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One World with Zain Asher
Israeli Cabinet To Vote Tuesday On Hezbollah Ceasefire Deal; Palestinians fear More Evictions In West Bank Under Trump; Putin Says Russia Launched New Missile At Ukraine; Some Cabinet Picks Face Uncertain Conformation Prospects; Latino Voters Discuss Their Reasons For Supporting Trump; G7 Foreign Ministers Meet In Italy To Discuss Conflicts; Jailed Brothers Expected To Appear In Court Next Hour; Aired 12-1p ET
Aired November 25, 2024 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[12:00:39]
ZAIN ASHER, CNN ANCHOR: Coming to you live from New York, I'm Zain Asher. My colleague, Bianna Golodryga is off today. You are watching ONE WORLD.
After a conflict that escalated dramatically over the past two months, there are now fresh hopes for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. A
source says that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has approved the emerging deal in principle and that the Israeli cabinet is going to be
voting on the agreement on Tuesday.
This happening as the death toll climbs in Lebanon. Lebanese officials say that dozens were killed in Israeli strikes in Beirut and beyond over the
weekend.
Lebanon's health ministry says that Israeli strikes have killed more than 3,000 people since mid-September. The IDF says it struck a dozen Hezbollah
command centers in Beirut Sunday night. Hezbollah fired some 250 projectiles from Lebanon on Sunday. Some were intercepted by Israel's air
defenses.
Let's bring in Nic Robertson joining us live now from Jerusalem. So, Nic, just talk us through what more we know about this potential ceasefire
agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, including the 60-day transition period. And also the fact that the Israeli military would be required to
withdraw from Southern Lebanon. Take us through that.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yes. And I think the indications are not just coming from here in Israel that this cabinet
meeting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held last night with his members of cabinet and his senior security officials gave rise to this
decision to have another cabinet meeting and to move in the direction with some reservations about the ceasefire.
But also we've been hearing that from in the region as well, from outside of Israel, that they feel that a deal is getting close.
There's been a significant uptick in the military escalation on both sides on Sunday, for example, 250 Hezbollah rockets and missiles fired into
Israel. That's a huge number.
And, again, on the Israeli side, a huge number of IDF strikes going into Lebanon at Hezbollah targets. That's symptomatic, if we compare it to back
in 2006, when there was a similar ceasefire deal was struck back then between Hezbollah and the Israeli government. There was an uptick in
violence and exchanges of fire just before the ceasefire.
So, you know, some of the atmospherics around this look right. The prime minister is indicating the country is moving in that direction --
reservations. I think one of the principal reservations we have heard about is the fact that the Israelis want to be able to strike Hezbollah
immediately if they violate the cease-fire during that 60-day period.
The foreign minister today laid out equal terms. Hezbollah pulling back 30 miles north of the border, north of the Litani River. That's back to an old
U.N.-agreed position that Hezbollah hadn't stuck to.
They want as well -- the foreign minister was saying, for Hezbollah not to be allowed to rebuild and rearm itself going forward, that seems to be a
big ask in a sovereign country. But that's one of the things he's saying.
But I think perhaps the sharpest thorn in the side of the Israeli prime minister at the moment is his hard-right members of his cabinet, Itamar
Ben-Gvir, the national security minister today, said he told the prime minister that absolutely not, that he should not stop fighting Hezbollah,
that they were weakened and that this was the moment to crush them. And he said, you know, continue, continue. Those were his words, he said to the
prime minister.
So it seems to be where the direction he may vote in tomorrow. Obviously, the prime minister has time to discuss this with all the different parties
in his coalition before then.
But I don't -- it does appear that what we're hearing from the prime minister's office is that they feel reasonably confident that this will go
through.
ASHER: Yes. Because, of course, as we touched on any ceasefire agreement would have to be approved by the Israeli cabinet. As you point out, they
are set to convene tomorrow, Tuesday.
So, Nic, I also understand that you've been speaking to Palestinians in the West Bank and talking to them really about what a Trump presidency would
mean for the potential rise of Israeli settlers in the area. Just take us through that.
ROBERTSON: Yes. One of the big concerns is that President Trump's pick for ambassador is Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor, evangelical
Christian, who takes the same view as settlers here, that he's also said that he doesn't believe there are Palestinians, that he thinks that Israel
has the right to the West Bank.
It's the occupied West Bank. International law says this is land that Israel is occupying. But the settlers in this country believe the same
thing as Huckabee. And there is a strong right wing group within the Israeli Cabinet that also believe that and want to annex the whole of the
West Bank. And this is what the new potential ambassador is going to walk into here.
[12:05:22]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE HUCKABEE, FORMER GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS: Mike Huckabee, and at times controversial visitor to Israel, looks set to return as President-elect
Donald Trump's pick to be ambassador. If he does, he'll have plenty of friends.
Yishai Fleisher, an activist and settler, has met with Huckabee many times.
