger for European civilization. if European civilization is not ready to fight for

its own values, nobody will do it.

ANDERSON: Let me ask you another question, which is one that I heard discussed today internationally, Israel relies on the pro-Israeli

oftentimes to sell its message, some will say, of a Jewish state here. If you are to encourage so many Jews to make Aliyah, to come to Israel,

doesn't that defeat your international purpose as it will and the messaging going forward?

SHARANSKY: I personally believe there is no contradiction between strong Israel and strong Jewish communities. If I want more Jews to come

to Israel, who will come to Israel? Those from the countries of the free choice.

In France, Jews have a free choice -- to be in France, to go to England, to go to Montreal, to go to Australia, to go to Miami, and they

overwhelmingly choose to go to Israel only their part of strong Jewish community. That's why Jews of the world need strong Israel, because that's

part of their identity. Israel needs strong Jewish communities. And I don't see any problem in working for (inaudible) at the same time keeping

Israel open for them.

ANDERSON: There's a lot of traffic outside, which if you heard the noise I think it's what it was.

Let me ask you very briefly, yes or no, was Benjamin Netanyahu insensitive in his calls for people to make Aliyah.

SHARANSKY: I think Benjamin Netanyahu is France -- and I was near him for two days -- did exactly what I expect from the head of Jewish state

concerning about the future of Jewish people and being ready to help them.

ANDERSON: The question was, was he insensitive.

SHARANSKY: I think the press (inaudible) was very insensitive. I think the prime minister was very sensitive to the pains of Jews and to the

fate of Europe.

ANDERSON: With that, sir, we'll leave it there.

Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

And once again, apologies for the noise, if you can hear it behind me. It's a busy evening in Jerusalem.

Well, the latest world news headlines are just ahead, plus a blogger in Saudi Arabia is publicly flogged 50 times, but that is only a fraction

of what he is facing. We'll look into his fate in about 10 minutes time.

First, though, what's putting Sweden's Gothenburg on the map for a whole new generation? Away from the news headlines just for a moment. One

Square Meter is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN DEFTERIOS: It's wintertime in the Swedish city of Gothenburg. The light begins to fade at 3:00 p.m. and the cold sets in, but the people

find ways to keep warm. The bright lights rise above them, three tall towers. And these blue panes of glass are reflecting something new.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Gothia Towers.

We actually when it comes to combined (inaudible) venue, we are the largest in Europe now. So we're the (inaudible) location, only comes to a

single hotel properties, we're like number five when it comes to size.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As far as hotel goes specifically I do really believe that Stockholm is now starting to lag behind Gothenburg,

considering this addition.

DEFTERIOS: Gothia Towers points to the rise of the second tier cities in markets such as Sweden where there's a shortage of properties in the

capital.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think for Gothenburg to put this much effort into allowing such a development is to say, you know, hey, we're here. We

matter. And it really puts them on the map.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And today you can do some ice skating or you can go around (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's quite unique when it comes to European hotels and (inaudible) in the U.S. and in the Asian market it's quite common you

have everything under one roof. We're operating everything on our own, so to speak.

So it's a Scandinavian version of those markets, I would say.

DEFTERIOS: With the recent construction of a third tower, the hotel has now 1,200 rooms.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we are exactly 55 meters above sea level, as you can see.

We are on the 19th floor hanging outside. And here's the pool. And it's a really unique selling point for us. It's fantastic.

So, I mean one out of nine exhibition centers in our complex.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The prospects of second tier cities is good. I do believe that with regard to the amount of capital that has to be

allocated all over Europe, the competition in the first tier cities and for the first -- you know, the prime assets, that competition will grow so

intensely for years that investors will need to look outside those boundaries.

With Gothenburg it is one of the, if not the, strongest logistic hubs in Sweden.

DEFTERIOS: On the roof of the hotel, there's an urban farm, two hives, home to 60,000 bees and herbs, to serve the five restaurants.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are making business in a different kind of way. We have to be smarter. We have to be more agile and so on than Stockholm,

because they're the capital. So we to do things another way.

