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Chinese President Speaks to UK Parliament; New Canadian Prime Minister Promises New Direction; Violence in Israel Continues. Aired 11:00a-12:00p ET

Aired October 20, 2015 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:46] ANDERSON: Another day, another attack: the drip feed of now daily violence in Israel and the West Bank continues. We're live from

the scene of the latest attack in a moment.

Also ahead, pomp and protest: the Chinese president gets a royal welcome in London, but not everybody is keen to greet him. We'll bring you

his address to parliament coming up.

Plus, a tiny state with a big footprint in Syria. I ask Qatar's foreign minister about his country's role in the fight to oust the Syrian

president.

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is Connect the World with Becky Anderson.

ANDERSON: A very good evening. It's just after 7:00 here in the UAE.

Within hours, the world's top diplomat will make a personal appeal to Israeli and Palestinian leaders for an end to weeks of violence. UN

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is making an unannounced trip to the region as the conflict continues to escalate there.

Israeli police are reporting several new attacks in the West Bank. In the latest incident they say a Palestinian driver rammed into a crowd

waiting at a bus stop near the Gush Etsian (ph) settlement. Two Israelis were injured. The driver of the car was killed.

Let's get you right to our senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman for more. He's live on the scene there north of Hebron for you.

Ben, what do we know about this latest incident?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, this incident took place about two hours ago at this junction, which is one of the main

junctions that links many of the Israeli settlements in this part of the West Bank. A Palestinian driver, driving a car with Israeli plates,

swerved off the road behind me into a bus stop.

Now according to the Israeli police, one Israeli soldier, one civilian, were injured. Now the driver apparently tried to get out of the

car, and of course there's -- under normal circumstances there are a lot of soldiers and police here. He was shot in the head killed immediately. We

saw his body on the ground behind us.

They just took the body away about 10 minutes ago. They took his fingerprints beforehand.

This, of course, is just a third incident today in this part of the West Bank, the first one involved Palestinian stabbing an Israeli soldier

in the course of clashes south of Hebron.

Then there was this other incident outside of the Fawad refugee camp where an Israeli driver who got out of his car after it was hit by stones

thrown by Palestinian stone throwers, when that happened, he was run over by a truck with Palestinian plates. That truck, the driver, however,

escaped from the scene -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Ben Wedeman there on the scene for you.

Let me get you to London viewers. China's President Xi Jinping is arriving at the Palace of Westminster. He is the leader of the world's

largest one party state. He's just walked in to the building that is often referred to as the mother of all parliaments. And he will deliver a speech

there in the next few minutes.

These are live pictures coming to you from the Palace of Westminster. You saw the British Prime Minister David Cameron, the opposition leader

Jeremy Corbyn sitting awaiting the arrival the Chinese President.

Let's get you to London and to CNN's Max Foster who is keeping an eye on proceedings there at the Palace of Westminster. He's just outside

Buckingham Palace where President Xi is staying on this visit.

And as we anticipate his arrival, Max, a big speech coming up. What can we expect him to say?

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's really about economics, because there are sensitivities here, of course. I think a lot

of western nations are wondering how they can work with China. You know, we had in the United States the concerns about cyber security when he was

there. I think the big issue here is about human rights.

You mentioned Jeremy Corbyn. He's coming to the state banquet here tonight. He's already said he's going to bring up the issue of human

rights with the Chinese president.

But actually I think the focus of David Cameron's effort here, but also the president's, is about human rights. You mentioned Jeremy Corbyn,

he's coming to the state banquet here tonight. He's already said he's going to bring up the issue of human rights with the Chinese president.

But actually I think the focus of David Cameron's effort here, but also the president's, is about building up economic ties. And actually

they're talking about a new golden era. And I don't think it's rhetoric, because it's being backed up by billions of dollars worth of deals which

can be signed during this visit.

And the president has only done one interview here. He did it with Reuters just before he arrived. And one quote from that is the UK has

stated that it will be the western country that is most open to China. This is a visionary and strategic choice that fully meets Britain's own

long-term interests.

So, I think both sides looking at this as a long-term partnership.

Britain needs investors like China to invest in infrastructure, but also China needs a sort of gateway into the western world, into the

European Union. And I think they see Britain as an option for that to see if this new golden ear works.

But I think we'll be seeing how he feels about this relationship when we've heard so much from David Cameron for the first time when he starts

speaking there in the houses of parliament.

