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Attack Could Suggest Boko Haram Extending Influence; Officials: Abductions Are Making Demands Via A Teacher At The School; Governor Of State, Where 330-Plus Boys Were Kidnapped, Says Rescuers Have Located Their Position; CNN Speaks With Mayor Of Ramallah On New Documentary; New Documentary Focuses On Plight Of Palestinian Mayor; Afghanistan Peace Talks Hit Pause For Holiday Season. Aired 11a-12p ET

Aired December 16, 2020 - 11:00   ET

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

[11:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Tonight we investigate incredible acts of savagery against kids. "Bring Back Our Boys", the - new cry from a

part of the world that knows the horror of mass child abduction all too keenly.

The fate of more than 300 schoolchildren remains desperately unclear this hour after they were taken by armed kidnappers in Northwestern Nigeria on

Friday. Now, the U.S. is condemning the attack on their boarding school saying it's investigating an audio claim purported to be from Boko Haram's

leader.

In the next few moments here on "Connected the World" we'll speak to the Governor of the State where this atrocity occurred to get some answers

firsthand. First up though if Boko Haram is behind this attack, it would be a hugely disturbing development as it would indicate the group is widening

its influence beyond its strong hold.

David McKenzie has reported on the battle against this group for years and has the very latest now on what this mass kidnapping could now mean.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No children now, no excited chatter in the dorms or boys ready to return home, just an awful silence and a

lingering fear from the children whose cape. They came at 9:30 at night, says 13-year-old. They attacked our security guard. They were shouting as

they shot their guns. They shouted God is great.

As gunman attacked, the boy says their bullets lit up the sky. Some boys jumped out of windows. The younger ones cried out. One boy told us the men

gathered them together like a herdsman gathering sheep. They said we are not here to rob you. No one should run.

We're going to help you but instead they took them. More than 300 boys still missing from Kankara Secondary School in Northwest Nigeria

authorities told CNN that contact has been made with the kidnappers raising the prospect of a ransom demand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This work that was done in Katsina was done by us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: Now in a new audio message a claim of responsibility purportedly from this man, the Abubakar Sehkau a leader of extremist terror group Boko

Haram. CNN could not independently verify the message. He said they targeted Kankara because of its western education.

If true, it's a deeply disturbing sign that Boko Haram has widened its influence beyond its stronghold in the northeast where it's terrorized

Nigerians for close to a decade. Northwest has suffered through years of criminality and isolated kidnapping for ransom.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari blamed the apparent abduction on banditry, but the disappearance of so many children is on another scale and

a cruel reminder of Boko Haram's abduction of more than 300 schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014. Years later and more than 100 are still missing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBIAGELI EZEKWESILI, CO-FOUNDER, "BRING BACK OUR GIRLS" CAMPAIGN: Six years after I'm listening to a mother exactly the same thing that the mothers of

Chibok girls said to us in those years.

MCKENZIE (voice over): The Founder of the movement to bring the Chibok girls home says the government's actions are unforgivable. Buhari promised

to rescue the boys from Kankara unharmed, but he promised to stamp out Boko Haram years ago, and he has failed.

EZEKWESILI: If governance is made up of a ruling class that is indifferent to the suffering of the people, you would have repetitive patterns of

failure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCKENZIE: They said if we resisted they would kill us, he says. He ran barefoot escaping to a nearby forest. The next morning we came to the

school, and there were a lot of people, he says. They had blood, blood all over their bodies. David McKenzie, CNN, Johannesburg.

ANDERSON: Well, the Governor of the State where those kids were taken has tweeted saying, "The abductors of our children have made contacts with the

government and talks are ongoing to ensure their safety and return to their respective families. The security agencies deployed for rescue operations

have also informed us that they have located their position" and Katsina State Governor Aminu Bella Masari joining us now.

Thank you, sir. You said the abductors have made contacts with the government. Firstly, who are these abductors? We know Boko Haram has

claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, but at CNN we cannot verify those claims, so who are they?

