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Israeli-Palestinian Strife; Tyre Nichols Family Holds Funeral and Demands Justice; FBI Searching Biden's Delaware Home; Palestinian Authority President Warns against "Violating" Holy Sites; Authorities Find Missing Radioactive Capsule in Australia. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired February 01, 2023 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST (voice-over): In an exclusive interview with CNN, the Israeli prime minister says there's a formula for peace but it doesn't
prioritize direct negotiations with the Palestinians.
The parents of Tyre Nichols demanding justice as they prepare for their son's funeral later today. Tyre was horrifically beaten by police last
month.
And school's out. Thousands of teachers in the U.K. join transport workers in a coordinated strike over pay.
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ANDERSON: It's 7 o'clock in the evening in Abu Dhabi, hello and welcome, I'm Becky Anderson. This is CONNECT THE WORLD.
A decades-long conflict with no easy solution; over the next two hours, we are going to delve into the complex prism of Middle East politics and the
challenges ahead, starting with CNN's exclusive interview with Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
He spoke to my colleague, Jake Tapper, just hours after U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken wrapped a visit to the region. That trip coming on the
heels of some of the worst bloodshed in years in both Israel and the West Bank.
Mr. Netanyahu says he is not focused on U.S. support for a two-state solution; instead, preferring to forge a wider peace with the Arab world.
Listen to what he told Jake Tapper about his vision for peaceful coexistence with the Palestinians.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: What are you willing to give?
Are you willing to let people in the West Bank vote?
Are you willing to let the 300,000 Arabs who have residency in East Jerusalem vote?
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: Well, I'm certainly willing to have them have all the powers that they need to govern themselves but
none of the powers can threaten us. And this means that Israel should have the overriding security responsibility.
TAPPER: Is it a two-state solution?
NETANYAHU: Well, I wouldn't call it necessarily that because I don't think that -- you know, I had a discussion with my friend of 40 years. I'm not
just saying that, friend of 40 years, Joe Biden. I mean that, a friend -- a personal friend of 40 years and a friend of Israel. A real champion of
Israel and of Zionism.
And I told him what I just told you. I said, look, any final agreement between Israel and the Palestinians would have Israel controlling security
-- overriding security responsibility in the area west of the Jordan.
That is -- that includes both the Palestinian areas and the Jewish areas, the Israeli areas, which is, by the way, the size of the Washington Beltway
-- the width of the Washington Beltway.
I said, you can't divide who controls the airspace. You have to cross it. It takes two minutes for an airplane to cross it. So what, one minute
Israel controls it and the other minute the Palestinians?
Of course, it's not workable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: You'll hear more from that interview as we move through the next couple of hours. Our international diplomat, Nic Robertson, connecting us
from Jerusalem tonight.
Nic, the prime minister there laying down some pretty specific conditions for coexistence, while glossing over some of the big issues that have
stonewalled progress toward a solution.
What do you make of what you heard from the Israeli prime minister there?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: On that issue, the security issue, I mean, that is the issue that undermines the authority of
the Palestinian leadership.
When you speak to Palestinians, they believe, if they cannot control their own security or their own leaders can't guarantee their own security,
incidents such as what happened in Jenin on Thursday last week, when Israeli forces -- in the way that's envisioned by prime minister Netanyahu
have primacy and security within the West Bank -- were able to go and chase down a group of what they call terrorists, who were hiding out in a House
there.
They were collateral damage, civilians killed, nine people in total died during that operation. When that happens -- and if that is the modus
operandi of this security primacy that prime minister Netanyahu wants and his vision, then that really weakens any Palestinian leadership in the eyes
of the Palestinian people.
And that begets a problem. Palestinians will tell you, look, when you arrive at a situation like that, that is when you have individual
Palestinians acting out.
[10:05:00]
ROBERTSON: Such as that shooting that happened outside a synagogue on the edges of Jerusalem on Friday. Seven Israelis were killed in that shooting.
So you get this escalatory cycle.
I think what Secretary Blinken wanted to do was find a way to break out of that escalatory cycle. But what prime minister Netanyahu is doing is
saying, look, my vision would essentially sustain this very delicate balance that, over time, has already, essentially, in the eyes of the
Palestinians, weakened their own leadership.
