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Donald Trump: In "Serious Discussions" With Iran As He Makes New Threats; Iranian Official: U.S. 15-Point Plan "Very Ambitious" And "Unrealistic"; Moscow: Russian Oil Tanker Reaches Cuba; Israeli Army Suspends Unit After Detaining CNN Crew; Analyst: Lebanon Facing Biggest Challenge Since Civil War; House, Senate Republicans At Odds DHS Funding Strategy. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired March 30, 2026 - 10:00:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:40]
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of the show from our Middle East programming headquarters. I'm Becky Anderson here in Abu Dhabi,
where the time is 6:00 in the evening.
Iranian state media report U.S.-Israeli strike west of Tehran has hit an orphanage killing two people. This as President Donald Trump says progress
is being made in negotiations with Iran, despite the violence on the ground.
Israel suspending a battalion accused of assaulting and detaining a CNN crew in the occupied West Bank. That move appears to reflect growing
concerns within Israel about spiraling violence in the West Bank.
A Russian oil tanker reportedly arriving in Cuba, bringing much needed fuel to a country grappling with severe shortages. The shipment offering only
temporary relief, though, with much more needed to fill the need.
We begin this hour with a new statement from Donald Trump as the war with Iran grinds through its fifth week, the U.S. president posting that the
U.S. is in serious discussions with a, "New and more reasonable regime in Iran." And he had this to say to reporters on board Air Force One earlier.
Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We've had very good negotiations today with Iran, getting a lot of the things that we -- they
should have given us a long time ago.
I do see a deal in Iran. Yes, could be soon. They're agreeing with us on the plan. I mean, we asked for 15 things, and for the most part, we're
going to be asking for a couple of other things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Apologies for the sound on that, it is important. This comes as thousands more U.S. troops arrive in the region. The U.S. president also
saying that sending ground forces to seize what's known as Kharg Island, Iran's chief oil export hub is a possibility, and air attacks across this
region showing no sign of letting up. We're keeping an eye on the price of oil. Brent crude has skyrocketed to its highest level since Russia's full-
scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
This hour, I've got CNN's Jennifer Hansler in Washington and Matthew Chance in Doha lined up.
Matthew, let me start with you. Attacks on these Gulf countries continue, even as Donald Trump says, negotiations are ongoing. Just get us up to
speed on how you assess things, where things stand at this point.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CHIEF GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, I mean, obviously, we're at a sort of crossroads, in a sense, in the conflict,
because we are getting these incessant drone and missile attacks being fired from Iran in retaliation for the attacks that are taking place inside
its territory by the United States and Israel targeting, you know, energy infrastructure the -- of the Gulf states that are along the Persian Gulf
Coast, and that's caused an enormous amount of economic damage so far.
But there's an enormous amount of concern here in Qatar, in the United Arab Emirates, in Saudi and Bahrain and elsewhere in Kuwait about what could
come next, the idea that if this conflict escalates, if no compromise is found in negotiations between the two countries, between the United States
and Iran, remember, Iran denies there are any kinds of negotiations taking place, then it could get a whole lot more economically catastrophic for
this region.
Iran has vowed, if the war escalates, to strike it in a more sustained way against energy infrastructure in this region. The whole region is
completely dependent, or very close to dependent on its oil and gas exports. These oil and gas terminals, once they're damaged, they're very
hard to repair and take a long time to repair. It could be a long time before they're back online again.
And there's already been billions of dollars worth of damage and losses suffered. And again, that concern is that unless this war ends soon, that
damage those losses, could be a whole lot worse, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes, and it was Katz Foreign Ministry condemning in and I quote them here, the strongest terms, the heinous Iranian aggression is targeting
a camp, a power station and water desalination plants in Kuwait, of course, neighboring Kuwait, overnight.
[10:05:14]
Stand by Jennifer, Matthew there alluding to these talks. But at present, at least Iran denies are taking place. The U.S. says there is progress in
these negotiations. It does though keep building up its military presence in the region.
I want to -- what message do you believe the White House is sending at this point?
JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN SENIOR U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY REPORTER: Well, Becky, it's kind of this consistent message we've seen throughout the course of
this conflict and last year in the 12-day war as well, that they were both escalating militarily, building up these forces, while also trying to drive
Iran back to the negotiating table.
So, we've here heard these very contradictory messages coming from Washington and Tehran over the course of the past several days. President
Trump, of course, claiming there has been this major progress, Tehran saying that these demands have been unreasonable.
And I want to point out there's been some nuance as well between President Trump and his top diplomat, Marco Rubio, who said this morning, after Trump
put out his post about dealing with a more reasonable regime, Rubio continued to call the leadership in Tehran lunatics, and he said that there
has been some conversation behind the scenes. There have been fractures within Iranian leadership, but he said that this isn't private, and the
U.S. is still trying to figure out if these more reasonable voices will be the decision makers here.