AMINU BELLO MASARI, GOVERNOR, KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA: Well, with regards to the contact, the only contact that was made directly was through one of the

children.

[11:05:00]

MASARI: They spoke to his father and they complain about the air force flying over them. They also made mention that they may need money but they

never did, but we through some other connections, officials, we are engaging some of the leaders because we don't want any casualty, especially

on the parts of the children who have managed so far to get to where they are at.

And while we have not fired a single shot, we simply want to avoid collateral damage and we are working to make sure that all the children are

safely back home. But with regards to the claim of Boko Haram, we're yet to see practically any evidence of search because the leaders who demanded the

kidnapping are not good leaders but are--

ANDERSON: OK.

MASARI: So it's the claim of Boko Haram though we cannot easily dismiss it completely, but we need to have a much more concrete evidence that would

show that they were directly involved.

ANDERON: OK. So you're telling me at this point - you're telling me at this point that you've located these children on the ground. What do you

understand to have happened here? There were some youngsters who got away. I mean, this is happening in your state under your watch. So what do you

understand happened, sir?

MASARI: It's happening in Kankara - state which I'm the Governor. And from all the work we have so far - mostly not all the children are located in

the forest - neighboring state and like I said the intelligence they have located where they are.

And we're working to make sure that they are rescued unharmed. That's exactly the current position now and we're talking to those leader in - who

contacted the abductors who most of the neighbor house.

ANDERSON: OK. Let me ask you this. As I understand it you visited the school. You met with the principal. Have you visited or spoken to any of

the families, and what is your government, the state doing to help the families at this point?

MASARI: Well, first of all, you know, on the morning it happened I was in the school. I met the representative of the Parent-Teachers Association and

also met some of the students that escaped. And we had frank and sincere discussion on the issue and ascended on behalf of the government our

deepest sympathy and concern and promised that we'll not shirk away from our responsibility of securing the lives of - especially securing the lives

of these young people unharmed.

ANDERSON: Let me ask you this question, sir. Let mow ask you this. You say you've located these - these kids. And what's their condition at this point

as you understand it? Are they safe at least?

MASARI: The children are safe, and up until now we're not hearing any concrete demand but we're talking and we'll make sure that the children are

safely back home but we've located in places where they are and all the areas have been secured by the security forces.

And here are not firing because we want to make sure that like I said earlier we don't get any collateral damage.

[11:10:00]

ANDERSON: You can only imagine what these children are going through, sir. Officials believe that this may be a kidnapping for ransom plot. We've

heard that the attackers have been making demands through a teacher. You say that you're not aware as I understand it of any demands? Can you

confirm that?

MASARI: They did not make a direct demand. What I say, let me repeat it, is that through one of the children of the teachers who was among the

kidnapped - so they called his father and they complained about the Nigerian Air Force flying over them and they also said they may need money

but they never ask how much money. At least they haven't done that directly to us as a government.

ANDERSON: That's effectively a ransom sir. Would you say a ransom, if asked?

MASARI: I don't think - it's not the policy of our government to pay ransom. We'll find other ways of securing the lives and the freedom of the

children.

ANDERSON: UNICEF has said that Boko Haram has abducted more than 1,000 children over the past seven years, and we can be pretty sure there are

many more unaccounted for. I know you haven't confirmed tonight that these claims of responsibility from Boko Haram can be verified.

You're not - you're not convinced at this point that this is Boko Haram, but this kind of wider story is deeply, deeply troubling. Who is to blame

for this? Is this not a fundamental failure of the Nigerian government at this point?

MASARI: What you have to look at the historical background of all incidents in Nigeria but in also fair enough regard that is - it's our responsibility

as leaders, as government it is our responsibility to protect lives and properties.

We are not happy about what has happened. It has happened and we're trying our best to make sure that the lives and properties of our people are

protected. So it is not that we're being caught nagging but it is part of the challenges that we're facing as a country, fighting, security,

insurgency which has been going on for more than a decade.

