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Photo of Drowned Father and Daughter Shows Migrants' Desperation; Rep. Norma Torres (D) California Interviewed About U.S. House Approves $4.5 Billion for Aid at Southern Border; Iran to Speed Up Enrichment of Low- Grade Uranium; U.S. Proposing $50 Billion Plan to Boost Palestinian Economy; Palestinian Ambassador: "Palestine Is Not For Sale; Iranian Foreign Minister Trades Strong Words with Trump. Aired 11-12p ET
Aired June 26, 2019 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:25]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson, live from Abu Dhabi where it is exactly 7:00
in the evening. You will likely always remember where you are right now as we start with the image that you will never forget. Here it is, disturbing
and tragic. It captures sheer desperation and the danger at the center of the question who is allowed into America. You're seeing the lifeless body
of Valeria, just shy of her second birthday, clinging to her dead father, Oscar, soaked in muddy water, face down in the dirt on the riverbanks of
the Rio Grande River, drowned trying to make it into the United States. Here's Rafael Romo with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The victims have just been taken out of the river, and the wife and mother of the deceased follows
close behind. Moments before it, cameras had captured the tragic scene. A father and a daughter lying face down in the water, the child's arm around
her father's neck. The government of El Salvador has identified the migrant as Oscar Alberto Martinez. His daughter, Angie Valeria, was not yet two
years old.
Back home in El Salvador, a grandmother clutches the dolls her grandchild left behind before departing with her parents to the United States in
search of a better life. Ramirez says her son died while trying to save his daughter's life. A Mexican Daily citing the girl's mother says, Martinez
had already made it across the river with the girl and was returning to the other side to help his wife when he noticed his daughter had followed him
back into the water.
The migrant's father says he last spoke with his son on Friday. They had spent a few days in Mexico. And he told me things had been wonderful,
Ramirez said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JEFF MERKLEY (D), OREGON: This father, this child were victims of American metering where they attempted to cross a port of entry,
reportedly, they were refused the ability, put back into Mexico, where they had no family, no friends, no resources, so they did what so many others
try to do in that situation and say we've just got to try to get across the border.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If the bill has passed without objection -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMO: Late Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of a $4.5 billion aid bill to address the crisis at the border.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER: Today, our legislation is a vote against the cruel attitude towards children of this administration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMO: The Senate has yet to weigh in. And President Trump has threatened a veto. Salvador and authorities have promised to help the wife and mother to
of the victims to repatriate the bodies. Back in El Salvador, a grandmother is left only with memories of her son and granddaughter. To more victims of
an immigration crisis that has played out for years at the U.S./Mexico border.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Rafael joining us now from CNN's worldwide headquarters and close to the U.S., Mexican border in Clint, Texas, CNN's Ed Lavandera for us.
Rafael, first, this image, this story absolutely heartbreaking, what more do we know at this point?
ROMO: Yes, we know that they left El Salvador weeks ago if not months, it is not yet clear how much time they spent traveling to the United States,
and that they were saying, according to one report at a facility, more - better described as a camp where temperatures were reaching 45 degrees
Celsius, and apparently, at one point, father and mother said we cannot take this any longer, we can't keep our girl here, and decided to go across
the border. The rest, we have seen the images, they're very hard to watch, Becky, heartbreaking on so many levels. It speaks volumes about the
humanitarian crisis being played out at the border currently.
ANDERSON: Ed, this story underlying the risks that people are trying - or taking trying to get to the United States. You are at a detention facility
where hundreds of kids making that trip are being held, where conditions are being described as nothing short of appalling.
[11:05:12] ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is at the Border Patrol facility you see behind me. And this is where the location where a
team of lawyers and doctors had toured various facilities over the course of the last week. This is one of the areas, one of these buildings that's
really come under fire, under intense scrutiny as the conditions inside of that are under serious questioning about what kind of treatment, and what
kind of help these children are getting here, while they're in U.S. Border Patrol custody.
ANDERSON: What more do we know about the conditions inside that facility?
LAVANDERA: We don't know much. You know Border Patrol and federal government officials don't allow cameras inside to see the conditions.