And allowed greater violence to foment and emerge from their own community. So it's deeply concerning for them. And I think they see the daylight
between the vision that prime minister Netanyahu has and the two state vision that the United States has and the way that prime minister Netanyahu
wants to achieve it, by widening what he called --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Let's cut to the quick here --
ROBERTSON: -- Secretary Blinken says it's not enough --
ANDERSON: Right. Benjamin Netanyahu saying to Jake Tapper, and I quote him here, I don't get "hung up" on peace with the Palestinians first. That's
what he says. He doesn't want to get "hung up," and I quote him there, on peace with Palestinians first.
You were on the West Bank on Tuesday. Just give us a sense of the atmosphere there. And when you consider Netanyahu's lines there, don't get
"hung up" on peace with Palestinians first, what do you believe or where do you believe that takes the region?
ROBERTSON: It puts a great deal of faith in prime minister Netanyahu's ability to forge a deal with Saudi Arabia, to reestablish relations in the
same way that is done with the UAE, with Qatar and others.
And he, essentially, he's saying, believe me, we can do that. That is the big prize and that will open the door to securing peace with the
Palestinians.
But the secretary of state said, look, that kind of relationship, broaden in a circle, is no substitute for improving and increasing talks directly
with the Palestinians. So the methodology is being questioned by the United States.
And the substance of it, when you go to the West Bank, as we did, many people will tell you there, they feel that the Arabs in the region, not the
leaders per se, the Arabs in the region still support them.
And that question is really fundamentally, if and when Saudi Arabia would be ready to make that kind of a big and significant deal for them with
Israel. I think the sentiment in the West Bank, as we found when we went there, not particularly optimistic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Weather matching the mood in the West Bank, gloomy, a rain drenched Ramallah venue for secretary of state Antony
Blinken's meeting with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, expectations steeped in past disappointments.
"I'm 40 years old, I've seen it all before," this coffee vendor tells us.
"Many leaders here come and go. The situation remains the same."
His neighbor running the nearby nut store even more downbeat.
"It's from bad to worse," he tells us.
"Someone who is against our cause.
"What can we expect from him?"
Even experts in the art of diplomacy here see irony in Blinken's visit that ultimately weakens their leaders.
HANAN ASHRAWI, PALESTINIAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER: Only enhances the Palestinian people's lack of trust. And of course, it turns people toward
individual actions. The acting to the occupation by saying we will defend ourselves, we will resist.
ROBERTSON: Inside the meeting not an easy dynamic. Blinken wanting what Abbas can ill afford to give improved cooperation with Israel, absent
concessions.
Abbas wanting what Blinken can't give either, parity of U.S. support with Israel, saying our people will not accept the continuation of the
occupation forever.
Blinken offering a small bump in aid, help with the legacy phone network and a warning for Israelis and Palestinians not to threaten the possibility
of a two-state solution.
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We oppose any action by either side that makes that goal more difficult to achieve, more distant. And
we've been clear that this includes things like settlement expansion and of course, incitement and acquiescence to violence.
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ROBERTSON (voice-over): Stronger words than many expected. But here, actions speak loudest.
ASHRAWI: The fact is Israel has destroyed that two-state solution. Israel is making sure that there is no viable sovereign Palestinian state. It is
expanding settlements, stealing more land.
ROBERTSON: For the young, Lincoln's diplomacy, a double whammy, no faith in their own leadership and no hope Blinken can deliver.
"Our leadership is incapable of delivering what we want," 18-year-old Nihad (ph) tells us.
"I don't see a two-state solution," he says.
"Maybe between us and the Jewish people. But with the Israeli occupiers, never."
"We are Ramallah," the sign says, but many people here are increasingly asking themselves, but are we a viable Palestinian state?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: So that's not a particularly positive outlook. I was in a way, a little bit, surprised that -- to find this sort of definition of Israeli
people versus the security of the state.
And I think that gives cause for a degree of international optimism, that you hear that from young people. Of course what prime minister Netanyahu is
doing with the Abraham accords, they are involving the UAE and Bahrain.