This issue of Boko Haram, insurgency, militancy, it's affected more than ten years ago. It's not something that started yesterday, but that's not to

mean--

ANDERSON: All right.

MASARI: --we are now responsible and will live up to our responsibility of ensuring and making sure that we do the best we can to safeguard the lives

of our people and now priority is to make sure that these children are safely back into their families and back into school.

ANDERSON: I interviewed Obi Ezekwesili yesterday who I'm sure you will know well. She said that she believes Buhari's government is indifferent to the

suffering of the people of Nigeria. She also told me this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EZEKWESILI: I don't think that President Buhari is in feet right now to govern the country. It's very obvious that he cannot govern the country so

this country right now is ungoverned. I've said it for the Nigerian citizens that for as long as we permit this kind of irresponsible ruling

class to continue with this pattern.

Well, we have given them the license to do so that behavior that is not punished is bad behavior that is in good supply. We're being supplied this

kind of repetitive pattern of failure of our children in particular because we seem not to care really as a society. This abomination happens all the

time amongst us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And I just want to refer you as well to what happened in October with the Lekki Toll Gate massacre. What is your response to accusations

like that, leveled at you in state and at the federal level?

MASARI: Are you referring that question to me?

[11:15:00]

ANDERSON: Yes, sir.

MASARI: Hello.

ANDERSON: I'm asking you how you respond.

MASARI: What happened in Lagos Lekki I am here in - quite over 100 kilometers away from Lekki?

ANDERSON: Let me be clear. It was an accusation of indifference by those who are governing the country at this point.

MASARI: Why you say indifference? When the end decides from the information - they made a request the federal government agreed to all and you cannot

allow a situation where some people started banning, killing and destroying public properties.

And I don't think this is a way of conducting what you can call a peaceful demonstration, destruction, vandalization and loss of life. And I think

government was not indifferent. Government was acting responsibly in making sure that the situation was under control. That was nothing like

indifference.

ANDERSON: Perhaps you misunderstood my question. My question was a sort of wider one. It was an acquisition specifically leveled over what is going on

with the abduction of these boys, but the wider context was the indifference of the ruling classes in Nigeria at present. Look, let me move

on. One of the boys who managed to escape from the abductors - hang on, sir let me just--

MASARI: We're more than concerned. We're not indifferent of our responsibilities. Of course people are - they have the right to spread

their opinion, but to say that we're indifferent that is grossly unfair.

ANDERSON: OK. Let's - and I - I thank you for your response. One of the boys who managed to escape from the abductors described what happened. I

just want you to take a listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I decided to run, they brought a knife to slaughter me, but I ran away quickly. I ran into the crowd. They couldn't get me, and

I put my clothes upside down so that they could not see me. From there they said they would kill whoever was trying to escape. I began to run climbing

one rock to another through a forest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, of course, he was one of the lucky ones and there are still hundreds more missing. And a mother of one of the boys is saying enough is

enough, sir. Her along with the mothers are basically saying the government is failing them, and it is hard to listen to the words of the mothers of

these children and to not disagree with them your response?

MASARI: We strongly, sincerely and deeply sympathize with the mothers with the children with the parents with the entire Katsina state community. Some

of our children are equally involved because schools have the - we're fully aware of - and we're enforcing security at all of our schools and public

places so we're more than concerned.

We are ultimately responsible. As leaders we know we are responsible, but like I said it happened when we were doing our best to make sure that lives

of students, of the general public are protected and their properties. It is not that we are not aware of our responsibility. We are aware, and if

there are challenges which are material and human we prepare to correct whatever is wrong and move forward.

ANDERSON: And with that, Governor, we'll leave it there. We thank you very much indeed for your time. A wrap of that breaking news there, government

authorities know where the more than 300 kidnapped boys are in Nigeria.

The Governor just telling me that he did not have much further information of their current condition he did tell mow that talks are ongoing to secure

their release and that it is his priority to get them back safely and into school soon. We'll continue to follow this story, and as we get any update

you'll be first to hear them.