There have been a number of locations where reporters have been allowed in without cameras but you know from the various other locations that we have
seen. We haven't been in this one specifically. They are crowded in many locations. It's also a very fluid situation. They move. And it is a very --
a situation that is influx as people move in and out. It is a volatile situation, depends on numbers change from day to day. And that's the kind
of thing that officials here and customs and border protection officials are stressing, that this is something that changes, and the dynamics of all
of this changes from day to day.
ANDERSON: Rafael, its haunting images like that which we showed at the top of this hour that remind us that there are people, small kids, vulnerable
human beings behind a story that's dominating the political headlines in the United States. The image, of course, will remind us of a sadly similar
picture of a young boy, washed up on a Turkish beach as his family in 2015 tried to make their way out of Syria. How does this impact people and how
might it change the narrative?
ROMO: It is a very good and strong point, Becky. Precisely about what you're talking about, Representative Castro, the leader of the Hispanic
caucus at the U.S. Congress was saying that the picture we have seen is the -- a lone moment, referring to that three-year-old boy from Syria who died
on beaches of Turkey in the same way that that picture galvanized that part of the world. He says that this picture should also have a similar effect
on this side of the world and talk about how this is happening on a daily basis now.
Becky, this is not an isolated case. The only difference is that now we have a picture. But I was looking at recent numbers. Last year alone, 283
migrants died while trying to cross the border into the United States. It is not necessarily the highest number ever. If we went back to 2005, it was
almost 500.
But let's remember that there's currently a fight in U.S. Congress, trying to -- the House approved $4.5 billion in an aid package to improve the
conditions at the detention centers like the one where Ed is at. The problem is that it has to go to the Senate that's dominated by Republicans,
and President Trump has already threatened with a veto. So it may not go far enough.
In the meantime, we have desperate families going through this situation and a very tragic outcome as we saw on this picture. Becky?
ANDERSON: Yes. I want to talk more about what exactly what you have just been discussing now. Rafael, thank you.
Haunting images like those we have been looking at reveal just how dire the situation at the southern border of the U.S. really is. Oscar drowning, the
loss of their lives, not an isolated case, and it is forcing Congress to act.
Late Tuesday, the House approved more than $4 billion in humanitarian aid for the growing crisis. Some Democrats remain divided over provisions in
the bill and the White House threatening to veto it.
[11:10:00] Democratic Congresswoman Norma Torres voted for that bill. She's an immigrant herself. She joins us now from Washington.
And before we get into the machinations of this bill, how it passed, why it passed, and what might happen next, your response to the image, to the
video we've seen of the drowning of this young man and his less than two- year-old child.
REP. NORMA TORRES (D), CALIFORNIA: Thank you for the opportunity, Becky. This is -- my response is heartbreaking. As an immigrant myself from
Guatemala and coming at such a tender age myself here to live with my aunt and my uncle, my father's brother, it is simply heartbreaking, the
decisions that parents have to make in the northern region of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, simply to give their children an opportunity to have a
future.
And you know as critical as we are of the Trump administration on the issue of not protecting children at the border, not providing just the basic
needs that they need while they are in custody, in our custody, in the custody of one of the greatest countries in the entire world. It is
shameful. It is sinful that we are seeing these images that are happening, but also we have to look at the root causes of why people are fleeing that
region. We have to ensure that the world watches and that the world holds these countries and these governments accountable for the corruption, for
the drug cartels that they continued to support that is causing people to lose their lives.
ANDERSON: You are making a really good point. After the border aid bill did pass, you tweeted this. "As a grandmother, a mother and immigrant, I cannot
turn a blind eye to the suffering of the innocent children at the border, who are going without basic necessities. Today we voted to pass a bill that
provides the much-needed medical care and shelter the children at our border deserve."
Will they get this money at the border? Will those who are suffering in these appalling conditions get that help they need?
TORRES: Yes. The bill is a $4.5 billion package that helps to subsidize the cost of the influx of migrants coming to our southern border. The bill also
calls out for some basic standards for Border Patrol, CBP, to come up with a plan to improve conditions at these facilities and giving them an
opportunity to do better by these children. What we don't want to see is we don't want to see permanent facilities. We want these temporary facilities
to be utilized for temporary shelter that is quality shelter, while children and families are being reunited with the families that they have
here in the U.S. that are more than willing, more than willing I should say, to take care of them.