Qatar, of course, not part of that. But that fits in with another part of what Palestinians were telling us in Ramallah. They said, look at what
happened in Qatar at the World Cup.
Arab supporters, they said to us, didn't want to associate themselves and go and have fun in the streets with Israeli football supporters.
And that, they said, is really the true test of where the Arab streets stand, which they believe, in the West Bank, they still believe the Arab
street stands behind them, even if they feel they've lost the support of the leaders of Bahrain, the leaders of the UAE.
ROBERTSON: Nic Robertson is in Jerusalem. Nic, appreciate it. We'll talk more about where this region and the peace process, loosely termed, goes
from here. In a few minutes, I'll be joined by the French ambassador to the U.N., Nicolas de Riviere. More on, that later.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and civil rights leaders are among those who will attend the funeral service for Tyre Nichols later in the day. The
29-year-old Black man died last month after he was brutally beaten by police in Memphis, Tennessee. His death sparked nationwide outrage and
renewed calls for police reform.
CNN's Ryan Young has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: His funeral will be held at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis.
Last night, Nichols' family was joined by national clergy and reverend Al Sharpton at the Mason Temple, the same site that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
gave his last speech, "I've been to the mountaintop," the day before his assassination in April 1968.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The need for justice has brought us here again.
YOUNG (voice-over): Sharpton, who is scheduled to give the eulogy at Nichols' funeral, called for police reform.
AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: We are going to continue to fight this fight around police brutality and killing until we get federal laws
changed. What happened to Tyre is a disgrace to this country. We're all Tyre now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's right.
SHARPTON: And we are all going to stand up with this family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.
YOUNG (voice-over): This as we are learning more videos are set to be released from the investigation into Nichols' death. And we are seeing for
the first time a picture of the initial police report filed just hours after the traffic stop, that says Nichols was pulled over for reckless
driving.
The report contradicts police video released last week. It states Nichols started to fight with officers and said he was grabbing for Detective
Martin's gun, further stating he began actively resisting and pulling the duty belts and grabbing Officer Smith by his vest.
The report lists one of the officers as a victim. The report does not mention the officers punching and kicking Nichols. Officers are seen
discussing this at the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)?
(INAUDIBLE)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You reach for my gun?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG (voice-over): Additionally, personnel files obtained by CNN showed several of the Memphis cops charged in connection to Tyre Nichols' death
have histories of minor department violations, including Emmitt Martin, who joined the Memphis Police Department in 2018 and had two separate
suspensions.
Nichols' family wants these officers held accountable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep fighting for justice for our son and my family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been fighting my whole life. My whole life. And the one fight I needed to be at, I wasn't here. You know, you know, that's
a day I'm never going to forgive (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEOTAPE)
YOUNG: Becky, so much has happened in the last few days.
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YOUNG: But now there's something else that sort of added on to the story. If you look behind me, you could tell, it looks like winter has set in.
Memphis is not used to getting a lot of snow or ice. Right now, we are in a winter event. Much of the city has been shut down for the last few hours
and so that has delayed this funeral.
We're told it's going to be at 1 o'clock Central time here and that is going to make sure that a lot of people are hopefully able to get here.
That is just a part of the conversation.
But outside of that, this investigation still continues. So many unanswered questions, especially about what the officers did after this beating that
we all watched on tape.
ANDERSON: Absolutely. Ryan, thank you.
Well, closed schools, paralyzed transport and mass walkouts, why thousands of workers in the U.K. say they've had enough and are taking to the
streets.
And when Myanmar's democracy was shattered by a coup, ordinary people took up arms. Two years later, they are still fighting. Exclusive footage from
inside Myanmar's forgotten war. We'll show you that -- up next.
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ANDERSON: Some news just into CNN, on the ongoing investigation into the U.S. President's handling of classified documents. We've just learned that
the FBI is conducting a new search of one of Joe Biden's home in Delaware.
This is the third such known search by federal agents. CNN's Paula Reid joins us from Washington, D.C., with the very latest. Paula.
PAULA REID, CNN SENIOR LEGAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: So this was very much expected, that the FBI would want to conduct its own search of the
president's Rehoboth Beach house.