[11:20:00]

ANDERSON: Well, America's Ambassador to the UAE says Israel's historic normalization agreement with this country where we are and of course this

show is broadcast from our Middle East Broadcasting Hub here in Abu Dhabi. He says the deal is still resonating in a big way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN RAKOLTA JR., U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UAE: I felt I was involved in something that was totally historic, that will be recognized as time goes

on as a major, major breakthrough.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: After the break, John Rakolta Jr. talks to me about his whirlwind year here as ambassador and what may come next, and then I'll speak to the

Mayor of Ramallah on the West Bank about what it's like to run a city under occupation. He's the focus of a new documentary. Plus--

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Being a woman in Afghanistan is not easy, period.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: I've been talking to one of only four female negotiators at the historic Taliban talks and why she says both sides have more in common than

they realize.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: You're watching "Connect the World." We are looking ahead to how the incoming Biden Administration will impact the Middle East. President-

Elect Joe Biden's choice for Secretary of State Antony Blinken has a long history in this region including helping build the multi-national coalition

to fight ISIS during the Obama Administration.

Now if confirmed, he'll take office facing a slew of issues like the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He will also entre a new reality of

improved relations between Israel, the UAE and several other Arab nations brought about by a normalization deal that has been applauded by the

President-Elect Joe Biden.

Well, against that backdrop I sat down with the U.S. Ambassador here to the UAE John Rakolta Jr., a political appointee handpicked for the post by the

outgoing President Trump. I began our wide-ranging conversation by asking about the normalization deal, otherwise known as the Abraham Accords.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAKOLTA JR.: I felt I was involved in something that was totally historic that will be recognized as time goes on as a major, major breakthrough. It

stops these 25 years of actually nothing happening. The last peace accord was with Jordan about 25 years ago.

It recognizes the vision for peace that the President and Jared Kushner have put on the table which really looks forward and says there's so much

more to be gained through peace and prosperity than through violence and war.

[11:25:00]

RAKOLTA JR.: It stopped the annexation that Israel was embarking upon.

ANDERSON: With respect, sir, the Israelis have said that they will just temporarily suspend annexation, and further the Palestinians have told

everyone that they think that this is an awful deal.

RAKOLTA JR.: They are all negotiating. That's what's happening here. They are beginning their negotiations already. The only way this is going to get

solved, so all of these things are made possible by the Abraham Accords and that's why I think they are so historic.

ANDERSON: What's your take on the speed of normalization, the pace of normalization which some have described as on steroids between the UAE and

Israel?

RAKOLTA JR.: Yes, it's like on the speed of light, and I think that it just goes to show how the everyday man, everyday person, corporate, religious,

educational, cultural are all looking for this growth, for this expansion.

And I think all of us, including myself, are very, very surprised at the speed that you've just mentioned. We knew it was going to be successful. We

knew it was needed, but the pace has been just breathtaking.

ANDERSON: An attempt in the U.S. Senate to block the Trump Administration's sale of $23 billion worth of weapons to the UAE didn't get through. Chris

Murphy, Senator Chris Murphy has said, and I bring you his words here, why reward the UAE with this massive, unprecedented arms sale when we can't be

sure how they are going to use those weapons or whether they are going to actually stay in the hands of the UAE? Are you concerned by those

accusations?

RAKOLTA JR.: I don't see this as a reward. I see this as a continuation of a policy between the United States and the Emiratis that dates back for 20

years, and this is just an update. This is advancing, it's becoming more efficient and it is tying us more closely together.

I feel strongly that the UAE will treat these weapons with the respect and that will give us the kind of assurances that we need in order to continue

to move forward with the sale of these weapons.

ANDERSON: Let's talk about this - this - this pivot that we have seen in this region, whether or not it's, you know, fully away from the United

States or not. There's definitely a better and burgeoning relationship with the east in the UAE and indeed around this region.

We now know that there are Sinopharm vaccine doses available here and registered for public use. The U.S. President describes Coronavirus as the

China virus. How does that affect the perception of the U.S. and its presidency in a place like the UAE which has such a good relationship with

China?