ANDERSON: Look, President Trump says he is not happy with this border bill, the $4.5 billion aid bill as we suggested is passed, it is not law yet. The
question is will it survive, will it make a difference. Here's what he told Fox Business News, talking about the president here, earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES (via telephone): I'm not happy with it because there is no money for protection. It is like we're running
hospitals over there now. You know, people are coming up, what people don't understand is you have separation. Separation is a terrible thing of the
families, and I said well, I'm going to put people together, but that's going to mean more people coming up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: His words will resonate with many people.
TORRES: You know the statement that the president made that we are running you know hospitals down there in the southern region. Let me tell you and
let me tell the world, that if those facilities are truly were hospitals, we would not have had seven children die in our custody within those
facilities over the last six months. Six months alone. So no, President Trump, those are not hospitals. And this Congress is not going to give you
not one penny for you to have a deportation force in our communities and we'll continue to separate our families, working families and children that
are going to school. U.S. citizens' children will be impacted with your immigration force that Congress will not fund.
[11:15:03] ANDERSON: Congresswoman Norma Torres, we appreciate you coming on. Thank you very much indeed for joining us. That humanitarian aid will
be used at detention centers at least this is the intention, along the southern border where conditions have been described as deplorable.
More than 100 children were returned to a Texas facility which was just days ago singled out for having major health and hygiene problems. There
were reports of older kids having to take care of younger ones, no soap, limited opportunities to shower and inadequate clothing, with some kids
wearing only diapers or nappies.
Warren Binford is a law professor who visited a border facility in Clint, in Texas, and helped sound the alarm on the horrific conditions there. She
joins us now from Portland, Oregon. Is what you saw something that you would describe as a nursing facility as the U.S. president has done and he
says we shouldn't be funding these?
WARREN BINFORD, LAW PROFESSOR, WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY: No. What we saw was nothing that you would ever want any child to ever stay in, even for a few
hours, that these facilities are notoriously horrendous. The Office of the Inspector General here in the United States just last month released two
investigative reports. This is a neutral body that released two independent reports about how horrendous these facilities are. The children were sick.
They were hungry. They were sleep deprived. They were sad. They were dirty. There was a lice infestation in one of the cells. There was an influenza
outbreak. And there was no one actively caring for these children. They were literally having to care for themselves in a lord of the flies dynamic
in overcrowded cells that were intended for adults. These are worse than prisons.
ANDERSON: Let me just run a clip that's outraged many people. Listen to what a Texas Republican had to say about the migrant children at these
detention centers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL BURGESS (R), TEXAS: You know what, there's not a lock on the door. Any child is free to leave at any time, but they don't. You know why?
Because they're well taken care of.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That's not your experience. Is that what you're telling me?
BINFORD: No, no. We could not get in and out of these facilities. This was absolutely a lockdown facility. We had to go through numerous locked doors
in order to get in and out of this facility. It absolutely was not an open facility. And these children wanted nothing more than to get out, and to be
with their families. We started on the third day that we were there. We were so concerned about the number of young children who were there. We
were concerned about all of the children who were there, but especially the young children getting lost in the system, that we started asking them if
they have family in the United States, and if they knew what their telephone numbers were.
Some of these children who were old enough had memorized their numbers in the United States. Others pulled little wrapped up papers out of their
pockets and handed them to us. One little girl had it written on a bracelet on her wrist and we started calling the family members. And they wanted to
get on the plane right then and there and pick up these children. The family members were in tears. The children were in tears. Everyone was
desperate to get these children out of these horrendous conditions. All the government has to do if these are open facilities is let these children out
so their families can take care of them.