DEFTERIOS: Bees or no bees, the business here is buzzing.

John Defterios, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You're watching a special edition of CONNECT THE WORLD on CNN with me, Becky Anderson from Jerusalem this evening. The top stories

for you this hour.

The four victims of last week's Kosher market siege in Paris have been laid to rest here in Jerusalem. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu

attended the state funeral for the victims and called on the world to unite against terrorism.

In Paris, the three police officers killed in last week's attacks were honored at a national ceremony. French president Francois Hollande awarded

them each with the Legion d'Honneur and placed medal on their coffins.

An Egyptian court has overturned the former president Hosni Mubarak's conviction for embezzlement. He now faces a retrial along with his two

sons after the court upheld their appeal. Mubarak had been sentenced to three years in prison for embezzling $17.9 million. He and his sons deny

the charges.

And divers have now recovered both black boxes from the AirAsia plane that crashed into the Java Sea two weeks ago. Searchers retrieved the

cockpit voice recorder on Tuesday, a day after finding the flight data recorder. And Indonesian official says divers may have also found the main

section of the plane, but that is yet to be confirmed.

French officials warn that the terror threat to France is not over. And today, before the victims of last week's attacks could be buried, a

branch of al Qaeda warned more terror was yet to come. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb issued a warning on some jihadist websites.

In a statement, the North African group says, and I quote, "As long as its soldiers occupy countries such as Mali and Central Africa and bombard

our people in Syria and Iraq, and as long as its lay media continue to undermine our prophet, France will expose itself to the worst and more."

Plus, a Western intelligence source says a man identified as al Qaeda's recruiter in Europe is directly connected to two of the Paris

terrorists, and it is unclear where he is now.

And Agence France Press, AFP, reporting that a Frenchman arrested in Bulgaria for trying to cross into Turkey on January the 1st had been in

contact with one of the Kouachi brothers.

Meantime, the woman French authorities have been looking for since last week's attacks is still at large. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh joins us now

from Istanbul with, Jomana, what may be the Turkish connection on Hayat Boumeddiene's movements.

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, here is what we know from the Turkish authorities. On January the 2nd, we know

that she entered the country. She came into Istanbul, arriving from Madrid with a male. Not much information has been officially made public yet

about the man accompanying her.

Now Turkish authorities say that there was no tip-off, there was no request for putting Hayat Boumeddiene on any watch list for Turkish

authorities, but they say for some reason, that couple was flagged by the risk assessment center at the airport, and they decided to put the couple

under surveillance, they did.

For a couple of days, they say, they checked into an Istanbul hotel. They engaged in what is described as tourist activities. Now, when the

name of Hayat Boumeddiene was made public by France, that is when Turkish authorities reached out to them and said that she had entered Turkey prior

to the Paris attacks.

And that is when Turkey says it received phone numbers associated with Hayat Boumeddiene by -- provided by France, and they tracked her. They

tracked her to southeastern Turkey, to the area bordering Syria to the province of Sanliurfa, and that is bordering Syria.

And more -- and according to the foreign minister saying yesterday that on January the 8th, that is when Boumeddiene crossed that border into

Syria.

Now, there have been local media reports saying that she had been staying in the border town of Akcakale, and that is border -- right across

the border from the Syrian town of Tel Abyad in Raqqa province that is under ISIS control. There have been reports that her last known phone

signal came from Tel Abyad on the Syrian side, Becky.

ANDERSON: Jomana, Turkey has been quite defensive about what is going on and the reports of this woman's moves. Why?

KARADSHEH: Becky, Turkey has come under a lot of criticism over the past few years about Turkey becoming a transit route allowing the foreign

fighters to cross into Syria. But Turkish officials have been stressing that they have been tightening control, that they have been trying to stem

that flow of foreign fighters into Syria.

Now, that border, for example, where Hayat Boumeddiene is said to have crossed into Syria, officials like the foreign minister yesterday saying

this border stretches 911 kilometers, and they say it is, quote, "impossible" for them to control this border.