So, there is still -- he is putting some nuance in this conversation. He is not giving this cut and dried message that we are hearing from the White
House as strongly as we are hearing from President Trump. And of course, they are continuing to raise this specter of extreme military action,
perhaps even boots on the ground to seize Kharg island. So, they are trying to force Iran back to the negotiating table by leveraging these military
assets.
But what I heard from a lot of my conversations here, Becky, is Iran believes it does have a key tool that it did not have in the past, and that
is, of course, its ability to snarl the state strait of Hormuz, as we have been seeing over the past several weeks.
ANDERSON: That clearly, you know, absolutely central to any deal at this point, whether that is part of any sort of comprehensive deal, or whether
there's a sort of, you know, a side deal done on that with an international coalition of some sort policing that straight going forward.
Matthew, you and I have talked about that over the past couple of weeks. In your latest analysis, you write and I quote you here, without the element
of surprise, a U.S. ground operation, even with vastly superior firepower, could quickly turn into a blood bath. Can you just expand on that?
CHANCE: Well, look, I mean the fact that you and I are talking about the possibility of a U.S. military operation to capture Kharg Island, that
Iranian oil terminal, means that, obviously the Iranians are fully aware that that's a possibility too. It's been telegraphed that that's a
possibility by Washington for some weeks now, and we've had all sorts of reporting coming out from the Iranian side, suggesting that they've
prepared traps. They've prepared, you know, sort of nasty surprises in the advent that U.S. troops should arrive in that location, or indeed in some
other locations that have been floated as well.
In fact, just yesterday, the Iranian speaker, the speaker of the Iranian parliament said that, you know, the Iranian troops would rain fire on the
U.S. if they were to take any part of Iranian soil.
And so, obviously, it is a risk when you put U.S. forces, or troops, into the sort of battle zone in that way, with boots on the ground, they'd also
have to be resupplied at some point if they intend to stay there, and that's an additional risk in this location, which is obviously a fixed
point, the coordinates are well known to the Iranians, it's their territory, and it's within range, not just of drones and ballistic
missiles, but within range of artillery guns as well.
And so, it would be a sort of military challenge, not so much taking that island, but keeping hold of it whilst also limiting casualties. That's what
I was referring to. And so that's a risk, which Washington, the Pentagon, will have to weigh.
ANDERSON: And well worth a reading of that analysis. It's on CNN's digital platforms. Thank you and Jennifer, thank you so much.
Let's get more on where we stand then with this conflict in its fifth week, second month, Sina Toossi is senior fellow at the Center for International
Policy and he joins me now live from Washington.
[10:10:02]
Just take a listen to Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson talking about the U.S.'s 15-point plan. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ESMAELI BAGHAEI, IRAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON (through translator): As I have mentioned before, the material conveyed to us under any title,
such as the 15-point plan has mainly included very ambitious, unrealistic and illogical requests.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Unrealistic and illogical requests, says the spokesman there. Is there any middle ground between the U.S. and Iran at this point, whereby
these talks mediated by Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi also involved in trying to get some momentum here, where these talks can actually move
forward, do you think?
SINA TOOSSI, SENIOR FELLOW, CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY: Yes, so this has been the main problem with Trump's negotiations with Iran, whereas
Trump left the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under Obama, which was kind of a middle ground solution that prevented Iran from developing nuclear
weapons, he's chosen these very maximalist demands arguably, Iran has to end all of its nuclear activities. It has to get rid of its missiles. It
has to end its regional activities.
And for Iran, those are kind of core means of deterrence, core means of defending itself, as we can see in this conflict. So, there needs to be a
push away from that into a more workable middle ground solution.
Now, there is a chance that maybe this 15-point plan, maybe what the Iranians are saying about the Hormuz, these are their opening bids, and
they will eventually move to a middle ground solution, but that's the key thing that has to happen.
ANDERSON: Meantime, we are hearing from President Trump mulling up his options. In an interview with The Financial Times, saying, and I quote, "My
favorite thing is to take the oil in Iran." He also said, maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don't. We have a lot of options. Adding it would
also mean we'd have to be there in Kharg Island for a while. What do you make of his comments?
TOOSSI: So, this is the escalation trap that Trump has entered into. I mean, we're already seeing with these airstrikes on Iran, the global
economic ramifications, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the targeting of infrastructure throughout the region. Now, if Trump does escalate that
to go after Iran's energy infrastructure, more than they already have to launch ground incursion. If the idea is that there's going to be a
threshold of pressure there where Iran capitulates totally, that's untenable, because, again, the Iranians view it as existential. They view,
they're going to be destroyed anyway, so they might as well go all out.
So, that's going to be Trump just digging himself further in a hole that's going to be harder to then extricate himself from.
