Return to Transcripts main page

Connect the World

Trump Takes Tougher Line on Russia During Scotland Visit; Women Banding Together to Brave Dangerous Search for Food; NYC Gunman Who Killed Four Had Grievances With NFL; Slovenian Minister Calls on U.N. Members to Normalize Relations with Israel, Recognize Palestinian Statehood; France, Saudi Arabia Chair Meeting on Two-State Solution. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired July 29, 2025 - 09:00   ET

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

[09:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, you're looking at live pictures of the Israel-Gaza border. U.S. President Donald Trump said today

that he and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu are going to, quote, get things straightened out there. We'll be going to that border shortly for

the latest on the ground.

It is 04:00 p.m. there. It is 02:00 p.m. here in London, where I am on assignment this week. I'm Becky Anderson, you're watching "Connect the

World". Also coming up, a live report from Edinburgh, where Trump is capping off his news making trip to Scotland with new comments on both Gaza

and Ukraine.

And our correspondent in Eastern Ukraine will bring Kyiv's reaction to Trump's new ultimatum for peace, as well as the latest from the

battleground there. Stock market in New York as ever opens about 30 minutes from now, futures are indicating a stronger open.

We'll be watching how Trump's trade policy is impacting a key U.S. indicator today how optimistic or not consumers feel about the state of

their economy and their personal finances that at 09:30 New York time. We kick off today with U.S. President Donald Trump wrapping up a visit to

Scotland, where he expanded both his business empire and his role as a global statesman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We'll play it very quickly. And then I go back to D.C., and we put out fires all over the

world. We did one yesterday. As you know, we stopped a war, but we stopped about five wars. So that's much more important than playing golf, as much

as I like. It's much more important.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, what will you see next to Benjamin Netanyahu?

TRUMP: We're working together. We're going to try and get things straightened out, for the world. Thank you very much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Trip, Mr. Trump actually broke with the Israeli Prime Minister over the situation in Gaza and the hunger crisis there. He also took a

harder line on the war against Ukraine, giving the Russian President. Less than two weeks to accept a ceasefire or face punishing secondary sanctions.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny has been covering it all for us from Scotland. He joins me now from Edinburgh. He clearly does enjoy a round of goals, but pointing

out that, that is not the only reason that he is here, and certainly we have heard an awful lot from him since he's been in Scotland.

Jeff, what exactly did Donald Trump mean in those comments we just heard? Has he capped off this trip?

JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF U.S. NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Becky, I think one of the most profound things that happened on the president's trip,

aside from golf yesterday when he broke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by blatantly saying, bluntly saying, that, yes, those

pictures of starvation are real.

You can't fake that, that was quite extraordinary, and it's exactly what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in going to see President Trump was

hoping for. He was hoping to get him on the same page as much of the world to recognize the atrocities and the deepening crisis there.

So even though the images are obvious, the American President really hadn't talked about it in quite those terms. So, we will see from a policy matter

what actually comes from it. That, of course, is true for everything that happened here, but the relationship between the U.S. and Israel and Trump

and Netanyahu is already a little bit frostier than previous presidents have had.

So, we will see if there's any pressure applied for more of a ceasefire. Trump has talked about pledging to create food centers to see that the aid

is established and distributed more freely. We'll see if that happens. But also on Russia, it's notable that a sense of frustration, almost a sense of

scorn, from Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin.

I mean, he once said, not that long ago, that a face-to-face meeting would solve everything. And now President Trump saying he doesn't even want to

talk to Putin. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I'm not so interested in talking anymore. He's a -- he talks, we have such nice conversations, such respectful and nice conversations. And

then people die the following night with a missile going into a town and hitting, I mean, recently, I guess, the nursing home, but they hit other

things. Whatever they hit, people die.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZELENY: So now the clock is running. President Trump said yesterday, 10 to 12 days. So that is less than two weeks.

[09:05:00]

Is he going to back that up with? Actually, imposing secondary sanctions on Russia, which could be pretty crippling, but that would also mean the U.S.

would have to effectively take action against India and ally, China, obviously an adversary, because they're, of course, doing business with

Russia on the oil front, helping to fund the war.

So, a couple pretty significant developments here with Russia, Ukraine and a whole lot of golf here in Scotland, Becky.