But they say that they have taken steps, that they have been trying to stop this flow of foreign fighters. A statement by the Turkish government

says that more than 8,000 individuals have been stopped from joining what they describe as groups in Syria, radical groups in Syria, by either being

turned away or put on lists banning them from entering Turkey, Becky.

ANDERSON: All right, Jomana Karadsheh in Istanbul for you this evening.

Last Friday, Saudi blogger Raif Badawi was publicly flogged 50 times in a Jeddah square. He was found guilty of insulting Islam after he

started an online forum on religion. Well, today is Badawi's 31st birthday. His supporters are rallying online, posting birthday wishes and

messages of support.

One Twitter user says she was horrified over Raif's flogging, noting that she writes a blog, too, and it very well could have been her. Other

tweets, like this one, show solidarity with Raif and have adapted the Je Suis Charlie motto to Je Suis Raif.

Well, Badawi faces 50 more lashes this week and every week until his sentence of 1,000 lashes is fulfilled. Before he was flogged the US State

Department expressed concern over the, quote, "inhumane" ruling. It said in a statement, quote, "The United States government calls on Saudi

authorities to cancel this brutal punishment and to review Badawi's case and sentence."

That sentence was carried out despite objections from the US and other governments, as CNN's global affairs correspondent Elise Labott has been

recovering Raif Badawi's case, and she joins me now. So, what is the US government saying, having seen this video purportedly showing him being

lashed?

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, not much more than they're saying last week. Yesterday, I pressed the deputy

spokesman, Marie Harf on this, and basically they continue to say they oppose the sentence, they oppose this brutal treatment, calling it

inhumane.

But there's nothing really that they can do. It's not for the US to demand that the Saudi government end this practice, and that they're

raising this publicly and privately. My understanding is that the US ambassador to Saudi Arabia has taken this up with the Saudi government.

But you know that geopolitics really a concern here. US and Saudi are very important allies, and they have a lot of business to do with Saudi and

don't seem to want to make this a real issue in the relationship.

ANDERSON: So, a sense that they perhaps don't get the irony that countries like Saudi and others who are accused of denying freedom of

expression and speech were the same countries who strongly condemned what had happened in Paris just last week. Do you think this will do damage

going forward to Saudi-US relations?

LABOTT: Well, they definitely get the irony, Becky, and privately, officials say listen, we're horrified. We think that this is a terrible

practice. There's nothing we can say that we don't think that this is terrible.

But do I think it will harm the relationship? No. Saudis do much worse to citizens. They behead people, they flog people, they have very

brutal human rights records, which are documented consistently in State Department human rights reports.

But again, the relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia very important. When journalists have asked at the State Department, will this

affect Saudi relations? Quite frankly, the State Department says no, we have a very important strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia, and that

will continue even as they continue to raise these very critical human rights issues and their concerns.

ANDERSON: Elise Labott on the story in Washington for you, at least reaction there, or perhaps a lack of it.

Badawi's public lashing -- thank you, Elise -- has drawn international condemnation. So have Saudi Arabia's public beheadings. The Saudi legal

system hands down the death penalty at a rate that is alarming to international human rights groups.

Amnesty International says Saudi is one of the top executioners in the world, along with Iraq, Iran, and China. According to the latest figures

from the watchdog group, at least 76 people were executed in Saudi Arabia in 2014. The majority of them by beheading.

Well, our guest today says there may be a political message behind these very public punishments. Madawi Al-Rasheed is a visiting professor

at the Middle East Center of the London School of Economics and the author of "A History of Saudi Arabia," joining us now. What do you mean by there

may be a political message behind these actions?

MADAWI AL-RASHEED, PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY OF RELIGION, KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON: Since the Arab Spring, the Saudi regime felt really

threatened by the domino effect, and it created a situation where there is infinite punishment by criminalizing a whole range of acts and words and

even ways of thinking. And therefore, it wants to give a message that it is in control.