So, that'll be a catastrophic escalation scenario if it does come to pass.
ANDERSON: So, I do want to just press you on this point, because, of course, Iran's economy is in really bad shape. It was already in bad shape
before this conflict. It is looking for a rollback in sanctions. It is looking for what it describes as reparations. Effectively, what it's
talking about there is reconstruction costs at this point.
That surely has to be at the heart of what these negotiators understand to be absolutely tantamount for Tehran at this point, what do you see as a
sort of compromise as fitting from the U.S. at this point, let's not forget we are working with you know, a real estate -- you know, former real estate
developer, come U.S. president this point. He doesn't do diplomacy like others, do we know that sort of, you know, deals on what it's all about to
him. How would you read that?
TOOSSI: Yes. So, this is very key. I mean, Iran basically wants a horizon after this war. It doesn't want to come out of this war like Iraq came out
of the 1991 Gulf War, decade of severe economic sanctions that lead to collapse. So, it wants, you know, sanctions relief. This is what is it is
wanted throughout all these years of negotiations, there was a deal on the table just before this war that, by all accounts, was actually stronger
than the nuclear deal Obama got in 2015. Regardless, Trump decided to attack.
Now, with Iran, the important thing is they actually view the Iranian decision makers, you know, rightly or wrongly, they view themselves in a
stronger position right now because of the Strait of Hormuz leverage. They're actually exporting more oil now than they were before the war at a
higher price. Obviously, the U.S. sanctions on sea have been lifted. They're also charging tolls. And Iran's economy has also been intentionally
designed for autarky or self-sufficiency, or, you know, being adjusted to sanctions. Whereas the Gulf states, the global economy, these are
interconnected supply chains. They rely on investor confidence, so the Iranian calculation is that they are more resilient to weather this out and
maintain their very dire economic conditions. But, you know, survive that whereas for the Gulf states or for the U.S. and the global economy, the
cost could be much higher.
[10:15:09]
ANDERSON: We just can't forget the human cost of this conflict, not just the economic cost and what people are living through day to day in Iran,
but the human toll as well. Just today, at least two people have reportedly been killed by U.S.-Israeli strike on an orphanage west of Tehran that's
being reported by local state media over the weekend, there was an attack on Amir Kabir University.
Look, you know, where I am, we are -- we continue in this region to be attacked by Iran and what countries here describe as unprovoked and
reckless attacks, those are killing people as well. What are you hearing from inside Iran at this point?
TOOSSI: Yes, so these attacks have become much more indiscriminate. I mean, we've seen, especially in the past several days, attacks really on
residential areas in Tehran. I've heard this from contacts there, from relatives there. We've seen attacks on these universities. These are
prominent institutions that you know Iranians from all walks of life go to.
And to me, this is really an indication of the U.S. military strikes, targeting the missile program, targeting Iran's ability to hit back.
They've hit a limit, because the Iranians are continuing to fire ballistic missiles, continuing to fire drones, they are in these deeply buried
facilities under mountains, very sophisticated network where they built it deep underground and kind of made it impervious to air strikes.
So therefore, it seems like we're seeing a shift in the U.S. and Israeli strategy to target more infrastructure, civilian sites, to raise the cost
within Iran to push them towards, I guess, this diplomatic settlement, but that is a very troubling development that's happened in the past couple of
days even more so.
ANDERSON: Finally, I do just want to get your thoughts on what some Iranians have told CNN, not all, but some Iranians say they do not want the
war to end without regime change. Just have a listen, for example, to one Tehran resident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TEHRAN RESIDENT (through translator): We are tired of this war. War isn't something cool or nice, but the fact is, we live under a government that is
more exhausting, a government that is the cause of all our issues.
At this point, it has nothing to do with whether we want more or not. If this war stops and doesn't lead to regime change, the Islamic Republic
stays in power, it will be bad for everyone, people around the world and in Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: I'm sure that view is reflected by many, and I'm sure that you've spoken to many people in Iran, family and friends, perhaps, who feel the
same way.
Donald Trump says that regime change has already happened. There has been a change to the regime, he says, and that's what he clearly believes, is
regime change. And he calls those that he is now communicating with, or through these mediators, "Reasonable." What do you make of that? And Iran,
of course, is not one people. What are people's options at this point?
TOOSSI: Yes, I think the last point is very key. It's not a monolithic system --
ANDERSON: No, I'm sorry that line seems to have frozen, apologies on that. It was a -- I was fascinated to hear his view on Iran, not being, you know,
monolithic society, many views in Iran. But I believe that the resident you heard there does at least reflect many people's view in the country,
although perhaps not, certainly not those who support this regime, and that could be some 10 to 15 percent of those on the ground, of course.
Well, still to come, Israel reacts after the military detained a CNN team in the West Bank last week. The fallout and reaction is up next.