RAKOLTA JR.: Well, think when you take a look at China we have to put China in two different - talk about it in two different ways. First, it's just is

playing commercially. China is a huge market and so from a commercial basis the UAE has to deal with China.

They are a big player. They are a major superpower here in the region. It's more on the security and intelligence and the defense area that we have to

be very, very careful because you are right. We have a lot of high-tech aspects to many things in our country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Terrible China virus. Eradicate the China virus. America will prevail over the China virus.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Do you share Donald Trump's use of the term China virus?

RAKOLTA JR.: Well, there's no question that the virus was started in China, so it initiated there, and I think every person will make their own

decision as to how they refer to that.

ANDERSON: Many diplomats and others working for the State Department have said that this has been a really, really difficult period, while the

president who has lost this election has refused to concede, how difficult has it been for you, sir?

ANDERSON: It's not been difficult at all. Washington is Washington. The UAE and Abu Dhabi is my domain. I haven't found one single issue about the

president's positions in terms of the election, hasn't affected any of my conversations or access to any of the leadership.

ANDERSON: You've been involved in American politics for a long time. I know that you're a big donor to the Republican Party. You've had a good

relationship, for example, with Mitt Romney who has called out the U.S. President and said get over it, move on you didn't win this election. It's

over. Is it over? Did he lose this election? Should he move on?

[11:30:00]

RAKOLTA JR.: It's time to look for new horizons for everybody.

ANDERSON: I'll take that as a yes. Ambassador, thank you very much indeed.

RAKOLTA JR.: My pleasure.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: The U.S. Ambassador to the UAE. Well, as we've mentioned these deals Israel is striking with Arab nations are in no way being accepted by

Palestinian leadership. I'll speak with the Mayor of Ramallah the focus of a new documentary on his struggle to lead a city under long-term military

occupation.

Plus after a year of political deadlock, Israel heads into its fourth election in two years. We'll look or take a look back at the biggest

moments that shaped the country.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, you just heard from the U.S. Ambassador to the UAE talking about the positive aspects of the normalization deals that Israel has been

cutting with Arab states including this one, the UAE, but what do those deals mean for the Palestinians?

Well, many fear that they will only worsen Israel's treatment of Palestinians. UAE for example will help fund a project to strengthen

Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank reportedly. Well, one man has an idea exactly what the impact of policies like this will be?

Musa Hadid has been the Mayor of Ramallah in the West Bank since 2012. He's the focus of a new documentary on the plight of his city and has struggled

to lead while under occupation. Have a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUSA HADID, RAMALLAH MAYOR: It's about dignity. It's about dignity, and when it comes to the dignity of you, it's not acceptable, OK? When we feel

that we are not treated as slaves and they're masters we are ready to do everything, but when I'm - I have to take off all my clothes in the front

of all the people because a soldier of 16 years old is asking me to do so under the threat of his weapon, then it's about dignity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, Mayor Hadid joins me now from Ramallah. Good to have you on this show sir. This documentary follows your sort of day-to-day life as

Mayor of Ramallah, and that clip was you in a board room with a group of German politicians who were trying to stress the need for diplomacy between

Palestine and Israel.

[11:35:00]

ANDERSON: When it comes to dignity you are heard saying there it's something that's non-negotiable. Let me ask you this. Do you believe there

will be diplomacy and indeed peace between Palestinians and Israelis in the near future?

HADID: Good evening. Thank you, Becky, for the question, and I do believe in peace, and I do believe also that one day we'll achieve peace with our

neighbors here in Israel, but the big question here is whether they want the peace with Palestinians or not?

For years and years and since more than two and a half decades we - we were involved in the peace process but from the other side we never heard from

any Israeli official that they are really looking for peace with Palestinians. On the contrary, we are suffering every day from the Israeli

occupation and the threat over the Palestinian - Palestinians is not ending.