ANDERSON: You're right. Jeff, good to have you. Thank you very much indeed. Well, Donald Trump was a guest in Scotland, but he managed to flip the

power optics by playing host to both the UK Prime Minister and the EU Commission chief at his golf resorts and dominating news conferences.

But our Senior Politics Reporter Stephen Collinson writes the true test of his power will come in his handling of three critical issues highlighted

during this visit, that of Gaza, Ukraine and trade. And you can find Stephen's latest piece across all of our digital platforms. And he will

join us next hour with his analysis.

Let's get you to Gaza now and what a U.N. backed initiative is calling a worst-case scenario of famine unfolding there. The Integrated Food Security

Phase Classification, or IPC, as it is known, says access to food and other essential items has fallen to unprecedented levels, while not a formal

classification of famine.

The IPC says mounting evidence points to widespread starvation, malnutrition and disease, all driving a rise in hunger related deaths.

Well, this warning comes as more food begins to arrive in Gaza. Humanitarian groups say getting it to the people who need it most starving

people is both difficult and dangerous.

Well, Nic Robertson is joining us today from Sderot in Israel. That is not far, Nic, from the northern border of Gaza, and you and your team have been

all along that border today looking for aid convoys. Tell us what you've been seeing and hearing there.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, it's Gaza behind us, Becky, just looking across the sort of northern end of the Gaza Strip,

we haven't seen many, if any aid trucks going into the north. What we know is what the Israeli officials who COGAT said yesterday, that 260 trucks

went into Gaza.

200 of those trucks, or 200 trucks worth of food distributed inside of Gaza, and they aim to continue that with humanitarian corridors and

temporary pauses, temporary ceasefires that are location dependent. Those go into effect at 10:00 a.m. in the morning and end at 08:00 p.m. in the

evening.

And this is the idea of these pauses in the fighting, is that the aid can get in. But I have to say, while we've been along the northern border and

not seen trucks going in on a number of potential crossing points. What we have heard is a lot of military activity, a lot of fighter jet activity

over here, until about 15 or 20 minutes ago, for an hour or so, a lot of very heavy explosions.

You can hear gunfire, heavy machine gun fire, small machine -- small weapons fire. You can hear small explosions. So, I think any concept that

the war is over. And the IDF said that they would continue the fight against Hamas, any idea that the war is over and therefore this aid can all

get in safely, is perhaps, you know, an over rosy picture of the situation in the North here today, this afternoon, the military events have been very

pronounced.

The humanitarian aid events, not so much. It could be different in the south of Gaza. Potentially, the air drops that we saw yesterday, we haven't

seen those in the north here so far today. But as you said, there this unfolding famine that this U.N. body talks about 30,000 children treated

for acute malnutrition between April and the middle of July.

It is very pressing. 200 trucks yesterday, aid getting distributed when the need is closer to 600 trucks a day, and it's needed multiple, multiple days

and weeks to alleviate the current food situation. A lot yet to be done, Becky.

ANDERSON: Nic, meantime, there is deadly violence happening in the West Bank, and I just want you to get to speak to this an activist who was

involved in an Oscar winning film killed. What do we know about that?

[09:10:00]

ROBERTSON: Yes, he was shot while a settler was confronting him and a group for people with a handgun. It appeared to be just one settler and a group

of people that were shouting at the settler to back away, and he was telling them to back away. He fired a couple of shots, one down, one up.

And then you realize that somebody in the crowd has been injured. And it was this consultant on that Oscar winning documentary, "No Other Land" an

important documentary, because it was talking about how settlers at that area of the West Bank were intimidating and putting pressure on local

Palestinian farmers to move off their land.

Indeed, I filmed with one of those farmers late last year because settlers had approached his farm with big wooden clubs. They threatened to beat him

up, that even threatened to rape him. And I actually talked to one of the settlers involved over the phone. He admitted he was there, and that was

him making the threats, but he said he just didn't care what the international community thought.

Now, one of the consultants that made that movie with that farmer I talked to in that area of the West Bank shot and killed in this confrontation with

a settler. That's what appears to have happened. It's not the first incident of its kind, and it's a disturbing trend. And some settlers have

been put under sanctions by the U.S., by Europe, by the UK.

ANDERSON: Right.