YISHAI FLEISHER, SETTLER LEADER: He happens to be a great friend of Israel and of the kind of Israel that I represent, that lives in its ancestral
heartland, which is Judea and Samaria, what on CNN may be called the West Bank.
ROBERTSON: Even the occupied West Bank.
FLEISHER: Right, even occupied West Bank. But we don't see it that way.
ROBERTSON: But the history of the West Bank is complex and deeply disputed.
Under international law, Israel is deemed to be occupying the land.
Huckabee will be arriving when settler violence against Palestinians is significantly up over Trump's last administration.
And the Israeli government's claim to the land is at its most politically charged in years. Powerful right-wing nationalists in the government want
to annex the entire occupied West Bank. So too does Fleischer.
FLEISHER: We're still fighting a war of liberation for that piece of land.
ROBERTSON: And is Huckabee going to be helpful in that liberation?
FLEISHER: I think he will be.
ROBERTSON: Fifty miles north, on the fringes of the West Bank Palestinian village, Bardala, Israeli diggers are gouging out a new barrier through the
middle of Palestinian farms on land, they say, is a security risk.
The Israeli government is in the process of taking more land, the head of the council tells me, claiming no security threats here.
What the media is talking about with Huckabee is already happening, he says. These actions are part of Israel's systematic policies to occupy and
annex all of this land. Their goal is to drive us out of this area. He shows me documents, he says, prove Palestinian families have owned this
land for more than a century.
As we talk, Israeli troops show up to serve an eviction notice on the farmer below. It's been told his buildings are unlicensed.
What he's saying is this document is the official document informing him that he has to be off this land by 9 A.M. on the 4th of December,
otherwise, all of this, he loses it.
Khalid (ph) is 60 years old, heartbroken. I don't know how to describe my feelings to you, he says. This is my livelihood, my children rely on it.
Then someone comes along and takes it away. You can't argue with them. We have no power. They have the power.
In the villages around here, they call this silent annexation. Little by little, the Palestinians losing their land to Israeli settlement expansion.
ALON PINKAS, FORMER ISRAELI DIPLOMAT: If Israel unilaterally annexes large parts, large swaths of the West Bank. This is not going to fly well in the
Arab world.
ROBERTSON: Pinkas is a former Israeli diplomat, believes Huckabee's settler friends could harm Trump's bigger objectives. Saudi-Israel normalization.
PINKAS: He's going to be pressured by the Saudis, the Qataris, and the Emiratis to strike a bigger deal. He's going to want to build on the
Abraham Accords.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Saudi Arabia veru soon.
ROBERTSON: The price of which Trump's biggest regional friend, Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, says is a Palestinian state.
MOHAMMAD SHTAYYEH, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF THE STATE OF PALESTINE: Maybe there is an opportunity with Saudi Arabia for us. And that is why we're
closely coordinating with Saudi Arabia.
ROBERTSON: The Palestinian authority's former prime minister believes it's Trump's friends who will triumph in influencing the Israeli government, not
Huckabee's.
SHTAYYEH: This man is not the one who will be dictating the shots. He's a player, he's an important player, but he's not the player, he's not the
president.
ROBERTSON: By the time Huckabee arrives, more land, like farmer Khalid's will have been seized.
What will the future hold, he says? It's a question everyone here is asking.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: And I think if you want to understand which way the Israeli government is thinking under the Biden administration, they put more --
they were told and asked to put more pressure on this sort of violent settler element, which they did.
[12:10:09]
Now, just last week, the Netanyahu government has decided to lift those pressures and controls on those settler youths.
ASHER: All right. Nic Robertson, thank you so much.
All right. Police in the UAE have three men in custody after the murder of an Israeli rabbi there. Rabbi Zvi Kogan has -- had been filmed by a friend
just days before his murder. He had been missing since Thursday.
On Sunday, the UAE Interior Ministry said that his body had been recovered. They arrested three Uzbek nationals in connection with the murder. Israel's
prime minister calls his death an anti-Semitic act of terror.
Russian troops have a British man in custody. They say they captured him while he was fighting for Ukraine in Russia's Kursk Region. According to
Russian state media, his name is James Scott Rhys Anderson. They add that the 22-year-old is actually a former British soldier. The British Foreign
Office will only say that it is supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention.
Russia says that it will use every means at its disposal to protect itself. As comments from a senior diplomat come after Moscow fired a new non-
nuclear ballistic missile at Ukraine's Dnipro Region last Thursday.
President Vladimir -- President Vladimir Putin, rather, said in a televised speech that the strike was a response to Ukraine's use of American and
British long-range weapons against targets inside Russia.
CNN's senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen is joining us live now from Moscow.
So, Fred, Putin has also launched one of the largest drone attacks as well since invading Ukraine. That, of course, combined with the hypersonic
missile that we saw Russia launch just last week Thursday, really shows that Russia is indeed stepping up its game in the wake of the U.S.
providing those ATACMS.