Plus, Moscow vows to stand by Havana as a Russian oil tanker arrives in Cuba and Donald Trump appears to relax the fuel blockade on the island.
Why? Well, that is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:21:30]
ANDERSON: Let's give you a look at the U.S. stock markets, which have been open for about 50 minutes now, five zero minutes early in today's trading
session then. And stocks are moving slightly higher, but not as much as they were on the open, so slipping back somewhat. No real surprise there.
Oil prices are on the rise again on President Trump's latest threats to attack Iran.
Right now, Brent is easing off just a little bit after reaching levels not seen since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, here's how the
U.S. oil benchmark is faring. WTI trading at 102.06, that's about 2.5 percent higher.
Moscow says a Russian oil tanker has arrived in Cuba after President Trump allowed it to break a U.S. fuel blockade of the island. The Russian
Transport Ministry says a shipment of 730,000 barrels of oil has arrived at port. And while CNN can't independently verify the ship's location tracking
data, data show it approaching Cuba early on Monday morning.
Well, Cuba has been hit by a severe energy crisis since U.S. captured Venezuela's leader Nicolas Maduro and cut off oil shipments from that
country. President Trump later also stopped shipments to Cuba from other countries. CNN's Patrick Oppmann is in Havana. Good to have you, Patrick.
Now that that tanker has arrived, as we understand it, what are you hearing?
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF: Well, this will be a tremendous help for Cuba, but of course, it will not solve their very severe energy
crisis. But listen, it's been over three months since any oil arrived on this island. This apparent donation by Russia, once it's refined, should
provide some short-term relief to this problem. It could meet Cuba's energy needs for the next couple of weeks, energy analysts tell us.
And it really is striking, because the Russian government is violating U.S. sanctions. According to executive order signed by Donald Trump, no
countries should be sending oil to Cuba. There's a blockade on this island, but he's either back down or reached an agreement with the Russians to
allow their shipment and perhaps more to come to this island.
So, while the Cuban government certainly is happy they've received this assistance, they also know that the pressure campaign is not necessarily
going to let up just yet. Donald Trump continues to say that Cuba is next, whether that means that there will be a deal, an invasion, or just that he
will continue to push for this government here to fall is anyone's guess.
ANDERSON: We are hearing the fuel shortage is causing frequent blackouts and has led to severe gas shortages, soaring prices, and of course, you and
I have talked about this, the deterioration of infrastructure in Cuba. What are you seeing, Patrick?
OPPMANN: Well, every day there's less cars on the road. You know, when you talk to people, you ask them, not how are you doing, but how much gas do
you have? You know, I'm constantly telling our colleagues, you know, I don't have enough gas to do that. You know, I hope to be able to get to
work in time for this live shot with you, Becky, but it's affecting all walks of life here, certainly regular Cubans, but even members of Cuba's
famous Castro clan say that the sanctions the oil blockade are now backing their lifestyle.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPPMANN (voice over): In this social media satire video, Donald Trump arrives in Cuba to buy the island, while this Trump is a fake, he's dealing
with a real member of the Castro family, Fidel Castro's grandson, Sandro Castro, an influencer and nightclub impresario who says he has no interest
in politics, the very public face of an otherwise still mysterious family that has held power in Cuba for nearly seven decades.
[10:25:24]
At an interview in his apartment in Havana, Sandro Castro says he is a sign of the changing times on the communist run island.
OPPMANN: And what would your grandfather, Fidel Castro said that you're more capitalist than communist?
SANDRO CASTRO, INFLUENCER (text): My grandfather was a person who had his principles like everyone else. But as well he respected others' opinions.
That's my way of thinking.
OPPMANN: But all the capitalist said, leave Cuba.
CASTRO (text): There are many people in Cuba that think in a capitalistic way. There are many people who want to do capitalism with sovereignty.
OPPMANN (voice over): When we arrived for the interview, the neighborhood Castro lives in is in a blackout, a near constant condition these days,
with the U.S. oil blockade and power plants breaking down.
Sandro Castro's apartment is lit by an electric generator, but from his balcony, the surrounding houses are in near total darkness.
He shows me his one-bedroom bachelor pad, how he lacks paint for the wall, how his fridge is nearly empty, except for the Cuban beer he is always
drinking.
I point out that the appliance is a foreign brand that most Cubans could never hope to afford. His famous last name Sandro Castro wants people to
know doesn't come with any special treatment in a Cuba on the edge of economic collapse.
CASTRO (through translator): We have to fight as we say in Cuba. It's tough, so tough.
OPPMANN: Even for a Castro (Speaking in a foreign language).
CASTRO (through translator): It's so difficult. Because you suffer thousands of problems. In a day, there might not be electricity, no water.
Goods don't arrive. It's so hard really hard.
OPPMANN: But being a Castro must help you.