As you know, Becky, a rare honor to speak to both houses at the same time.

[11:06:18] ANDERSON: Yeah, interesting when you discussed Britain being the gateway to the EU, only of course while Britain stays in the EU.

And I'm sure the Chinese keeping an eye on the referendum next year.

The UK government has said that engaging with China is, and I quote, "in the national interest." And of course this visit coming at a time

where there are job losses in the UK, not least in the steel sector. And there will be those who say that there are these cheap Chinese imports,

which are amongst the factors being blamed for those job losses. There are naysayers and detractors, aren't there?

FOSTER: Yeah. And these are steel job losses you are talking about couldn't have come at a worse time, really, for the Chinese delegation,

because effectively what's happened is several steel plants have closed down, and it's a -- you know, it's a matter of fact that that is because

the price of steel has fallen so dramatically. And that is because the Chinese economy has fallen back. They're not using as much steel, so

effectively it's being dumped on the international market. And that's a direct result -- I mean, these job losses are direct result of that. And

that's very big hot topic.

And this morning, it was leaving all the UK bulletins actually today. So those stories do come together. And David Cameron has said he will

bring that up with the Chinese president behind closed doors again.

It's interesting to see how David Cameron handles this, because he doesn't wan to offend the Chinese, he doesn't want to be impolite to them,

but he does need to address these issues. And a solution is to say that he's dealing with them behind closed doors. The problem with that with

obviously the steel workers and the human rights protesters is they're not seeing it being addressed, so they're still very frustrated.

Although, there was talk about big demonstrations here, Becky. They haven't really transpired today. The police had been holding back some of

the human rights campaigners, but I can see them. It's not a huge amount of people. And they're not being very, very aggressive. They have been

able to have their say, as it were.

So, it's actually been more positive than a lot of people expected.

ANDERSON: What you did witness earlier on today was a procession along the mall, which is -- or mall -- which is just behind you there -- to

Buckingham Palace where state banquet, of course, will be held later today. They're turning on the pomp and ceremony for the Chinese president, aren't

they, not least from Buckingham Palace.

FOSTER: I mean, this is really where you know the system of monarchy, the foreign office would argue, really works in Britain's favor. It allows

us certainly to punch above our weight on the international scene in many ways, because you have the queen who would never get involved in politics

representing the country, wining and dining the president. And it always goes down incredibly well. I mean, in the past the likes of Barack Obama,

Nelson Mandela described their stays at Buckingham Palace as their favorite state visits. So it's certainly something that is very useful in pampering

people that the government thinks are very important. And certainly they are rolling out the red carpet for them. This big state banquet for them

tonight, all the pomp and ceremony you can expect from a big occasion.

And, you know, there are various different elements coming into this after this speech down the road in Westminster. There's going to be a

meeting with Prince Charles at Clarence House. And also Prince William is going to be coming here to discuss the ivory trade, the trade in illegal

parts.

So, there are lots of developments coming into this and making the most of the trip whilst he's here.

ANDERSON: All right. And as we wind up talking, let's take a look at the pictures coming to us then from the Palace of Westminster just down the

road from Buckingham Palace where we are watching the Chinese President enter the room. He will deliver a speech to both houses. A state dinner

will follow this.

Let's have a listen in to hear exactly what the Chinese president has to say.

(CHINESE PRESIDENT ADDRESS TO UK PARLIAMENT)

[11:25:48] ANDERSON: And applause from lawmakers at the palace of Westminster in the UK, both houses gathered to listen to a speech by the

Chinese president.

CNN's Max Foster outside Buckingham palace for you.

And you've been listening in. We heard a fascinating, fairly short speech there, describing the Palace of Westminster, Max, as the mother of

all parliaments. He thanked those gathered.

He said he was deeply impressed by the vitality of China and UK relations, ties, he said, driven by mutual understanding and friendship,

despite the vast distance, he said, between the two countries.

A couple of quotes in there. What is past is prologue, he said, quoting Shakespeare from his play The Tempest. History, of course, setting

the scene for what comes later.

He also said, in China the concept of putting people first and following the rule of law started in ancient times, but we still draw

inspiration, he said, from the rule of law in other countries. I wonder whether that was an effort to address those who accuse China of human

rights violations, a suggestion, perhaps from him, that they could do better? There have been some naysayers about this trip, haven't there?