ANDERSON: Well, as I understand it, some have been discharged from this facility only to be reinstalled again. A little boy, his father, as I
understand, disappeared in Mexico on their way to the United States, and these are images you have sent to us. His mother had already made the
journey. And this floorplan was drawn by a child being held in a warehouse in Clint, Texas where these kids as you say sometimes being held for weeks
at a time certainly not drawings you would expect to see from kids. You have been doing these inspections now for some 20 years. Tell us just a
little bit about the mindset of these kids and how does what you've seen now compare to what you've seen over the past couple of decades?
BINFORD: Yes. So I have not been doing site visits for over 20 years, but our team has. I have been doing the site visits for several years and I
have been taken into some of the worst detention centers in the country. I have inspected the tornado tent city, I have inspected the Walmart where
they were keeping 1500 children locked up, and forcing them to march in front of a mural of Donald Trump day after day.
[11:20:03] This is by far the worst facility that I have seen, both because of the conditions and the large number of children there, especially young
children, including infants, and toddlers, and preschoolers, school age children, and the length of time that they were being kept in these border
facilities that the United States has not allowed to keep them for more than 72 hours. These are supposed to be transitory process in places where
the ORR is supposed to come and get these children or it's now being said that the Border Patrol is supposed to be delivering the children.
Regardless, these children are not supposed to be here, and the fact that they're not only being kept here, but they're being kept there for almost a
month is absolutely outrageous.
ANDERSON: Warren, thank you, your insight, incredibly important as we take a look at this story and explore its consequences. Thank you.
Still to come tonight, Donald Trump says he doesn't want war with Iran, but he has an idea what such a war would look like if it happened. His thoughts
on that just ahead.
And some high profile guests at the U.S. led conference meant to boost the Palestinian economy but with Palestinians themselves, pretty much
boycotting the workshop. What will it really achieve? We're live in Bahrain just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. 24 minutes past 7:00 here in the UAE. This is our Middle East broadcasting. I am Becky Anderson. And you're watching CONNECT
THE WORLD.
The U.S. President Donald Trump now speculating on a hypothetical war with Iran. He told Fox News he doesn't want war but should it happen, quote, "It
would not last very long." This comes as tensions between the two countries spiked even further this week.
CNN's Frederik Pleitgen has more from Tehran.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: After President Trump came out and blasted the Iranians saying that a war with Iran
wouldn't last very long. The Iranians themselves are also firing back at him, a senior Iranian general saying that there's no specter of war over
Iran.
[11:25:06] The Iranians obviously say that the shooting down of an American drone by Iranian air defense systems has shows how capable Iran is. The
Iranians are saying no one would dare transgress into their territory, no one would dare violate their territory. That's from one side.
On the other hand, there are mixed messages coming out here from Tehran today. On the one hand, there's a bit of a carrot approach coming from the
President Hassan Rouhani who has called on the United States to go back to the nuclear agreement. Hassan Rouhani saying that that is something that
would be beneficial not just to Iran but to the United States as well and to the entire international community. Meanwhile, however, a lot more
skepticism about that approach of negotiations, of talks with the United States from Iran supreme leader. He however, there are a lot more
skepticism about that approach negotiations of talks with the United States from Iran supreme leader, he came out once again, and he said he believe
that talks with the United States were aimed as deception. He thinks that the U.S. wants to talk to Iran because they want to weaken Iran's defenses.
So from that vantage point, the supreme leader very, very skeptical about ever talking to the United States again. Of course, he is one of the people
who was sanctioned by the Trump administration just a couple of days ago. The Iranians continuing to say those sanctions will have absolutely no
effect, but they are saying that that's something that further soured relations between these two countries.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Tehran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Meantime, Iran says it will speed up the process of enriching low grade uranium and its stockpile will exceed what's allowed in that nuclear
deal. Well that can happen as soon as tomorrow.
A top British politician went to Iran over the weekend, warned there would be consequences for breaking what is an action plan, often called an
agreement. A European diplomat tells CNN it could trigger new inspection by the U.N. Nuclear Agency. Remember those two parties are still in this deal.
It is the U.S. who had pulled out and effectively nixed it.