CASTRO (through translator): My name is my name. I am proud of my name logically. But I don't see this you are talking about. I am one more
citizen.
OPPMANN (through translator): Cuba faces unprecedented U.S. pressure to open politically and economically. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a
Cuban American, has been reaching out to Cuban officials, including members of the Castro family.
In one of his videos, Sandro Castro pretends to receive a call from Rubio, who he then hangs up on. Rubio has said Cuba needs new leadership, and that
could include Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel stepping down despite Fidel and Raul Castro's support for Diaz-Canel over many years. Sandro Castro
says he is no fan.
OPPMANN: Do you think President Diaz-Canel is doing a good job?
CASTRO (through translator): I would not say he is doing a good job. For me he is not doing a good job.
For a while he needed to have done many things, many thing he is not doing well and today that is hurting our lives.
OPPMANN (through translator): Cuba's leaders reject attempts to blame them for the crisis. Sandro Castro says officials have questioned him about his
often surreal and critical postings. As well, Cuban exiles regularly attack him online, he says.
OPPMANN: Why do you think there are people though that hate the Castro family so much?
CASTRO (through translator): It's complicated. Many Cubans would have liked to have been capitalist. I think the majority of Cubans want to be
capitalist, nto communism. That has created differences, a hatred which are not productive.
OPPMANN (through translator): Sandro Castro says he supports Trump's calls to open the economy, if not his threats against the island. At the end of
his video, he takes a U.S. leader on a tour of Havana. Hope from at least one member of the Castro family, that historic deal with the U.S. and
opening on the island are possible.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OPPMANN (on camera): And I think few people will cry tears for Sandro Castro's difficulties. Of course, regular Cubans suffer far, far worse. But
what is interesting, Becky, about this interview is you have someone who's a member of Cuba's most famous family, taking shots at the country's
president, who was picked by his great uncle and was supported by his grandfather, certainly, and calling for more capitalism, those are the kind
of comments that, up until recently, would get you into serious, serious trouble.
Obviously, if your last name is Castro, there are exceptions to that rule. He seems to feel that this opening is coming and he's more free to voice
these kinds of opinions, as always say here Becky, we'll just have to see.
ANDERSON: Fascinating. Thank you. Really interesting, good. All right.
[10:29:55]
Up next, major new humanitarian concerns in Lebanon with UNICEF saying one- fifth -- one-fifth of the country's population has been displaced in just weeks.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You are watching CONNECT THE WORLD with me, Becky Anderson. These are your headlines.
And some U.S. transport security officers are starting to see some back pay hit their bank accounts. That is after an executive order signed by U.S.
President Donald Trump, roughly 61,000 workers have missed multiple paychecks since what was this partial U.S. government shutdown began in
mid-February.
Oil prices up again following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump and strikes against Israel by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, deepening fears the
Middle East conflict is escalating.
Brent crude has jumped to its highest level since 2022 Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, of course.
Well, President Trump is threatening to destroy Iran's energy infrastructure and desalination plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not
reopened after a deal. In a social media post, he also claims talks with a "new" and more reasonable Iranian regime are going well. Iran denies any
progress is being made through negotiations.
While the world focuses on the war with Iran, Israel is tightening control of the occupied West Bank. Now, the Israeli military says it is suspending
a reserve battalion that detained CNN crew in the West Bank just 48 hours after our report of the incident first aired.
CNN's Jeremy Diamond was part of that crew. He is in Tel Aviv now.
Jeremy, for those who haven't seen your report and it has been widely viewed on digital and social. What happened and how has this story been
received in Israel?
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, my team and I went to the West Bank village of Tayasir last Thursday to document what was
the establishment of a new illegal Israeli settler outpost and settler violence being carried out against Palestinians.
But what ultimately happened to us was something we didn't expect. A group of Israeli soldiers coming up on us, pointing their weapons at us,
detaining us as well. But the conversations we had with those soldiers during our nearly two-hour detention proved extraordinarily revealing about
the settler ideology motivating them as well.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND (voice over): 75-year-old Abdullah Daraghmeh moans in pain. His breathing is labored, his face bloodied, bruised and swollen.
ABDULLAH DARAGHMEH, VICTIM OF SETTLER ATTACK: (INAUDIBLE)
[10:35:02]
Bones broken.
DARAGHMEH: (INAUDIBLE)
DIAMOND (voice over): His family and multiple eyewitnesses say Israeli settlers stormed into his home in the middle of the night and beat him to a
pulp. In his West Bank village of Tayasir, those same settlers have now established an outpost, considered illegal even under Israeli law. Soldiers
standing idly by, until something else draws their attention.
Producer Abeer Salman (PH) identifies us as journalists before translating the soldiers' commands.
ABEER SALMAN, CNN PRODUCER: Sit down. Sit down.