ANDERSON: Let me ask you this then because this is - this is really made quite clear as we look at sort of daily life for you in what is a very,

very powerful documentary. Having watched it I wonder if you can explain to our viewers just how difficult it is to govern an area that is surrounded

by Israeli settlements on both sides? Describe that, if you will.

HADID: Yes, it's not easy for sure. Talking about these things is not as living under the circumstances. It's not easy for - for us in our cities

because when you don't have control over your land, when you don't have control over your borders, when you are not able to plan for the future.

When you have to think day and night about how to dispose your solid waste or how you can expand the cemetery that you have in your city? Things like

these are not usual for other mayors all over the world. In Palestine we have to deal with things that we believe is imposed by Israelis. It's not

as usual to have our city running in the same way that other cities are dealing with dale liver.

ANDERSON: The director of this documentary David Osit described his experiment filming this, and I quote him here. He said I set out to make a

film about local government in the shadow of an occupation and quickly found myself filming during one of the most traumatic times in Ramallah's

history. How hard has it been, sir, particularly with the COVID-19 pandemic?

HADID: Yes. It's - it's like other places all over the world. Not enough to face the pandemic, and when talking about the pandemic together with the

occupation it's becoming more difficult for us to deal with the daily issues.

You know now these day disease we are in the third wave of COVID-19 and things are getting worse every day. It's - it's not easy because, for

example, we are not able to have the vaccine as other countries because these things have to be dealt with at higher levels from Palestine and

Israel.

And I think it's not's for us to - to deal with any issue here in Palestine without having permission from Israel so dealing with the pandemic together

with the occupation is really giving us a hard time.

ANDERSON: Sir, I want to play another clip from the film that my team here at least really believes embodies the struggles of Palestinians from your

perspective. For our viewers' sake, let's all have a listen to it.

[11:40:00]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the worst thing us that we think the whole world can't sleep because they're worried about us! Please man nobody is. We

can't find the appropriate tone to convey things to people, man. We can't find it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: I just wonder how do the recent normalization deals that fellow Arab states have cut with Israel go down where you are? How do they make

you feel about the importance of Palestine at present?

We just saw Morocco for example over the weekend joins that list. Saudi Arabia could follow very soon. How do you feel personally, but how do

people that you are Mayor of feel about all of this?

HADID: You know, as a Mayor, as a citizen my perception is that any agreement should lead to peace and what's going on now is not the right

thing because I see normalization is taking place between countries while the suffering of the Palestinians continue, and we also are not feeling any

different after the normalization between Israel and the other countries.

To tell you the truth, Becky, the central conflict in the Middle East is the conflict between Palestine and Israel. Whether Israel is going through

normalization with all the other Arab countries is still without having peace in Palestine everything will remain the same.

ANDERSON: All right.

HADID: It's not the way - yes, sorry.

ANDERSON: No, no, absolutely. I'm listening. I just do wonder, you know, you hear complaints time and time again by Palestinians themselves about

the inadequacy of the Palestinian leadership and Hanan Ashrawi speaking to my colleague Christiane Amanpour the other day said she believes that peace

still doesn't stand a chance because of the fractious system in place in Palestinian government.

We have a change in U.S. Administration here. Joe Biden will be inaugurated on January the 20th. Do you genuinely believe the situation for

Palestinians will get better or worse under a new U.S. Administration?

HADID: I really hope that the situation will get better than the time that the president has for us in the administration. You know, even with - with

an American Administration through the last two decades, Palestinians didn't feel that the Americans or the American Administration is fair

enough with the Palestinians.

When talking about the Palestinian cause we are talking about the human rights. Whenever we have a President in the United States, and it's very

crucial for us that the United States will be part of the peace process also in the Middle East, whenever we have this president that believes in

human rights and believes that we as Palestinians are in the center of the conflict here.

It's not the Arab countries because whether the conflict with the Arab countries ended or not it's very crucial for the Palestinians to feel their

freedom, to have their own independent state.

ANDERSON: Sure.

HADID: And to be part of other nations living their ordinary life.