Coming up, which should come first, political resolution of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict or a plan to kick start the Palestinian economy. Fundamental disagreement on that overshadowing phase one of what is the
Trump administration's deal of the century as it is known.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:30:51] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JARED KUSHNER, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER: My direct message to the Palestinian people is that despite what those who have let you down in the
past tell you, President Trump and America have not given up on you. This workshop is for you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, Donald Trump's son-in-law there delivering what's meant to be a message of hope for Palestinians, reassurance a U.S.-led conference in
Bahrain can help them realize their dreams and ambitions. But Palestinian leaders aren't there to hear it. They're boycotting the workshop on
stimulating the Palestinian economy, saying political issues must be addressed first.
Well today, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair took to the stage with Jared Kushner and praised the U.S. effort, but also stressed a political
framework for ending the Israeli Palestinian conflict must be in place for it to work.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond, live from the site of the workshop in Bahrain at Manama, Bahrain. Jared Kushner describing this $50 billion proposal as a
precondition to peace. Jeremy, what was the goal, and what, if anything, has been achieved over these two days in Manama?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well indeed, Jared Kushner did frame this peace plan or this economic plan rather as a precondition to an
ultimate political settlements to this conflict, but he did make very clear that without that ultimate resolution to this conflict, none of this $50
billion in investments and loans and grants that he was proposing during this two day conference here in Manama, none of that will happen until
there's that resolution.
Becky, I also sat down with Jason Greenblatt, who is the co-author with Jared Kushner of this peace plan that this administration has been crafting
for two-and-a-half years. And I asked him specifically about this notion of a two-state solution, and whether or not this region should expect that to
be included in their plan. Listen up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON GREENBLATT, WHITE HOUSE MIDDLE WAST ENVOY: We've done a very good job taking it, keeping it very quiet, but our plan does deal with all of the
core issues. And it will give very good road map so that everybody can understand where it can lead, how lives can be improved, and how the next
generation can live much, much better lives.
DIAMOND: The reason I asked that is because Jared said - Jared Kushner recently said we're not going to say two-states in this plan. To a lot of
us here, that means no Palestinian state.
GREENBLATT: I think when -- I am aware of one conversation where Jared said that, I think when he said that he was talking from when we started working
on this until a peace plan is revealed, we're not going to use jargon and slogans that mean different things to different people. The plan itself
which is dozens of pages long is going to spell out how we think the conflict can be ended if both sides are willing to engage, and if both
sides are willing to compromise.
DIAMOND: You want to reassure people in the region that there could be two- states in this plan?
GREENBLATT: I think President Trump probably said it best when he said he will support whatever the two sides agree to. We're presenting a plan that
we think makes a lot of sense. We hope the two sides can agree to it, bhut we're not getting into just trying to distill what is extraordinary
conflict into three words.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DIAMOND: So look, Becky, this administration has played very coy to this notion of a two-state solution, and whether or not it will be included in
this plan. But I think that key line from Jason Greenblatt, where he said, when Jared Kushner said we're not talking about two-states, that was about
until the plan will be revealed. So, it appeared there that Jason Greenblatt was certainly not swearing off this notion of a two-state
solution ultimately being included in this plan, very much still leaving it up in the air. But at the same time, not closing the door entirely to the
possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Thank you. Jeremy is in Manama for many Palestinians, the Manama workshop entirely misses the point. You can see
that angle on the streets, the West Bank where guards are there. Main concern being freed from occupation. Main dream, having their own
independent state. Supporters of the Trump plan point out that economics are just phase one of the deal.
[11:35:04] But Kushner himself defined a political solution is one that guarantees the security of Israel and respects the dignity of Palestinians,
no mention of state hood, no pretense. That's even the goal, some will say
Well, our next guest says the Trump administration considers this a, quote, "real estate deal where Israel gets the land and the Palestinians get the
cash." Husam Zomlot says, "Palestine is not for sale." He is a Palestinian ambassador to the U.K. and joins us now live from London. With the greatest
respect, Jared Kushner has never said or never suggested that Palestine is for sale if indeed he were prepared to use the term Palestine which is
highly unlikely. Is there anything that you have heard, let's start here, is there anything that you have heard out of this workshop in Manama that
convinces you that the Palestinians should engage with this plan? Let's start there.