DIAMOND: So, the soldiers just immediately came up and started pointing the weapons directly at us, telling everyone to sit down immediately.
Obviously, we're not posing any threat here.
DIAMOND (voice over): The commander comes straight for our camera. And within seconds --
DIAMOND (text): What are you doing? We are journalists. What are you doing?
DIAMOND (voice over): A soldier has just put photojournalist Cyril Theophilos in a chokehold, forcing him to the ground.
DIAMOND: Don't touch him like that. Don't touch him like that. Give me my phone.
DIAMOND (voice over): The soldier who assaulted Theophilos continues to demand he turn off his camera before another smacks my phone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't understand, I don't understand.
DIAMOND: So, as you can see, what we have seen happen in the last 24 hours is that settlers came to this area. They settled that hilltop.
And now, you have a lot of soldiers coming to this area with the Palestinians in this area. They are on top of the home of Ahmad (PH), the
man that we were just speaking to.
And we are seeing the soldiers treat the Palestinians in the area as the threat, when really what started this problem was, obviously, the settlers
who came in the middle of the night and took over land that's not theirs.
DIAMOND (voice over): The Palestinians here are detained and questioned. Soldiers detain us, too, and walk us back to our vehicle. They say they are
trying to establish order between settlers and Palestinians.
But as the cameras keep rolling, it becomes clear these soldiers are here in service of the settler movement.
MEIR, ISRAELI SOLDIER (text): We are hero because this is our place.
DIAMOND (text): Is this your village?
MEIR (text): The land is ours.
DIAMOND (text): So, all the West Bank is yours?
MEIR (text): Of course! And not just for the soldiers, for the Jews!
DIAMOND (voice-over): They also say it's personal. These soldiers tell me they were friends with the 18-year-old settler who authorities say was
killed last week by a Palestinian driver. Palestinians dispute that account.
MEIR (text): If you had a brother and they kill him, what would you have done?
DIAMOND (text): So, that's revenge?
MEIR (text): Revenge.
DIAMOND (text): You are talking about revenge. But you are a soldier. Is this normal to carry out revenge? As a soldier?
MEIR (text): Listen, at the end of the day, if the State doesn't address what they did, those who murdered the youth, the settler last week,
remember? What do you expect us to do?
DIAMOND: So, we are currently detained by the Israeli military. They have told us to sit in our cars and wait. As you can see, one of them is right
here.
And, you know, what's really quite striking is the fact that so many of these soldiers are clearly manifesting the same kind of settler ideology.
DIAMOND (voice over): This soldier, Meir, makes that crystal clear.
MEIR: (INAUDIBLE)
DIAMOND (text): They don't have permission to be here even under Israeli law.
MEIR: (INAUDIBLE)
DIAMOND (text): Even under Israeli law, this isn't a settlement. This isn't a legal settlement.
MEIR (text): That's right. But it will be a legal settlement.
DIAMOND (text): It will be.
MEIR: (INAUDIBLE)
DIAMOND (text): How do you know this?
MEIR (text): Slowly, slowly.
DIAMOND (text): Thanks to your help, right?
MEIR (text): Of course. I help my people.
DIAMOND (voice over): Meir is describing the settler playbook and the role Israeli soldiers often play in propping it up.
The Israeli military did not respond to CNN's questions about soldiers' conduct in the West Bank, including our detention.
Amid the war with Iran, those efforts are intensifying, with at least four outposts established this week alone. Land often taken with the blood of
Palestinians.
I didn't expect this, Abdullah's son says. This is not normal.
DIAMOND: So, just as we are visiting one patient in the hospital from a settler attack, we have just learned that there have been multiple other
settler attacks in the area, and one of the patients is at the same hospital.
DIAMOND (voice over): 29-year-old Saqer Salman says a scuffle broke out after settlers came onto his land, and one of them clubbed him in the back
of the head.
When soldiers arrived, he says they arrested him and beat him with the butt of their guns.
SAQER SALMAN, VICTIM OF SETTLER ATTACK (through translator): The soldiers are a protection for the settlers. I would tell the soldiers that they
stole my sheep, and they would say that I'm lying and that I'm the one who attacked them. And every time I'd try to say something, the soldiers would
beat me.
DIAMOND: Settlers, he says, always go free.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DIAMOND (on camera): And Becky, the Israeli military has indeed taken what appears to be unprecedented action in the result of this, both in speed and
in scope, with the Israeli military's chief of staff suspending the entire battalion from operations in the West Bank, sending them back for training.
All of that happening within 48 hours of our report airing. In addition, Meir, that soldier that you saw speaking about revenge, about helping
illegal settler outposts become legal, he has been dismissed from the Israeli military altogether. The soldier who assaulted my cameraman, Cyril
Theophilos, he has been -- he is under investigation now by Israel's military police. We will follow, of course, the results of that
investigation.