ROBERTSON: But when I spoke to the settler, I was speaking to, he just didn't care about that sort of sanction by the international community.

ANDERSON: Nic, good to have you there on the border with Gaza. Thank you. Well, some women in Gaza risking their lives to search for food, often in

the dark, and often finding nothing. Paula Hancocks looks at their daily struggle to feed their families amid what is his unrelenting danger.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): -- walks into the unknown. Danger is everywhere in this darkness. A woman alone surrounded by men all

with the same desperate purpose, to find food to survive -- husband, was killed in an Israeli air strike. She's now the sole provider for a family

of eight, and can only leave them while they sleep to find food.

The children tell me, don't go, mama, she says. Don't go to the aid centers. We don't want you to die, mama, who'll take care of us if

something happens to you. The alternative is they starve. This group of women from one displacement camp, make the nighttime search together for

protection.

But even then, they are targets. This woman says, yesterday, I waited from 06:00 p.m. until 04:00 a.m. I got a bag of flour, but then a young man with

a knife said, drop the flour, or I'll kill you. This is the value of Gaza now my homeland. Everything around us is a risk to our lives -- says.

Whether it's thieves, Israeli soldiers, rockets or drones, everything. Their friend says she's come every day for a week and received nothing. She

just gave birth to her youngest child three weeks earlier. The women go back to their families at daybreak, empty handed.

More than 1000 people have been killed by Israeli fire waiting for food since late May, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The

Israeli military says it has fired warning shots when it feels threatened, but denies responsibility for the heavy death toll. These displaced women

from -- have a long walk ahead of them.

This woman says, either I return with food and my children shout with joy, or they will scream in grief because I didn't return. The crack of gunfire

nearby sends them diving for cover. Unsure of where is safe. A casualty being rushed past them to hospital, a reminder that safety is a concept

that left Gaza long ago.

When she returns to her tent, her children start crying when they see the bag is empty. The United Nations says the trickle of aid being allowed in

the breakdown of law and order and the dismantling of the U.N. led delivery systems has created new levels of desperation.

[09:15:00]

Gaza is now a place where the fittest survive and the most vulnerable are left with nothing. Back from their nightly trips to aid points -- share

what little food they managed to get. A friendship formed in displacement camps. I've seen death many times -- says, but I will keep going until I

get my children something to eat.

CNN tracked down the two women weeks later, as food got scarcer and their bodies weaker, their journey has become even more perilous. Desperation

pushed them to try their luck at the American backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation -- says the American eight points are death zones.

I reached one and spent the night there. A sniper fired above my head. The bullet missed me by mere centimeters. She hasn't gone back since. Her three

children live on saline she makes at home and food from charity kitchens.

They always go to sleep hungry, she says. Her friend and tent neighbor -- hasn't given up on the long, tiring treks to find food for her five

children. I was just at -- she says. I left at sunset yesterday and returned this morning. There was gunfire and martyrs lying in front of us.

I couldn't bring anything. Without organized day deliveries reaching the most vulnerable, it remains an endless and usually futile pursuit. Paula

Hancocks, CNN, Abu Dhabi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON: -- is responding to the U.S. President's latest move to try and bring about a ceasefire in Ukraine. Moscow says it has quote taken note of

Donald Trump's decision to slash his initial 50-day deadline to no more than 12 days. Now, if Russia doesn't come up with the truth in that time,

Mr. Trump has threatened harsher economic penalties from the United States.

On the ground, Ukraine is still being hit with overnight Russian air strikes. Officials tell us that the latest attack hit a prison in

Zaporizhzhia, killing 17 inmates. Kyiv calls that another war crime by the Russians. Well, CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is on the ground for us in Eastern

Ukraine.

How are President Trump's comments playing out there? Nick, and what are you hearing and seeing on the ground?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Ultimately, President Trump shortening that deadline, I should point out,

after meetings with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer the UK, among multiple European powers who perhaps first heard that 50-day deadline, and

indeed felt that it was particularly lengthy and potentially gave the Kremlin the entirety of this summer to continue their current offensive for

shortening it to 10 to 12 days.

Well, it massively increases the urgency, potentially on Moscow to find some kind of peace deal to accede to Trump's demands, if indeed they have

any interest in that. The downside, of course, is the secondary sanctions and tariffs that their allies, their energy customers might face, that's

China and India.