FOSTER: Absolutely. Trying to address that idea, the criticism, I think, there is a bit of that. Also the idea, this juxtaposition of having

a Communist leader in the mother of all parliaments and staying at Buckingham Palace with the queen. So, I think there is perhaps addressing

that.

But actually it was quite generic, wasn't it? It was the idea that he was reaching out the hand of friendship. He wanted more Brits to go to

China to learn more about the country and saying that these UK-China relations have a deep foundation and going ahead they can be stronger.

So, he was talking quite generically. But in terms of Chinese diplomacy, a very, very positive message within there.

And almost pointing out a few things that Britain has done as a western power, which he appreciated.

And something that he spoke about quite recently was the Asian infrastructure investment bank, which is being led by China. And Britain

was the first western country to sign up to that. And that was against some advice, it has to be said, from Washington. The Americans are asking

allies not to sign up to that bank. Soon as Britain did, then you had this influx of western countries also signing up to the same bank, and that

really gave Britain a lot of (inaudible) in Chinese diplomatic circles.

So that's something that he'd brought up. And it's also interesting that, you know, obviously Britain's long-standing international

relationship has been with the United States. David Cameron recently saying in the last week it doesn't mean that it would necessarily weaken

the relationship with the U.S., having a relationship with China. You can actually have both. And it's in the interests of the UK to have both those

relationships. It doesn't mean anything about the relationship with Washington.

ANDERSON: Lots of diplomatic talk, pomp and pageantry, but if we follow the money, which is what all of these trips area about, let's face

it, we, or are certainly looking to hear what about some $50 billion worth of trade and investments signed off during this trip. Anything less would

be a disappointment to the UK, wouldn't it?

FOSTER: Yeah, I don't think we would have had those sort of briefings if it wasn't pretty much signed and sealed before the president arrived.

But it's interesting, a couple of things they're really pushing. George Osbourne, the exchequer, really pushing this idea of a northern

powerhouse, which is the area around northern England is trying to move the economic momentum perhaps a bit more away from the southeast of England up

there. And he needs infrastructure investment to be able to do that. And he wants that to come from China.

So that's why President Xi, apart from being a Man United fan, is heading up to Manchester later on in the week with the prime minister.

So, that's one thing.

But there's quite an interesting story as well. There's been a lot of talk over the years about China investing in British nuclear power. We

need that nuclear power in this country. You can't finance it, so China stepping in to finance that.

But more recently there's been discussion about China actually being part of the design and build of nuclear power as well in this country,

which is a very different prospect. So that really shows the depths of the relationship, the trust that the British government is putting into the

Chinese leadership in order to build that relationship which both countries see as beneficial as we've seen from that speech, as President Xi leaves

parliament and heads off for tea with Prince Charles, which could be interesting, Becky.

[11:30:27] ANDERSON: Fascinating. All right.

And at the Clarence House, which is a stone's throw away from where you are, which is Buckingham Palace, where there will be a state banquet

later on today.

Good stuff. Thank you very much, indeed. Max, of course, out of London for you tonight.

We're out of Abu Dhabi, this is the UAE. I'm Becky Anderson with Connect the World.

Lots more ahead, including international headlines. Back, after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Right. Welcome back. Just after half past 7:00 in the UAE. This is Connect the World with me Becky Anderson. The top stories as

you would expect this hour.

And Israeli police reporting several new attacks in the West Bank, including one near the Gush Etsian (ph) settlement. They say a Palestinian

driver rammed his car into a crowd at a bus stop injuring a soldier and a civilian. The driver was shot dead at the scene.

Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius is now serving the rest of his prison sentence under house arrest. He was transferred from jail to his

uncle's home in Pretoria, South Africa on Monday. Pistorius spent about a year in prison for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Just in, Trudeau is preparing to form a new government in Canada. He led his liberal party to what was a stunning election victory, denying

Steven Harper a fourth term as prime minister. The 43 year old will be Canada's first new leader in nearly a decade.

And the Chinese President Xi Jinping says he is deeply impressed by the vitality of China's relations with the UK. He has just addressed the

UK parliament, his aim to boost economic ties between the two countries, but the visit causing controversy among human rights activists.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country has hit some 500 terrorist targets in Syria since Moscow started its air campaign just weeks

ago. One place where that is being felt is Aleppo where the Syrian army launched an offensive last week.