HUSAM ZOMLOT, PALESTINIAN AMBASSADOR TO UK: You know, Becky, first of all, hello. I have engaged Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt in Washington for
a long time. We met them many, many times. We heard from them. It is not about what we heard from them. It is exactly about what we didn't hear from
them.
For a year and a half, I visited the White House almost every week, and I have never heard one of them saying the word state hood, Palestine,
collective rights, right of self-determination, two states, 1967 borders, you know international resolutions. They reference point of previous peace
processes, long held U.S. policy and positions, all that was trashed. Even the initiative is considered to be an old idea.
So, it is about the deliberate omission of major issues that make us believe what we believe. And help us out, here, please do help us out.
Maybe we have misunderstood something, maybe we are missing something. I mean, Jared Kushner goes out and says he cares about the Palestinian
prosperity, Palestinian livelihoods, and then he is busy the last year cutting the entire U.S. aid on vital sectors like education, and health,
hospitals in Jerusalem that provide life-saving operations like cancer and eye hospitals. And then he cancelled abruptly, abruptly last year funding
to UNRWA which feeds and educates more than a half million Palestinian children in Palestine and the region in the most cruel way, UNRWA declares
that these kids will be in the streets. Thanks to the world UNRWA is operating. And then he goes and he says he wants to help Palestinians
financially. And then he says -
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: I can hear your concerns. I can hear your concerns. Listen, Ambassador, I want to share one of your tweets. It speaks to the wider
story here, and the point that you're making. One of your tweets you wrote "The Jordan valley is Palestine's strategic reservoir and the most vital
area for a prosperous Palestinian economy: Water, fertile lands, minerals, Dead Sea and heritage sites. You cannot separate this picture from Manama a
both have the same goal: To normalize theft and occupation."
You said that. I just want us to listen to some more of what Jason Greenblatt said today to Jeremy Diamond. This was just a few moments ago.
Have a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREENBLATT: We're not going to use jargon and slogans that mean different things to different people. The plan itself which is dozens of pages long
is going to spell out how we think the conflict can be ended if both sides are willing to engage in it, both sides are willing to compromise.
DIAMOND: You want to reassure people in the region that there could be two- states in this plan.
GREENBLATT: I think President Trump probably said it best when he said he will support whatever the two sides agree to. We're presenting a plan that
we think makes a lot of sense. We hope the two sides could agree to it, but we're not getting into trying to distill an extraordinary conflict into
three words.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: He is not ruling out a two-state solution here. Given that, isn't it time that the Palestinians reengage to ensure the prospects for some
success here, sir?
ZOMLOT: Well, why he is not mentioning the two-state solution. The two- state solution was never a Palestinian demand, it was an American requirement on us. It was a grand Palestinian concession to align itself
with the U.S. policy and the international resolutions. For more than 26 years, successive American administrations have been lobbying us to go in
the direction of two-state solution. Why wouldn't they say it. They wouldn't say it because they consider it to be an old idea. They believe
Israel has won the entire property, the entire land of Palestine from the Mediterranean to the Jordan river.
[11:40:00] As you saw three days ago, National Security Adviser Bolton, with him the U.S. Ambassador to Israel Friedman declaring that Israel would
retain control of this huge territory as you said in my tweet, strategic reservoir. They don't believe in Palestinian collective rights. Why would
they close our mission in Washington? They don't see us as people. Why would they close the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem that has been there since
1844. Because they don't want to see a point of context. So engage -- an administration that doesn't want to engage with us, and dance on tunes that
would not see our collective rights as futile business, Becky.
ANDERSON: Husam, Jason Greenblatt also made an appeal during this Manama workshop to Palestinians that isn't a new appeal. He said please don't
allow those who prosper under the status quo to manipulate and deceive. Please don't allow them to squander the opportunity of a safer, prosperous,
and brighter future for future generations. You cannot deny the allegations of corruption in the past. The allegations that moneys have been
squandered. What the Americans are saying as far as I can understand it here, the offer is for a new and different approach to a peace process that
simply hasn't worked in the past, allowing a status quo to be taken advantage of by many it has to be said on the Palestinian side.