To impose tariffs on China and India, the United States would have to endure, upsetting a key ally in India. Roiling global energy markets,

potentially pushing up American energy consumer prices and then massively complicating its already very messy relationship with China, who are a key

Russian ally.

So, it's a big ask, frankly, for Trump to make good on his threats 10 to 12 days from now. But the broader question is whether or not Vladimir Putin

sees this moment, where we are, Becky, along the front line, hearing of increased progress, not the incremental, small nameless villages that we've

seen over the past months and years potentially fall into Russian hands, often an enormous cost of casualties to Russian forces.

Instead, something that's beginning to feel a little more significant. Talk of some of the supply lines potentially to Pokrovsk, one of the key towns

that Ukraine holds, that Russia has besieged for months, that is now beginning to potentially be encircled. Talk of its supply lines potentially

being in trouble in days.

Constantine -- we were just a couple of days ago, that's also under intense pressure, as it Kupiansk in the north, we're seeing Russian forces making

progress here in ways and at speed with strategic significance that I have not seen for months, if not potentially years, and it comes with this

deadline that will likely bring greater attention to the plight of Ukraine on the front lines, potentially greater solidarity in their assistance.

[09:20:00]

Does it change Russia's calculus? Well, at this point, they've said, they've noted Trump's deadline, but their goals are to continue what they

call their special military operation, which at the moment is an offensive that's making some progress, Becky.

ANDERSON: Nick is our Chief International Security Editor. Nick, thank you, and next hour, we'll bring you Nick's special report from a vital town in

the east. We're seeing video from that location coming under bombardment from Russia's drones, how they are coping and trying to defend themselves

is next hour.

All right still to come this hour, terrifying moments in New York City as the gunman opens fire in an office building. Police searching for a motive

for the deadly shooting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well, new details are emerging this hour about a gunman who killed four people inside a Manhattan skyscraper on Monday before turning

the gun on himself. Now this is the deadliest shooting in New York City in 25 years. A law enforcement source tells CNN, the 27-year-old suspect was

carrying documents indicating that he had grievances with the National Football League over its handling of CTE, a brain disorder linked to

repeated head trauma.

Now the NFL has an office in the building where the shooter opened fire. Police say the suspect had a history of mental health issues, and his

motives are still being determined. Well, CNN's Omar Jimenez is following this for us from New York, and he joins us now. What more can you tell us

at this point?

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we're learning a few new details from the mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, who has said this morning that

their initial investigation showed that they believe this person may have taken the wrong elevator bank once they walked into this building believing

they were trying to target the National Football League here in the U.S., but instead going to a different part of the building.

Now I'll unpack all of that where, essentially what we understand is that this 27-year-old drove across the country from the Las Vegas area here to

this block behind me before getting out, walking up to the lobby of this building. It's this one behind the American flag, both of these flags at

half-staff here to honor some of those killed.

Goes into the lobby, starts opening fire, killing three people, including a New York City police officer, a 36-year-old father of two whose family was

expecting a third. That is when the shooter went to that elevator bank, as we understand from the mayor may have taken the wrong bank to go up to the

33rd floor, where the shooter shot a fourth person, killed that person, and then turned the gun on himself.

Now, one of the reasons they believe this person may have been targeting the NFL, one their offices are there. But also, there was a note found,

according to a law enforcement source briefed on the investigation.

[09:25:00]

A note found on this person talking about having or suffering from CTE, which is a brain disease that comes from traumatic or comes from head

trauma that we typically see associated with the game of American football here. And so, while that isn't necessarily the sole motive being pinpointed

by police at this point, it is a very crucial clue, or at least a very crucial piece to what is a well-documented mental health history, as

relayed to us by the New York Police Department.

As for the people killed, I mentioned that 36-year-old, another one of the companies inside here is Blackstone, the private equity firm. One of their

employees was killed here. An employee for the NFL was shot and is expected to be OK, recovering in the hospital right now.

But the NFL saying that there is going to be increased security at this building for the weeks and months to come. But that, of course, comes after

police clear the scene. And I should mention before we go, we were over there, much closer to the entrance a few moments ago, and there actually

are still remnants of the shooting the glass pane that is the entrance to the lobby is cracked.