But I do think it's important to note that the swiftness and the scale of this response is only really happening in large part because of who we are,
because we are journalists working for an American news network. We have seen incidents similar to this before, involving Palestinian journalists
where there is no accountability.
We have also continued to watch as settler violence in the West Bank has continued to increase at a dramatic pace. And on that count, as well, we
have not yet heard a sufficient response from the Israeli military about what they are going to do to counter that growing settler violence against
Palestinians, and that is also an issue that we will continue to cover extensively. Becky.
ANDERSON: Yes. Jeremy, is in Tel Aviv for you today. Jeremy, good to have you, and I'm glad that you are all fine. Thank you.
Well, the United Nations Children's Fund, says 20 percent of Lebanon's population has been displaced in just three weeks. Human rights groups have
been raising major concerns about the humanitarian situation in Lebanon. They warn that Israel's demolition bridges over the Litani River, for
example, will cut off tens of thousands from essential lifelines.
Israel is pushing forward with strikes against Hezbollah targets. The Israeli prime minister is ordering the expansion of what he describes as a
security buffer zone in southern Lebanon in response to continuing attacks by the Iran-backed group.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL (through translator): We are in a multi arena campaign. We are striking with immense force against Iran and
its proxies.
We are achieving great accomplishments, achievements that are creating visible cracks in the terrorist regime in Tehran. In Lebanon, I have now
instructed to further expand the existing security zone in order to finally thwart the threat of invasion and to push the anti-tank missile fire away
from our border.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, a journalist in Lebanon says the country is facing its biggest challenge in decades. Earlier, I spoke to Maya Gebeily, who is the
Reuters bureau chief for Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. I asked her about how Beirut is responding diplomatically.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAYA GEBEILY, REUTERS BUREAU CHIEF FOR LEBANON, SYRIA, AND JORDAN: As you said. I mean, the Lebanese president really took what is a big step
domestically to say, I'm ready to have direct talks with the Israelis on a cease fire.
And unfortunately, it seems that his call has fallen on deaf ears. There is really, as far as we have heard from U.S. officials and from others, there
is very little bandwidth right now for the U.S., which is kind of all consumed by the conflict with Iran, TO try to mediate a deal between the
Israelis and the Lebanese at this stage. So, there is no active diplomatic track in terms of a state-to-state diplomacy.
And so, instead, what we are hearing from sources here, from sources across the region, is that Hezbollah is really banking and counting on the fact
that Iran will make sure that Lebanon is included in any kind of regional deal that it gets with the U.S. and with the Israelis.
But we -- as you said, we don't know what that looks like. We don't know how long it's going to take. We don't know how many more Lebanese will be
displaced or killed in that -- in that -- in that time. So, not a lot of Lebanese are pinning their hopes on that, obviously, they are hoping that
any diplomatic resolution will put an end to Israeli strikes and ground advances.
But there is -- there is not -- it doesn't look like there is. -- there i's a lot of progress that we can hang our hat on.
ANDERSON: And briefly, and finally, where does this all leave Lebanon, the Lebanese people, including those in the Shia population, who are not
supporters of Hezbollah.
GEBEILY: It's probably one of the most challenging times for Lebanon since the civil war that ended in 1990, because it's a confluence of all of these
crises all at once. I mean, you have an internal crisis. You have the divisions that were -- that were pitting the Lebanese government against
Hezbollah all throughout last year.
Now, you have an Israeli ground operation that could go as far as 30 kilometers into Lebanese territory. You have a massive displacement crisis.
You have a strain on public networks that are already severely underfunded. So, it's really kind of the confluence of all of these crises that Lebanon
has had to do with, one by one in the past, and they are all converging at once and presenting some really serious challenges.
[10:45:02]
Not just in terms of territory that Lebanon could lose in the long term, but in terms of the internal challenges and the internal tensions between
these different sectarian funds.
And presenting some really serious challenges, not just in terms of territory that Lebanon could lose in the long term, but in terms of the
internal challenges and the internal tensions between these, these different sectarian communities.
And one of the biggest fears that people have is that if there is a occupation of southern Lebanon, where will this, this population of 1
million displaced people, go? It's a tiny country. And what are those tensions going to look like?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, following a backlash, Israel's Prime Minister now says that the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem will be given access to the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher. The patriarch has said, Israeli police prevented the church' senior leaders from going inside the church to celebrate Palm
Sunday Mass. That is something that has not happened in centuries.
The church is believed to be the sight of Jesus's burial and resurrection. Israeli authorities have been restricting access to religious sites in East
Jerusalem during the war with Iran.
Well, still to come, funding for the Department of Homeland Security hangs in the balance, while U.S. lawmakers take a two-week holiday. Closer look
is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Let's get you more on the ongoing funding showdown in Capitol Hill. This is an important story. U.S. House Republicans are not budging on
their rejection of what is a bipartisan Senate passed deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security or the DHS.