Previously, back in November, after they discovered classified information at the president's prior office, his lawyers decided to do his own searches
of his houses in Wilmington and Rehoboth. They found additional classified materials in Wilmington but not at the property they are searching today.
Ten days ago, the FBI decided it wanted to do its own search with the consent of Biden attorneys of the Wilmington house. And they found even
more classified material in Wilmington.
So big question today is whether this Rehoboth search will uncover additional classified materials or if the original search was correct and
there's nothing there to find. Right now, we believe there are dozens of classified documents that have been found between the office and the home.
And again, this is a search being done with the consent of the president's attorneys. They have emphasized they are cooperating. But it's never a good
day when you have federal officials showing up at one of your houses in coordination with an ongoing criminal investigation.
Notably today, special counsel Robert Hur, who is going to oversee all this, he just started today. It's his first day in the office.
ANDERSON: Thank you for that.
We will continue to get details on what is going on there and, as soon as we get them, viewers, you will get them here first.
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ANDERSON: Well, about half a million people across Britain didn't go in to work today. Instead, many took to the streets as the U.K. faces its biggest
single day of strike action in a decade.
Teachers, rail workers, border staff and civil servants demanding better pay and working conditions as the U.K.'s cost of living crisis continues to
bite. Now this move shut tens of thousands of schools on Wednesday and put major transport hubs at a standstill.
CNN's Nada Bashir is joining me now from a march in central London.
There are an awful lot of different groups striking today. Just break it down for us.
What are the demands and why now?
NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Becky. Certainly, a significant show of opposition to the government just a little while ago. But it's
quieting down now. We saw thousands taking part in today's march. Of course, hundreds of thousands are believed to have taken part in today's
strikes.
That comprises seven trade unions representing public sector work, including teachers, university staff and professors, transport workers and
civil servants, all now taking strike action, demanding better pay from the government.
Now this, is of course, in response to the eye-watering record high inflation we see in the United Kingdom. Also, of course, to combat the
deepening cost of living crisis. They are demanding fair pay, a better pay rise from the government.
This comes off the back of a major standoff, which has lasted weeks now, between the trade unions and the government over negotiations to secure
that pay rise. There had been, earlier in January, some suggestion that perhaps, those negotiations were reaching some sort of conclusion.
But at this stage, it appears as though negotiations have stalled. A trade union representing rail workers says in fact they are going backwards, with
some significant concern from those public worker sectors.
We heard earlier from prime minister Rishi Sunak. He spoke during Prime Minister's Questions and said his priorities are the students and of
course, avoiding the disruption that these strikes are causing. We spoke to one student who actually took part in today's march in solidarity with the
teachers. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAY, STUDENT: It's as simple as staff's working conditions are our learning conditions. So you know, when our staff is overworked, underpaid,
stressed out, have no time off, it ruins the quality of -- it ruins the quality of our education.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASHIR: Becky, it's estimated that around half a million public sector workers took part in today's strikes. Of course, industrial action is
planned for the next few days and, indeed, for the rest of the month.
We are also expecting members of the National Health Service, including nurses and ambulance workers, to stage their own strike next week -- Becky.
ANDERSON: Nada Bashir is in London for you.
Thank, you Nada.
After a surge in violence, is there a workable solution for Israel and the Palestinians?
I want to talk more about what is next for the region with the French ambassador to the U.N. I will explain why we are having that discussion
with the French ambassador -- up next.
Plus, I will speak to a former U.S. envoy to Israel, Martin Indyk. We look at Benjamin Netanyahu's ideas for peace moving forward. Both those
conversations coming up.
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ANDERSON: Welcome back, I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD from our Middle East programming hub. More on our top
story now.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an exclusive interview with CNN, is warning against getting too, and I quote him here, "hung up" on
peace talks with the Palestinians.
This comes after U.S. secretary of state, Antony Blinken, urged both sides to stand down on tensions, calm things and reiterated support for a two
state solution down the road.
Blinken met with Mr. Netanyahu, as well as with Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, who warned, Palestinians would not accept
occupation forever. He also said regional security wouldn't be strengthened by violating the sanctity of holy sites.