ANDERSON: Mayor, we're going to leave it there. We thank you very much indeed for joining us. That new administration set to embark on its Middle

Eastern file as it were I'm sure as soon as inauguration is out of the way. That is the beginning of the year, so it's a pleasure talking to you. Thank

you very much indeed.

HADID: Thank you very much.

ANDERSON: And for those of you who haven't seen the documentary. It's a very powerful one definitely worth seeing. Well, yesterday we began our

series reflecting on 2020 with a look at the year that was in Lebanon, and, boy was it brutal?

Now we're going to get you to our second in this series of Middle Eastern raps as it were of 2020. We look to Israel to see what this year has

brought to the country. As Oren Liebermann shows well it has gone quite frankly full circle.

[11:45:00]

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The year began with a winter of political dysfunction the country on its way to its unprecedented third

consecutive elections and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struggling to hold on to power.

Once again Netanyahu looked to President Donald Trump for help as the White House unveiled its plan for Middle East peace which the longest serving

leader in Israel's history fully endorsed. The plan calling for annexation of large swaths of the occupied West Bank was immediately rejected by

Palestinians, but the release of the plan, heavily skewed towards Israel, wasn't enough for the outright victory for 71-year-old Netanyahu wanted in

the election.

That wasn't his only problem. Within days of the March elections, Israel entered its first national Coronavirus lockdown. The economy ground to a

halt and so, it seemed, did the politics. Netanyahu and rival Benny Gantz finally hammered out an agreement for a power-sharing government in May

built specifically to handle the Coronavirus crisis just as the first wave was ending.

But the government was more stagnation than unity, operating without a budget and bickering over decisions as Israel hurtled towards its second

lockdown a few months later. The long-awaited corruption trial of the Prime Minister began in late May on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust

Netanyahu defiantly proclaiming his innocence on day one.

On July 1st Israel aimed to beginning annexing parts of the West Bank despite international opposition. Instead, behind the scenes, the Middle

East was quickly changing. A month later Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced they would sign a peace agreement and a once secret

relation became an open friendship pushed by the White House which reportedly promised the UAE F-35s in exchange for normalization, the

agreement was called the Abraham Accords.

Palestinian leaders angrily denounced the accords calling it a betrayal, but there was little they could do to stop it. Within weeks the first

commercial flight from Israel landed in Abu Dhabi with many more to follow. By the end of the year, Bahrain, then Sudan and more recently Morocco would

all follow suit with normalization.

All along the Palestinians were left on the outside looking in. Their international presence diminished even further with the passing of longtime

Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat. In November the U.S. elections were blurred and Netanyahu took his time acknowledging Joe Biden's win and Donald

Trump's loss.

Netanyahu has kept lavished praise on the Trump Administration for its peace plan, its Iran policy and its overt friendliness to Israel. The

election results were welcome by the Palestinians who signaled they were ready to restart direct negotiations with Israelis under a Biden

Administration.

But the year looks like it will end the same way it began, a winter of political dysfunction, a country on its way to its unprecedented fourth

election, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struggling to hold on to power.

And it could be a challenging start to the year for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite the fairly recent normalization agreements with Morocco

and Sudan, he still has his corruption trial which starts in earnest in February when a panel of judges will begin hearing from witnesses and

looking at evidence.

By that point he'll no longer have a friendly White House willing to gift him major accomplishments at crucial moments to boost his numbers. Oren

Liebermann, CNN, Jerusalem.

ANDERSON: Well, as the Taliban peace talks take a breather for the holiday season, I'm going to get you some thoughts on how the historic negotiations

were brokered and when they expect to resume, that coming up after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:50:00]

ANDERSON: The Afghan government and the Taliban are both marking January the 5th on their calendars. That is the day they expect to be back at the

negotiating table in Doha. Well, a top Trump Administration official Zalmay Khalilzad who has been leading U.S. talks with the Taliban say they are

taking a break for the holiday season.

He also tweeted that "Tragically, the war continues, belief for apolitical settlement reduction in violence and a ceasefire remain urgent, he said".