And the case of Raif Badawi tells us a great deal about the polarization in Saudi society between the Islamists and the liberals. And

the Saudi regime tries to appease both by showing itself as if it is equal in punishing both groups that may endorse a discourse or a position that is

regarded as dissident.

So, Raif Badawi's punishment would please a conservative constituency, but at the same time, within weeks, we may hear about the punishment of a

conservative in order to please the liberal constituency.

This polarization makes the Saudi regime able to play on the competition and tension between the two groups and ensures that no group

can challenge it in the future.

ANDERSON: What sort of pressure do you believe, if any, the Saudi government will feel under from the sort of international condemnation that

we have seen, both on social media and out loud about this case?

AL-RASHEED: Unfortunately, the Saudi regime is sheltered from international criticism, as your guest pointed out. The United States

adopts double standards when it deals with a country like Saudi Arabia because of the importance of Saudi Arabia for the US interests and for

European interests.

None of those countries are willing to challenge Saudi Arabia as much as they challenge other countries deemed as opposed to the West. So for

example, China or North Korea or Iran in the region.

And therefore, Saudi Arabia remains cocooned and sheltered from Western criticism because nobody in the West wants to jeopardize the long

and historical relation between Saudi Arabia and Western governments.

Let's not forget that the United States protects the Saudi regime and therefore is not going to challenge it. I've heard before that diplomats

in Riyadh tend to mention these abuses of human rights, and in Raif Badawi's case, it's out -- it is actually torture when he is lashed in

public.

They mention it behind closed doors, but we don't see any kind of improvement. Saudi prisons are still behind the reach of most

international and local human rights organizations, and also, they are not accessible by any local NGOs, which are actually banned from existing.

Saudi Arabia has only official human rights organizations that are accountable only to the government. And Saudis are banned from

establishing independent civil society that deals with human rights.

In fact, over the last two, three years, there are nine civil society activists who are behind bars simply because they initiated a project to

establish a human rights organization that deals with torture in Saudi prisons or even tries to take the cases of political prisoners and

prisoners of conscience.

But the civil society was banned, and the founders were all in prison today. Amongst them is Abdullah al-Hamid, Mohammad al-Qathani --

ANDERSON: All right.

AL-RASHEED: -- and many other lawyers.

ANDERSON: With that, we're going to leave it there, but we thank you very much, indeed, for joining us.

From Jerusalem, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Coming up, with the support of the French people behind it, Charlie Hebdo

releases its first issue since the attack last week, and it is not shying away from controversy. That is up next.

Plus, in both Paris and Jerusalem, memorials for the victims of last week's terror attacks. A look at the ceremonies, ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You're with CNN and CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. A special show for you today from Jerusalem.

Despite the terror attack that wiped out its most famous cartoonists, the staff at Charlie Hebdo won't give in to fear, it seems. Staffers for

the French magazine are set to release their latest edition, and on the cover, a cartoon depiction of the Prophet Mohammed.

Three million copies are being printed in multiple languages. And the magazine's editor-in-chief talked about how staff members decided what

should be on the cover.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERARD BRIARD, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, CHARLIE HEBDO (through translator): The cover page, my colleague will talk about it later, was complicated to

find because it had to -- it had to say something about us, and it had to say something about the event with which we were confronted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Our senior media correspondent Brian Stelter joins me now, live from Paris. A cover that we are not showing on CNN. Perhaps you'd

explain to our viewers why, and a cover that many might say will incite more violence, not less.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: An awfully provocative cover, but true to form for this magazine. Years ago, four years ago, a

similar cover with a green background and a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed sparked a firebombing of the offices here in Paris.

And as you said, there are some people who believe there could be more violence as a result of this cover. Certainly, we have seen scattered acts

of violence in the past when there have been depictions of the Prophet Mohammed.

We saw even over the weekend in Germany a firebombing of a newspaper office that happened to reprint some of this magazine's cartoons. Now, was

it related, we don't know for sure, but a lot of people believe it was related.