You can see impact points from what appear to be where bullets went through. So very much, reminders of what happened in just the evening rush

hour, not too long ago, as people this morning head to their jobs in the surrounding area, passing right by there as people continue to mourn those

losses.

ANDERSON: Yeah, remarkable, shocking stuff. Omar, thank you. Omar Jimenez is on the scene for you. Coming up, I'm joined by the Foreign Minister of

Slovenia who is in New York as we speak for United Nations conference focused on a two-state solution.

This is a conference that is co-sponsored by the Saudis and the French. She is calling on other governments to recognize the state of Palestine. More

after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back. I'm Becky Anderson in London. You are watching "Connect the World". It is just before half past two in London, just before

half past nine in New York.

[09:30:00]

That is the crew ready to ring the opening bell, which they will do about a minute from now, we are keeping a close eye on markets during what will be

a consequential week for the U.S. economy, of course, building to President Trump's August 1st tariff deadline on Friday.

That is the bell for you folks. Investors bracing for a new a slew of new reports and trade news today. U.S.-China, talks continue in Sweden, both

sides working towards extending a trade truce that expires currently August the 12th. Of course, so many more of these trade tariff deadlines are

Friday, August 1st.

So, lots going on as far as trading tariffs are concerned, we are also waiting on U.S. consumer confidence numbers for the month of July, they are

set to be released next hour. The United States and Israel are boycotting United Nations meeting focused on bringing about a two-state solution in

the Middle East.

The conference in New York, organized by France and Saudi Arabia reconvenes next hour. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister spoke yesterday about the

urgency of Palestinian statehood amid the unfolding crisis in the occupied territories. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAISAL BIN FARHAN AL-SAUD, SAUDI MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Thousands of civilians are suffering the worst kinds of serious violations of starvation

and bombardment and displacement and hindering all international efforts to deliver humanitarian assistance to our people in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Israeli violations also take place in Jerusalem and the West Bank, where settlement policies continue and systemic exercises that want

to change the demographic and religious nature of the region.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his government would formally recognize Palestinian statehood. The foreign

minister addressed that decision at the U.N. on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEAN-NOEL BARROT, FRENCH MINISTER FOR EUROPE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS: That is because we could not wait any longer, this solution, which I said before,

is the only possible solution to ensure peace and security of Israelis and Palestinians and the entire region, as well as beyond, in the Mediterranean

and in the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, France follows Slovenia, which recognized the state of Palestine back in 2024. It was also the first EU country to declare Israeli

far-right Ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, persona non grata. My next guest is Tanja Fajon. She's Slovenia's Minister of Foreign

and European Affairs, and she is in New York for that conference, Slovenia.

Thank you for joining thank you for joining us. Slovenia, one of the early countries to recognize Palestinian statehood France, the very latest. Why

did you declare, make that declaration when you did back in 2024? What was the point at that point?

TANJA FAJON, SLOVENIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AND EUROPEAN AFFAIRS: Yes, thank you. It was not an easy decision, but the right one. I have to say that in

the DNA of Slovenians is that every nation has a right to self- determination. And at that time, I had a chance to visit Tel Aviv, I spoke with the Israeli Foreign Minister.

And it was a true absence of any willingness to discuss about the two-state solution, to discuss about mediate ceasefire, release of hostages, so

anything that would bring lasting peace in the Middle East. So, we were convinced a year ago that recognition of sovereign, democratic, independent

Palestine will mean also that we put the whole nation on unequal footing, that they can really decide about their own future.

Same as Israel, and that is the only guarantee for safety of Israelis and Palestinians living side by side.

ANDERSON: Understood. With the greatest of respect. How does declaring a state of Palestine go beyond window dressing? I'm really interested to get

your perspective on this.

FAJON: I mean, we are still today trying to encourage other countries to follow us, not to wait to the end of the process, because we can empower

the moderate Palestinian authorities in Ramallah. We can give hope to Palestinians, because what we are observing a year later, it's many more

new deaths among civilians.

Today, even the number reach more than 60,000 we see starvation. We see children die in, quote, famine. We see illegal annexation of West Bank,

violent settlers in East Jerusalem. So, the situation is getting worse. And it is very clear in our eyes that Israel is violating the international

law, humanitarian law, the U.N. Charter, and that is why we feel responsibility.