Well, no one knows better than Fatima Gailani, she is on Afghanistan's negotiating team and she is often asked what it feels like to be facing the

enemy. Well, she tells me both sides are looking for a common future. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FATIMA GAILANI, NEGOTIATING TEAM, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN: Well - before actually facing them sitting face to face to them, I didn't know

that what I would feel, but now we look at each other as two fellow Afghans talking about things and hoping for a future, a common future, but being a

woman in Afghanistan is not easy period forgot about being only four women talking in the negotiating table.

As far as our side of the negotiation side is concerned, we are equal. We are all equal. We are just negotiators.

ANDERSON: Can you just explain, if you will, where you see the major issues, the main difficulties at this point?

GAILANI: Well, the main difficulty eventually will come up. So far it hasn't come up, but eventually when we talk about values of our side and

values on the other side it will be a tough talk. Afghanistan is totally different.

It's a huge group of educated men and women. They play a fantastic role today in economy, in the politics, in every part of work in Afghanistan.

They cannot be ignored, so they have to also accept this new reality of Afghanistan.

ANDERSON: These talks, of course, have been ongoing since September and sadly during that time, Fatima, violence in Afghanistan hasn't ended. It's

clear that finding a solution is so important. What do you believe a possible deal with the Taliban could or will look like?

GAILANI: We believe that a cease-fire should be our priority, priority because if you remember the first day of the inauguration of these peace

talks, what an enthusiasm was in the country. Sometimes it was scary because there was so much enthusiasm and hope, and surely because of the

violence now it has changed into atmosphere disbelief and hard working people and all that.

I think both sides of the negotiating team need to give some hope to the people of Afghanistan and in my opinion we should start with the cease-

fire.

ANDERSON: Is a cease-fire realistic at this point, genuinely, do you believe?

GAILANI: Maybe - I mean, total cease-fire will not be realistic, but why not about periodic cease-fire and link cease-fire and other things. We have

to find a way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: The incredible Fatima Gailani speaking to me from Doha in Qatar. We'll be back right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:55:00]

ANDERSON: Well, if you've been with us through the hour you will earlier have heard my interview with the U.S. Ambassador to the UAE as he explained

the importance of these strategic relationships between Washington and here, Abu Dhabi.

Well, that interview was conducted at the ambassador's residence, and I don't know if you noticed the backdrop of our interview, but let me tell

you the artwork in that house is stunning. The ambassador's wife Terry Rakolta is an art collector and when she moved to the region she fell in

love with Middle Eastern art. Have a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERRY RAKOLTA, JOHN RAKOLTA JR. WIFE: The original name of this collection was going to be fighters, victims and oppressors, but after the Abraham

Accord we were talking to a very good friend of ours he said, you know, why don't you call it transcending conflict and that resonated.

ANDERSON (on camera): I couldn't help but notice this piece. Tell me about it.

RAKOLTA: This piece was done by Ayman Baalbaki, and it was as a young boy he read in the paper about the bombing of the American Embassy in Beirut,

and he saw the American flag that had been raised right after the bombing.

He said he was so impacted by it, he said to himself someday I want to paint that. This is a freedom fighter. Ayman Baalbaki again, he is only

known stress in his whole life, you know, refugee camps, displacement, war. This is his eyes. He uses his eyes in his paintings.

This artist is a Kurdish artist, and he has fought in two wars. He fought in the Iran/Iraq war and then he fought in the Gulf War. It's about pain,

agony, anguish.

ANDERSON (on camera): What are you going to do with this when you move on from the UAE because this is a remarkable collection?

RAKOLTA: What we want to do is open possibly a private museum and expose this art to the Middle Eastern population from Michigan. They can be proud

of their artists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, let me tell you, it is an impressive creation of excellent work. I'm not talking about the show. I'm talking about that collection

there. Thank you for joining us wherever you are watching in the world. Look after yourselves, stay safe. It is a very good evening from Abu Dhabi.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

END