Russian planes are backing Syrian forces on the ground and the UN says the intensifying battle is forced 35,000 people from their homes. CNN's

Nick Paton Walsh shows us what has become of them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A new force brings horror to Aleppo's southern countryside. These rare amateur pictures

of possibly Russian air strikes. And the unnatural noise and shelter of civilians, children, fleeing this, the Syrian regime's latest advance.

Mattresses give warmth and rest from exhaustion and to a sense of false safety from the jets above. A family bedroom picked up and dumped in this

open farmland.

Aid agencies estimate possibly tens of thousands are on the move from this swathe of poor farmland that reportedly Iranian, Hezbollah and regime

troops are moving through en route to Syria's largest city, Aleppo. These, Syria's most plagued, freeing to Europe, even next door Turkey is not an

option for them, just from their town to the fields nearby. The elements, now their hunter, too. Winter is coming. This woman just fled her home and

now worries her daughter's pajamas got her through summer, but not the ice of winter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the cold days, the cold kills us. In the summer days, the sun will burn our faces.

WALSH: Here, a tractor is home for now. We're going to go to the mountains, he says, to see anything that can be a cave or something as a

settlement for us. This is the beginning of a new chapter of injury and displacement. The supposed target is here, Aleppo, its rebel areas ground

to dust when we saw them a year ago. Yet, still lives thrown out into the open as their onslaught begins.

Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Southern Turkey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Nick joins us now from southern Turkey on the border there with Syria.

And 48 hours ago, we talked at this very time. And it wasn't clear whether this advance on Aleppo was on. Well, it is.

How significant is this, Nick?

WALSH: It depends, Becky, really on the scope of what seems to be planned here.

Now it is still possible that the full city itself is not their target. We've had misinformation before, but the scope of Iranian forces,

Iranian militia, Hezbollah and Syrian regime forces that seem to be massing to the south of Aleppo does indicate something is afoot.

Now, about a year ago, there was a bid by the regime to cut off rebel held areas. They're predominately to the east. They're hollowed out now.

It's hard to live there. We were there ourselves. You saw in those images there it's beaten to dust in many ways, but there are still tens of

thousands of people living there.

They could be cut off if one key access road, already under threat from fighting between moderates and ISIS, is in fact sealed off -- around

an area called Hadramad (ph).

Now that would be quite easy for a force of the size we're hearing amassed by the regime made that particular move.

Then they could, like they have in other areas, implement what's called the starve and surrender policy by the regime's critics, where they

basically seal people out, deprive them of food, until they give in to the regime. That would be an enormous humanitarian crisis.

We're seeing 35,000 people on the move just from the fighting to the south of Aleppo. Hundreds of thousands more potentially affected by this.

The borders with Turkey hard for refugees to cross at this stage, we're being told, a potential disaster looming if this does happen if, indeed,

it's successful, because there's two factors here. What are the moderate rebels going to do? What are Nusra, the al Qaeda affiliate going to do?

And what are ISIS going to do? They all still have a say into the response to the northeast of anything the regime does -- Becky.

[11:40:04] ANDERSON: Nick Paton Walsh there on the border monitoring events in Syria.

Well, as this war grinds on, the number of major world powers weighing in is, of course, increased. The gulf nations, however, have been involved

from the start. The conflict pits the Sunni gulf states against rivals Shia, Iran and Hezbollah. While Saudi Arabia and Qatar have pushed hard

for regime change in Syria, the government of Bashar al-Assad has long had a friend in Iran.

Observers say breaking those ties is a driving force behind Gulf involvement. Gulf states, including Qatar funneling money and weapons to

so-called moderate rebels at odds with Assad. But they have also been accused of funding terrorists groups, a charge that they deny.

Well, I sat down with Qatari foreign minister Khalid bin Mohamed al Attiyah and began by asking him what is Qatar's strategic interest in

Syria. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KHALID AL-ATTIYAH, QATARI FOREIGN MINISTER: Qatar has no geopolitics interest, nor an agenda in Syria. And if you follow Qatar's stand from day

one, we tried every -- and we knocked every door to make peaceful solution to Syria. Only when we saw the blood, we had to take the people's

position.

ANDERSON: What is Qatar's involvement on the ground?

AL-ATTIYAH: Unfortunately, the security council is not doing enough to protect the Syrian people. So we take an hour shoulder with our friends

of Syria to do whatever we can to protect the Syrian people.