[09:35:00]

Honestly, I would say that every country should feel moral, political and legal responsibility to act.

ANDERSON: While the U.S. has skipped this conference without U.S. buy in, how tangible is a viable path to peace a Palestinian state going forward?

FAJON: I mean today and yesterday, there are gathered a lot of countries in the U.N. palace, and what you can hear is a strong commitment that we all

gathered here wish to end the war in Gaza immediately, unconditionally. We wish to see a lasting peace in the Middle East.

I'm encouraged by the countries such as France or Saudi Arabia or others, they are discussing about further steps. One is, of course, the recognition

and to see how the country can really build its own political architecture. So, we are discussing in details throughout the conference what should be

next steps?

But first of course, it's immediate and unconditional ceasefire required and humanitarian assistance to the population and people in need. Because

now what is this principled deal with Israeli government, we see it is absolutely not enough. It is not working.

Humanitarian workers are dying, and the humanitarian assistance is simply not reaching people that are the real victims, I dare to say that the world

has fallen on the test of humanity.

ANDERSON: In a post on X, you called for normalization with Israel for countries, one assumes you were alluding to Saudi and others, Arab states

who haven't currently normalized their relations, and at the same time, a Palestinian state. You linked the two. And I just wonder briefly, what does

the path to a Palestinian state look like in that case?

And what does Israel need to do for normalization? At present, it is a government led by a Prime Minister who will not talk about a Palestinian

state. So, what parameters should Israel have to meet at this point?

FAJON: I mean, of course, it's a very complex process. We do have countries that also require who needs to recognize Israel. So, it's a complex

process. We are going step by step in all direction to bring peace to the Middle East. So, when you see the Arab countries also moving into that

direction with the recognition of Israel, that is all one big part of solution, to bring peace.

And we are discussing that in a long document that I do hope will be a concrete result of this conference that will continue also on the summit in

September later this year. So, for Palestinians, I wish to give them a chance, and I speak now with Prime Minister Mustafa in any time again, how

to ensure that the reforms are ongoing and also that the money that Israel is blocking will reach the population.

ANDERSON: OK.

FAJON: And accuse this illegal annexation that is happening in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, because this is utterly unacceptable as well as

unacceptable the forced displacement of Palestinians.

ANDERSON: President Trump yesterday spoke about the famine in Gaza, breaking with Prime Minister Netanyahu's position. Trump said images of

starving children can't be faked. Netanyahu has said there is no starvation. Do you believe the U.S. President's break with Netanyahu

signals the possibility for a future change in policy?

FAJON: I mean, I do hope that the U.S. government, as they were working hard for the ceasefire, and I commend these international efforts will

continue using the pressure on the government in Israel, because there is a certain leverage and having now famine, as you mentioned, it's recognized

by so many U.N. bodies and international organizations.

And it's difficult to imagine to live in a 21st century when children don't have access to food and are dying of food. So, one cannot turn blind eye.

We do have a responsibility every government, because I think it's at the end of the day the question of accountability, Slovenia stands for

international law and stands for the work of international tribunals.

And we will continue working on the pressure through the diplomatic channels and also through the channels that we have in Tel Aviv.

ANDERSON: Right. Finally, I must ask your country has been the first EU nation to sanction two right wing politicians in Israel, Bezalel Smotrich

and Itamar Ben-Gvir.

[09:40:00]

That is alongside the UK, Canada, Australia and Norway. Do you think European countries should follow your lead in sanction politicians like

Ben-Gvir and Smotrich?

FAJON: I'm glad to see that Netherlands, if I'm not mistaken, announced the same measure yesterday, just last night. So, we were the first yes in the

European Union. And I think it's a very important message. It is a political decision. The two Israeli ministers that are really causing, you

know, violence calling for violence on settlements, are unwanted person in our country.

I think we send a very clear message. These are not the only sanctions that we are considering. I wish that inside the European Union, we will have

more common understanding, because we clearly see that Israelis violating international law.

ANDERSON: Right.

FAJON: But if we will, if necessary, continue with sanctions on a bilateral level.

ANDERSON: We appreciate your time. Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

FAJON: Thank you.

ANDERSON: The Slovenian FM there. "World Sport" up next. I'll be back in 15 minutes with more news in the second hour of "Connect the World". Stay with

us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)

[10:00:00]

END