ZOMLOT: Becky, the only mass corruption that's happening in our homeland is the military occupation is the freakish control of our land and resources
is this addiction by Israel on our economy. This is the real mass corruption. We have all it takes, Becky, to build a thriving, prosperous
economy. We have a very youthful society, the most educated in the region, perhaps in the world. We have the highest PhD graduates worldwide. And we
have natural resources, historic resources, the World Bank. We will add $3.4 billion a year once we rid our self of this occupation. We can build
our economy.
Jason Greenblatt and Jared Kushner are not in the camp of really resolving the political issue. That's why they're trying to repeat the same old
mistake of putting the economic cart before the political horse having already Kushner and Greenblatt shot in the head the political horse by all
they've done about Jerusalem refugees, settlements. Golan Heights and now as you mentioned, Jordan Valley, we are only interested in the real peace
process based on international resolutions, two-state on the 67, East Jerusalem our capital and we will work with U.S. forces, international
forces to bring sanity to this process.
ANDERSON: Thank you, sir. Husam Zomlot is out of London for you today on what's an incredibly important story. Live from Abu Dhabi. This is CONNECT
THE WORLD. We're going to be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:45:21] ANDERSON: The U.S. Secretary of State is in India which he says has a, quote, "shared understanding of the threat from Iran." Mike Pompeo
was speaking after his meeting with his Indian counterpart. He says they discussed the escalating tensions in the gulf. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE POMPEO, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Iran is the world's largest state sponsor of terror. And we know the Indian people had suffered from terror
around the world. So, I think there's a shared understanding of threat and common purpose to ensure we can keep energy at the right prices and deter
the threat, not only the threat in the narrow confines of the Middle East but the threat that this terror regime poses to the entire world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: India, one of the top importers of Iranian oil which the Indian government has now said has been reduced to zero, thanks to Washington
slapping sanctions back on Tehran, while at the Asia Oil and Gas Conference in Malaysia, John Defterios sat down with Sanjiv Singh. He's the chairman
of the Indian Oil, formerly one of Iran's top customers. As part of our powerful series, John started by asking where Singh thought oil prices
should be in these uncertain times.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANJIV SINGH, CHAIRMAN, INDIAN OIL CORPORATION: If you ask me, I think anything in the range of 50 to 65 personally I find as fairly reasonable
pricing, which on a long-term basis should be acceptable to all stakeholders.
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN BUSINESS EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: You know Saudi Arabia and Russia and OPEC, non-OPEC are trying to balance inventories. But the
U.S. serves as a spoiler using 12 million barrels a day. Can they keep the inventories balanced and the price in that range you're speaking of?
SINGH: I think they've done decent work. Before that, we were seeing much higher volatility in the world market. If you look at the prices, on a
shop, even on a daily basis, probably the prices moving more because of other reasons rather than the formalities.
DEFTERIOS: How would you compare the threat that we have between the U.S. and Iran now, vis-a-vis the Gulf War or Iraq War or challenges in Libya.
How would you put it in a context?
SINGH: I don't think the society would like to have a wall. That in today's times when the destruction can be much more than we have seen in the past
years.
DEFTERIOS: Most people don't know you were number two importer of Iranian crude better than 450 thousand barrels a day. Doesn't it seem unjust that
you're asked to go to zero when the nuclear agreement was in place and you were even paying in Rupees, not dollars.
SINGH: That's true because even before the original sanction after which, some leeway was given to couple of countries, including India left to us. I
think the more players in the supply market is always better for the trade and as far as trade is concerned. Sometimes you would agree with me that
there are other factors govern the business.
DEFTERIOS: Well, in fact, if can't fight the U.S. Treasury, right? Is that the pressure that you're under, Indian Oil and Indian government as well?
SINGH: We wanted as many suppliers as possible in the whole game. But when the calls of this, try not to be taken. They're not taken by individual
company. They're taken by the - including the Indian government. It's a collective decision which has to be taken, and I'm sure it is in the
interest of the country at the moment.
DEFTERIOS: A pretty tough geopolitical game, is it not?
SINGH: Yes. Yes.