ANDERSON: What is that? Give me a sense. Funding, military aid? How does it work?

AL-ATTIYAH: We are working with our allies to support and strengthening the -- you know moderate opposition.

ANDERSON: You talk about Qatar's support for the moderates. What's the extent of your support for the Islamist militia like Bahra al-Sharm

(ph).

AL-ATTIYAH: Let us set the record straight first. Hara al-Sharm (ph) has no ally whatsoever with al Qaeda, Hara al-Sharm (ph) is a Syrian group.

They are fighting to liberate their country. We don't consider them at all extremist or they are terrorist group, they are one of others form the

moderate opposition in Syria fighting for the freedom of their country.

ANDERSON: Do you concede that they are a conservative Islamist militia and that they have used in the past the term jihad as often as they

might use the term revolution or revolutionaries?

AL-ATTIYAH: The word jihad is big. And this is why we always insist in our friend to not turn the Syrian situation into a holy war.

ANDERSON: After the Russians intervened in Syria, the Saudi foreign minister said that he was prepared to use a military option to de-escalate

this conflict. Would you support military intervention on the part of yourselves, the Saudis and Turkey, for example?

AL-ATTIYAH: Anything, which will lead to protect the Syrian people, protect Syria from division. I think we will not spare any offer to do

with our moderate and Saudi and Turkey. Anything.

ANDERSON: So you consider the military option legitimate going forward?

AL-ATTIYAH: If this military action to protect the Syrian people from the brutality of the regime, by all means yes.

ANDERSON: How would that work?

AL-ATTIYAH: Well, there are so many ways they cannot -- we cannot say what -- how it can work, but there are so many ways.

Now the Syrian people are fighting on two fronts. They are fighting the regime, and they are fighting the terrorist groups at the same time.

And they've been doing this for the past two years.

So, there are so many ways to, you know, enhance them.

ANDERSON: When the Saudis in Riyadh sit and look at the potential emergence of P4+1, as many people are calling it: Russia, Syria, Iran, Iraq

plus Hezbollah. That must worry you and the Saudis, doesn't it?

AL-ATTIYAH: We have two options here in the region. We have the conflict, which we will -- we always would like to avoid, or the other

option is to have a serious dialogue to solve our issue within our house.

We don't fear any confrontation. And this is -- and this is why when we call for a dialogue, we call from a dialogue from a strong position,

because we believe in peace. And we know that the shortest way to peace is direct dialogue.

ANDERSON: Your critics, sir, say that your call for dialogue with Iran is based more on concerns about Tehran triggering a natural gas race

with Qatar in the Persian or Arabian Gulf as it is about mediating regional political disputes.

Your response.

[11:45:20] AL-ATTIYAH: Well, critics are ignorant, because they don't have -- they didn't have time to read Qatar vision 2030. If the days come

where we don't have oil and gas, we still keep our people lives the standard they are living today.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: The Qatar foreign minister for you speaking to me exclusively.

Still to come tonight, a decade of leadership over. What legacy is Steven Harper left behind in Canada? More on what was a landmark vote in

the country's future is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Waving in a new era, Justin Trudeau is set to be Canada's next prime minister after his Liberal Party won a landslide election

victory.

Now, that vote ends nearly 10 years of conservative government under Steven Harper.

As for Trudeau, he's following in his father's footsteps. His dad, Pierre, was prime minister throughout the 1970s and part of the 1980s.

He's a youngster at 43, promising big changes at home and abroad.

For more, let's bring in CNN's Paula Newton who has reported widely from Canada on location tonight out of Indonesia for you.

From east to west a red wave swept through Canada, challenging the status quo. Change is afoot, clearly. How big of a one can we expect,

Paula, particularly with regard to foreign policy?

[11:50:08] PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It will be wholesale change. And what we'll see right up front, Becky, is the fact

that he's saying, look, Canada will stop airstrikes in both Syria and Iraq. He says that Canada will have some kind of involvement, principally in aid

and perhaps with training those troops.

You are looking at a government that will be taking a completely different tone there in the Middle East.

And we add to that also, Becky, as you know that climate conference coming up in Paris. Canada has been widely criticized for years now, this

conservative government of Steven Harper that it hasn't been doing enough, that it has missed its environmental targets. Justin Trudeau has already

promised that he will go to the table in Paris with some concrete proposals.