Now, it's a position that is prolonging the partial government shutdown since lawmakers in both chambers left Washington for a two-week holiday
recess last week.
Now, TSA workers in the meantime, are receiving a much-needed break. On Friday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that shifted funds
to agents so that they can get paid. Let's get you more on this.
CNN's Stephen Collinson, in the house for you today.
Donald Trump facing pressure both domestically and internationally at the moment. Let's start at home. How likely are the Democrats to budge with
this bill, Stephen?
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Well, I think Donald Trump has taken away the incentive for them to do a deal, because by paying these
TSA security workers, who check all your baggage at the airport when you go through security, he has relieved the pressure, I think.
I think, this tells us that Trump believed that he was getting the blame for these long lines at airports more than the Democrats were. The
Democrats are trying to wring concessions from immigration federal agents. And the way they, you know, fulfill their jobs, they want them to take off
masks, et cetera -- et cetera.
So, I think this tells that Trump thinks he was getting hurt more by this situation, because it fed into an impression of general malaise in the
country, that nothing works.
[10:50:05]
And the real action now is between Republicans in the House and Republicans in the Senate, because the Senate did this deal with Democrats to end this
crisis. And then, House Republicans turned against it. So, I think it just tells us that the Republican Party, even when it tries to govern, isn't
very successful at doing so.
ANDERSON: Let's have a look at the latest Reuters Ipsos polling. It shows Trump's approval rating fell to its lowest point since he returned to the
White House. 36 percent of Americans approve of Trump's job performance. Only 29 percent of the country approves of Trump's economic handling. What
do you make of these numbers? And perhaps, more importantly, what will the White House making these numbers.
COLLINSON: Well, they are disastrous politically going into a Midterm Election campaign, which is starting to get going now. The Midterm
Elections for all of the House and a third of the Senate take place in November.
And if Donald Trump loses those two chambers, he faces a very grim last two years in office. He will be constantly investigated and harassed by the
Democrats, and won't be able to get anything through Congress, even though, let's face it, the Republican Congress hasn't been that successful in terms
of legislation, apart from his big tax cut either.
I think it's fair to ask how much Donald Trump is aware of these numbers? Is he getting outside advice? That's also a pertinent question, I think,
when we come to the issue of what he is doing on Iran.
And also, does he care?
ANDERSON: Yes.
COLLINSON: Has he gone past the point now where he really cares about other Republicans?
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: Yes.
COLLINSON: That's one reason why so many people are worried about whether he will try to interfere with the Midterm Election results.
ANDERSON: I think -- I think that's a really good point. I mean, does he actually care about Congress, about the Republican Party, about these
midterms? He certainly doesn't want to see himself as a lame duck going forward. He campaigned on a no foreign policy now -- no foreign policy,
sort of no endless wars.
Oil prices now high, and we are in a midst of a new Middle East war. Just very briefly, how are Trump's voters reacting to that very specifically,
and the prospect -- there is a threat out there by Donald Trump himself, of ground troops involved.
COLLINSON: I think it depends on which Trump voters you are talking about. The hardcore Trump MAGA voters are still with the president, if you look at
all the polls. But the new voters he brought to his coalition, the ones that got him elected, you know, black male voters, for example, some
younger voters, some independents who are worried about prices, they have all peeled away from him now. He is down to his hard core.
Those voters don't necessarily get independent news. They watch conservative T.V. or social media. So, they may not be getting the full
picture about how everything is going.
But if gas prices start shooting up even further, diesel is very painful for a lot of people working in the trucking industry, and if troops do go
into ground operations in Iran, I think, that has the potential, maybe to even cause fractures in that Trump hardcore support.
ANDERSON: Which is about what, 35-36 percent as we understand it.
Stephen, it's good to have you. Thank you very much indeed.
Well, from dimmed streets to limits on air conditioning, countries around the world are doing whatever they can to cope with what are the soaring
energy prices. More on that is after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:55:26]
Well, the sharp spike in energy prices caused by the Iran war is being felt across the world. And I just want to close out this hour by taking a look
at how some countries are actually mitigating that impact. Egypt dimming its lights at night, and the government is enforcing earlier closing times
for cafes and shops to reduce energy consumption. An odd policy, to be honest, for a city that never sleeps, creating these unusual scenes of dark
Cairo streets.
Well, in Thailand, the government pushing people to ditch their suits and wear short sleeves to reduce reliance on air condition, which is now capped
at 26 degrees Celsius for all government offices.
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, to conserve fuel, the government there announcing a reduced four-day work week at public institutions and cars can only be
filled up on specific days.
Just a snapshot of what is going on in this part of the world, and as you can see in Asia.
Well, that is it for CONNECT THE WORLD. Stay with CNN though. "ONE WORLD" of course, is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