Last month, when a far-right Israeli minister stirred tensions by visiting the Al-Aqsa mosque, the French ambassador to the U.N. tweeted, and I quote,
"France reiterates its commitment to preserve the historic status quo of the holy places in Jerusalem. Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in
peace and security."
Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere joins us now, live from New York.
You're right; Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace and security.
Given what we have seen of late -- and prime minister Netanyahu's comments to my colleagues, saying that people shouldn't get "hung up" on peace
negotiations with the Palestinians, just how concerned are you that things are going to get worse, not better, at this point?
NICOLAS DE RIVIERE, FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: Well, Becky, what we are witnessing another wave of violence; 2022 (sic) has already been a
violent year. Right now, we are seeing a series of incidents on both sides.
We condemn all the incidents, there is attacks against synagogues, everything. This is the consequence of the absence of any political
perspective. I think we are in a situation, where there is absolutely no peace process since 2014.
So what we need to see now is a resumption of a genuine and productive Middle East peace process between Israel and Palestine. It will be for both
sides decide what kind of end product or solution they want.
It should be based on international law, of course. France has always been supportive of the two state solution. But we need the resumption of talks
now; otherwise, we will go from one crisis to the others, a burst the violence in Gaza and the West Bank again and again.
So in the absence of perspective and talks and negotiations, it creates this very bad situation.
ANDERSON: Let me press you, sir, on this specific point. When you hear prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu say, and I quote him here, I don't want
to get "hung up" on peace negotiations with Palestinians, just how realistic do you believe your calls and others, for a dialing back on the
rhetoric, of calming down of the violence, is going to be?
It's all very well to condemn certain acts -- and you supported the UAE in calling for a behind closed doors meeting at the U.N. Security Council
after the storming of that Al-Aqsa compound by the controversial Israeli minister and the deadly raid by the Israelis on Jenin, which was the day
that seven Israelis lost their lives in an attack East Jerusalem.
I mean, I really want to drill down here.
Aside from condemning these acts and calling for calm and dialogue, what more can you do?
[10:30:00]
ANDERSON: Because none of this rhetoric seems to be working at present.
DE RIVIERE: Yes, I think you're right. I think we go from one condemnation to the others, to one meeting to the others. And this is really bad. What
we really need to see is a resumption of talks, negotiations; again, we are not dictating any kind of outcome.
I think the negotiations should start between the two parties. Again, it has not been the case in the last 8-9 years already. So I think this is a
bad (ph) -- we cannot expect this crisis to be fixed just with a victory on one side, on the others.
I think there needs to be a balanced outcome. The Palestinians have been asking to become a state for decades. And I think this is a legitimate
expectation to have. I think we need to support resumption of talks between the two parties.
I think -- we welcome all the thoughts in this regard. The U.S. had fought -- originally fought (ph).
As you probably know, prime minister Netanyahu will be in Paris tomorrow and see president Macron. We urge Israel to go in this direction. In the
end, the absence of a negotiated outcome is bad for the two parties. It will be bad for the region as well.
So I think we have always been in support of that. I know it's difficult. I know it requires compromise on both sides. But international law has been
established for many years. We pretty much understand what kind of parameters are on the table.
They are -- it's for the parties to negotiate them as well, of course. But they need to sit and talk and it's urgent.
ANDERSON: You're the U.N.'s special envoy for the loosely termed Middle East peace process at present. Spoke to me yesterday at this time on the
show and he voiced his concern that we are not only not looking at a two state solution at the moment; we're not looking at a one state solution.
His concern is that we're not looking at one state solution, either; we are looking at a state of chaos going forward. Let's drill down here.
Firstly, do you agree with him?
DE RIVIERE: Yes, I agree with him. I think we may -- we are witnessing chaos now and disrishuna (ph) may well follow the telluride (ph). And this
is escalate. And this is what we need to avoid. We need to resume a political fort, all stakeholder, the U.S., the Europeans, the regular
stakeholders --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Right --
DE RIVIERE: -- should create -- both parties --
ANDERSON: -- can I just jump in here?
Because it's important that you brought up the meeting that the Israeli prime minister will have with president Macron tomorrow. I just want to be
quite clear.
What is it that Mr. Macron will say to the Israeli prime minister?
After all, the U.N. can support things but doesn't have teeth.