As you know, Canadian's energy sector is consistently under scrutiny in terms of its pollution targets.

Also, you know, Becky, there is that whole issue of the trade, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Canada is a part of that. He says he agrees

with it in principal, wants to see the fine print.

What was really so fascinating, though, Becky was that this is a man who ran on an anti-austerity pledge. I mean, Becky, he went around the

country saying, look, I'm going to spend billions of dollars. We can afford it. I'll show you how we're going to afford it. We're going to tax

the rich. And we need to spend this money right now.

And you know the legacy from his father, funny enough, was from running up those deficits. And many people thought that perhaps he had

gotten Canada into some financial trouble. It will be interesting to see how he navigates all this.

As you said, just 43 years old.

ANDERSON: Yeah. Yeah. Canada's international role will be, of course, affected by this transition. Trudeau and Harper differing on some

key issues, don't they, especially here in the Middle East. Harper's government criticized by some for not taking in more Syrian refugees,

committing to accept 10,000 by September next year, Trudeau says he'll more than double that number by the end of this year.

And the war against ISIS, as you rightly point out, Trudeau says he'll stop Canadian airstrikes against the group in Syria and Iraq, but continue

training Iraqi troops.

How will Trudeau's plans change Canada's role in the world? And will his proposals get support from the Canadian people, do you think?

NEWTON: Well, obviously so. I mean, he put a lot of that on the table. And I have to tell you, Becky, the victory was absolutely

staggering, one that few predicted. It seems that Canadians want to step in, that they hadn't, to use the term, they weren't leaning in in foreign

affairs. And Justin Trudeau made that loud and clear in his campaign, and it seemed the Canadians seem to agree.

And you know, Becky, you and I can both come back to that story of little Alan Kurdi, who died on the shores there in Turkey. He had an aunt

in British Columbia who actually was discouraged from filing the paperwork for him to become a Canadian asylum seeker. And she did that, because she

didn't have any faith that Canada will be able to follow through.

I've spoken to her, and certainly she hopes that in the coming month Canada will change its policy.

You know, it's quite a thing that's happened there in Canada, Becky. And we saw it in Britain earlier. The polls were unable to predict that

this would happen. This was a momentum play. Canadians very clearly saying we want a different government. And we want certainly to step forth

in the world and domestically completely different policies than we've had for the last 10 years.

ANDERSON: Paula, appreciate it, out of Indonesia this evening.

Paula Newton.

Well, our top story this hour is of tension and violence between Palestinians and Israelis, a conflict that is often seen to divide Arab and

Jewish communities. Tonight's Parting Shots, three Israeli sisters, all with Yemeni backgrounds, have released their debut single, Habib al-Gaubi

(ph). And regardless of their political views, it has got people across the Middle East tapping their feet. Have a look and listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, I'm (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, I'm (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we're Awa (ph).

Habib al-Gaubi (ph) is the love of my heart and my eyes who turned you against me? It's a sad song. She's crying because her lover just left

her.

We weep in the song. We ask the neighbors and the people around could you please tell me where did he go? Who will hear my cry?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It always felt like we were part of a tribe of something very ancient and something interesting and far away. My

grandparents immigrated from Yemen to Israel in 1949. They brought this amazing tradition of music and Yemenites danced and Yemenite cuisine.

Every time we used to go to visit them on holidays and stuff, we just used to listen to Yemenite music -- weddings and (inaudible) ceremonies. So,

it's been a great inspiration for us.

We were fascinated -- the song that we sing that were created by women are very emotional.

[11:55:26] UNIDENITIFIED FEMALE: The only way, I think, they could express their feelings and emotions are through the song.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sort of a bridge that connect people from wherever they are. It's very important to us that people will open their

hearts and listen to something different, something new. It's amazing how people, no matter where you come from you can relate to these songs because

they bring very emotional human stories and have a lot of groove and fun and I don't know it's just...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And a lot of love.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: Did that catch your ear or your imagination? Do let us know. The team at Connect the World is online and interested in your

opinions. As ever, you can follow the stories that we're working on throughout the day as a team. You can get to the Facebook page. To do

that, Facebook.com/CNNConnect. And get in touch via Twitter with me @BeckyCNN.

That's @BeckyCNN. And I am Becky Anderson. That was Connect the World from the team here and those working with us for you around the

world. Thank you for watching. Short break. CNN back with your news headlines after this.

END