So as you said, Becky, CNN and a lot of other big news organizations are choosing not to show the new cover, which also shows the Prophet

Mohammed, a tear coming off his face. That cover is -- perceived to be offensive by many in the Muslim world. Not all, but some. And for that

reason and for other reasons, CNN and other outlets are not choosing to show it.

One reason is safety, as you described. Issues about safety and security. Others are about sensitivity toward the audience. I noticed

today "The Guardian" newspaper in Britain decided to go ahead and show the cover, the new cover, but they preceded it with a warning, warning the

audience that the cover was going to be show and that some could find it offensive.

ANDERSON: All right, and --

STELTER: In the United States, "The Washington Post" and "The New York Post" decided to show the cover, but few others have. For the most

part, I have not seen it be shown by many media outlets.

ANDERSON: Yes, and I think it was important that we indicated that there are media organizations, of course, that are showing this cover.

Three million copies, Brian, in multiple languages, including, I understand, Arabic.

STELTER: That's right. Arabic and English, and I think we will see other language translations as well. The editor of "Liberation," one of

the newspapers that helped this magazine get back on its feet, told us today, he actually expects more than 3 million copies eventually, given the

interest and given the public demand.

I think we're going to see lines at some news stands tomorrow morning here in Paris for copies. And of course, also, people will be able to

access it online, on the Internet as well. This magazine extraordinary, to be able to come out with an eight-page issue one week after the attack here

while the editors and the cartoonists, the surviving staff members are still grieving.

ANDERSON: Brian, just describe the mood, if you will, in Paris this evening.

STELTER: This is the hour, as you know, where the sun is setting in Paris and you start to see the candles behind us start to be re-lit. This

is my first day here since the attack, and I'm struck by how widespread the sense of solidarity is.

You don't just see the "I am Charlie" signs right here at this memorial, you see it all across the city. It is so widespread, it is so

universal. Even people who strenuously -- strenuously -- disagree with the politics and the opinions expressed by the magazine do want to stand up for

freedom of speech here, for freedom of expression here.

And that's why I think we're seeing many French media outlets go ahead and republish that Mohammed cover. Like I said, not many outlets in the

United States or Britain are choosing to do so, but many here in France are choosing to do so.

ANDERSON: With that, we'll leave it there. Brian, thank you.

And away from Paris, just this evening, pictures coming into CNN of a unity rally in Berlin. If we can just bring those pictures up for our

viewers. A unity rally being attended, I understand, by the chancellor Angela Merkel.

Now, do remember, there have been anti-Muslim or anti-Muslim movement rallies across the country, not least in Dresden. This, though, I

understand or I'm told, has been organized by part of the Muslim community. Some of the images here that you see, as I say, coming to us just now from

Germany, and there, Angela Merkel in attendance at what is a unity rally in Berlin this evening.

Live from Jerusalem, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. Coming up, we've been watching some emotional good-byes, both in

Israel and in France this Tuesday. We bring you more from the funerals and the ceremonies of those killed in the Paris attacks last week. A look back

at what has been a very somber day. That is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: From Jerusalem this evening, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, on CNN. The team at CONNECT THE WORLD always wants to

hear from you, of course. Send us your reaction to any of the stories that we have been covering, facebook.com/CNNconnect. As ever, do tweet me

@BeckyCNN. That is @BeckyCNN.

Well, in tonight's Parting Shots, we look at some of the moments from the two funerals, the funeral ceremonies and services of the Paris attack

victims. It was a day of grief and remembrance. People came by the thousands to cry, to honor, and never to forget.

France paid tribute to three of its fallen police officers, while in Jerusalem, Israeli leaders joined thousands of others to remember the four

Jewish men killed in a Kosher grocery store siege last Friday. Their tears are shared by people around the globe who have joined France in rallying

against terrorism and paying tribute to the 17 people who lost their lives.

I'm Becky Anderson, that was CONNECT THE WORLD. From Jerusalem, it is a very good evening.

END