What is it that France has in conversation with president Macron that can be said to the Israeli prime minister which will have teeth?
What are the tools here --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: -- to encourage peace negotiations, because we're not hearing that from either side, are we, at this point?
DE RIVIERE: I think we will certainly reiterate a full support to Israel's security, which has always been nonnegotiable for us. And I suspect
president Macron will explain to prime minister Netanyahu again, that the two state solution of peaceful settlement of this crisis will be a good
outcome in terms of security of Israel itself.
With Palestine and with this complicated region as well, there are a number of threats in this region. A negotiated outcome will be a more sustainable
outcome than any other outcome.
We know very clear (ph) what -- you just said that the U.N. cannot enforce an agreement. I agree. But the U.N. has put a number of resolutions,
decisions on the table, which I think put a lot of framework of this negotiation, the two state solution, which has been, again, supported by
the current administration.
It has been the case in 2003, with resolution (INAUDIBLE) under President Bush at this initiative. The settlements policy should stop as. Well what
we have been witnessing in the last years and more is further settlements in the West Bank. And, frankly, it jeopardizes any credible --
ANDERSON: Yes --
DE RIVIERE: -- possibility of a two state solution.
[10:35:00]
DE RIVIERE: So a number of difficult decisions needs to be made, in Israel, in Palestine as well --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: -- yes --
DE RIVIERE: Yes?
ANDERSON: Yes, and you make a good point. I mean, there are efforts that need to be made on both sides. I just want to put another part of the
conversation that my colleague, Jake Tapper, had with the Israeli prime minister last night to you and to get your response.
He said, when talking about the Abraham accords and the normalization of relations with a number of Arab states -- that being UAE, Bahrain and Sudan
and Morocco -- there was a clear intention by the prime minister to really focus now on trying to normalize peace with Saudi Arabia.
He said, in organizing those Abraham accords -- and I know the French are very supportive of those accords -- that he went around the Palestinians.
What did you make of that?
DE RIVIERE: Well, Becky, I think France has been supportive of the Abraham accords as well. Normalization of relations between Israel and a number of
Arab countries is a very good thing. And we have been welcoming this development.
And provided there are more accords of this nature, we will support it as well. But we don't believe that the Palestinian issue, the two state
solution, should be a collateral damage, if I may say so, of this negotiation.
I think it should be based on the notion that the two parties, Israel and all the Gulf countries, would continue to work on the two state solution,
on a political settlement of the Palestinian fight (ph).
Otherwise, I think it makes not much sense. And I think this is also the expectation from the Gulf countries as well.
ANDERSON: Yes.
Are you saying that the Abraham accords should be both carrot and stick at this point, with regard prime minister Netanyahu, who, is let's be quite
frank, extremely proud of what he will say is his pulling those together.
DE RIVIERE: Well, I think he's right to be proud, because the Abraham accords are a historical development. And I think, again, they are a good
and positive development. But to be sustainable in this region, you cannot just ignore the Palestinian reality and the reality on the ground.
And I think it is for the Israeli people, of course, and the Israeli leadership to decide what is their own interests. But we, Europeans and
many others, believe that the two-state solution is the only sustainable, viable solution in this region.
So it will be, of course, for the two parties to decide the modalities and to negotiate peace. Of course, we will not negotiate this peace for them.
But this is very important. This is urgent. Again, we have been seeing absolutely zero negotiation since the spring of 2014. And the more it goes,
the more chaotic it will be.
ANDERSON: Ambassador, it is very good to have you on. It's an important time. This is a conversation ahead of the Israeli prime minister's visit to
France. And it's extremely important that we've got your analysis and insight on that this evening. We thank you very much indeed for joining us.
I'm Becky Anderson in Abu Dhabi. We'll be back with more news after this short break. Stay with us.
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ANDERSON: Authorities in Australia have found a highly radioactive capsule after it fell off a truck on a highway last month during transport. It ends
a week of searches across an 870-mile stretch of land. Just imagine that distance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON (voice-over): This capsule that you see here went missing from a package sent from a mining site near the city of Perth. It may look large
in this image but it is the size of a very small coin. That prompted authorities to say it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
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