DEFTERIOS: Your alternative suppliers include the United States and Saudi Arabia are putting the pressure on Iran. How has that played out in terms
of your suppliers?
SINGH: We have wonderful leading terms with the business terms with the Saudis. We are also importing crude from U.S. Invariably it was coming
under the supplies. But recently they have also some contracts for the U.S. group which also stabilizes the supplier from that part of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Right. That tomorrow series with John Defterios is closing out for you tomorrow.
I'm going to take a very short break. Back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:50:45] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You make a threat of obliteration for war with the United States --
MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF, IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Well, he is certainly wrong, but that statement indicates that the United States intentions are
certainly illegal. The United States is not in position to obliterate Iran. They do not have the capability other than using prohibited weapons. To do
this, the Iranian people are prepared to resist any aggression. But we're not seeking war. We don't seek war. We do not seek a confrontation. The
actions by the United States over the past few weeks have been confrontational, provocative. Particularly the imposition of sanctions on
Iranian leadership has been an additional insult by the United States against the entire Iranian nation. Iran has been implementing its rights
under the nuclear deal, and under Security Counsel Resolution 2231, the United States is in flagrant violation. And I think President Trump should
remember that we don't live in the 18th century. There is the United Nations and threat of force is illegal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: That was Iran's foreign minister speaking there to Fred Pleitgen. And we will get you to Tehran just as soon as we can. Fred just conducting
that interview. We'll explore more on that, the very latest, out of the Iranian regime's thinking when we can get to Fred.
Our top story, of course, this hour. Imagine loving the idea of a country so much that you would risk everything, including your life just for a
chance to get there. For Central Americans, fleeing violence and poverty, that's reality. Behind the headlines and the statistics of the border
crisis. This is also reality. A daughter and father both dead, drowned after attempting to cross into America. This happening right now, and this
is not an isolated case.
CNN's Brian Stelter just wrote about this image for CNN saying it is so upsetting that even journalists can be tempted to look away. But we're
showing you because of course we believe it needs to be seen. Brian joining me from New York. The question we ask ourselves on the occasions we see
these sort of images is will this be a watershed moment, will this change things. Brian?
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: And I would like to be hopeful, and I would like to say the answer is yes, but I'm also skeptical
of that for a variety of reasons because we've seen other photos in the past, other refugees, other migrants in dangerous, in deadly situations.
And in some cases, those photos haven't moved public debate in a serious way. Maybe this time is different, however. It is striking to see how much
news coverage and attention this photo from the Rio Grande is getting in the past 24 hours. It was a photo of course taken by a Mexican journalist,
published in a Mexican newspaper. Thankfully to the publisher, thankful the world is seeing it, but we will have to see if it actually changes public
opinion.
ANDERSON: Brian Stelter out of New York for you.
I promised you that we would get back to Tehran. Thank you, Brian.
To one of our other top stories today. That is the U.S., Iranian tensions. And Fred Pleitgen has just spoken to the Iranian foreign minister, we are
in Tehran for you. Fred, what more did he tell you?
PLEITGEN: Hi, Becky. Well, he basically said that he believed that everything that the Trump administration was doing was provocative actions.
Over the past couple weeks, he said that he believed President Trump's threats of obliteration, I asked about this specifically.
[11:55:00] And some of the threats from the Trump administration, that those were all illegal. He said that the U.S. is in no position to
obliterate Iran. He said that's something they could only do by use of illegal weapons. And so, therefore, he believes that the Iranians are
strong enough to withstand anything from the U.S.
At the same time, he said that the Iranians don't want war. They don't want an escalating conflict. But they believe at this point in time that the
U.S. is on a trajectory to get there. They say that the U.S. actions in violation of the U.N. Security Council Resolution for JCPOA, for the
nuclear agreement. And so, therefore he is saying that the U.S. is the one that needs to get back in line, Becky.
ANDERSON: We continue to monitor the rhetoric and try to examine at least or examine what we believe is meant by what is being said. Thank you, Fred.
Fred is in Tehran, I'm in Abu Dhabi for you. I'm Becky Anderson. That was CONNECT THE WORLD. Thank you for watching wherever you are in the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