Just take us through what sort of air defenses Ukraine has, especially when it comes to the drone -- the drone strikes.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think as far as the drone strikes are concerned, the Ukrainians certainly are very
capable air defenses. One of the things that we have seen, of course, over the past, I'd say about year and a half since the Russians have been
conducting these massive strikes against Ukrainians' towns and cities and, of course, also against critical infrastructure as well, is that the West
has provided a lot of air defense systems that are very capable.
Now, these drone swarms that the Russians often use, and they really have increased that. You're absolutely right.
Those are usually taken down by the Ukrainians by using means that are as inexpensive as possible because we have a lot of drones flying. They fly
very low and slow, so it's quite easy to take them down, but not when they fly in these swarms.
So the Ukrainians, as far as that is concerned, believe that they are in fairly decent shape, although we have seen more drone hits coming from the
Russians over the past couple of weeks.
As far as this new missile is concerned, though, Zain, the Ukrainians definitely, at this point in time, have very little that would be capable
of taking that down. We saw some of that just now in the footage of those several warheads that impacted on the city of Dnipro last week.
And the Russians are saying that they are willing to even up the ante even more. They threaten the United States. They've also threatened the
Ukrainians by doing even more than they already have, as more and more Russians are also heading to the front to fight. Here's what we're
learning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: As the war in Ukraine nears the three-year mark, more and more Russians are signing up to fight.
Vladimir Putin saying more than 700,000 are currently stationed in and around Ukraine.
We got rare access to an event in Moscow honoring the mothers of Russian soldiers battling in what the Kremlin still calls its special military
operation, mothers whose sons are fighting have been killed or injured.
Oksana Medvedeva's son Yegor (ph) was severely-wounded on the battlefield earlier this year.
He had surgery on his leg and the nerves had to be sewn back together, she says. He also had surgery on his jaw, but it still has not recovered
properly. He's still being treated. I am proud of my son that he is such a hero.
While the Russians have been making significant battlefield gains recently, they appear to come at a heavy price. Moscow doesn't publish casualty
figures, but Western governments believe the attrition rate among Russian forces is significant.
To increase manpower, the U.S. and Ukraine say more than 11,000 North Korean troops are now also on Moscow's side, mostly in Russia's Kursk
Region.
Yelena Yemelina's son, Mikhail (ph), is still fighting in Ukraine. She won't say where, but acknowledges for him it's tough.
[12:15:08]
PLEITGEN: He went through a lot of moments he doesn't like to talk about, she says. But I found out by chance I think he's a true hero.
The U.S. and its allies continue to condemn Russia's president, urging him to withdraw from Ukraine immediately. But this week, instead, a major
escalation.
After the Biden administration allowed Ukraine to use longer distance U.S. and U.K.-supplied missiles to strike deep inside Russia, Putin hit back
with a new intermediate range ballistic missile capable of delivering devastating nuclear warheads and he threatened to hit U.S. assets as well.
We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against the military objects of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our
objects, he said.
Back at the event, for the soldier's mothers, a Russian parliamentarian backing Putin up.
We are a strong country and we've been patient for a very long time, she said. But in the case of mass deaths of our people, if the collective West
does not sober up, we should proceed to more decisive actions. We can no longer lose any of our men.
But for now, the battles continue to escalate and the losses continue to mount as Vladimir Putin warns the war is increasingly becoming a struggle
between Russia and the West.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: And certainly, Zain, what we are seeing is a lot of those battlefronts really heating up in the Ukraine war, especially in the east
and the southeast of the country as well.
And as far as that hypersonic ballistic missile is concerned that the Russians used for the first time, I can tell you, over the weekend, that
has really been a big talking point for the Kremlin, also for other Russian politicians as well.
In fact, Vladimir Putin coming out very late on Friday and saying the Russians wants to mass-produce this missile and that they will repeatedly
test it in battlefield conditions, being that the Russians, if things continued the way that they are, intend to use this again against Ukrainian
targets, Zain.
ASHER: Yes. The Kremlin, no doubt, sees this as an opportunity to display strength.
Fred Pleitgen, live for us there. Thank you so much.
Authorities are investigating what caused the deadly cargo plane to crash a few kilometers from the runway at an airport in Lithuania. The DHL plane
skidded narrowly, missing a direct hit on a house, then burst into flames.
You can actually see that moment was caught on video here. The plane was arriving from Germany when it went down earlier today. One crew member
died. But remarkably three others on the plane and 12 people in the house survived. Lithuanian police say they have not ruled out the possibility of
terrorism just yet.
All right. Still to come, confirmation controversy. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's effort to fill his second administration with questionable
cabinet picks faces its next big test. How? How will Republicans respond?
Plus, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Italy for his very last G7 foreign minister's meeting. We'll look at what is on the agenda. That's
coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:20:46]
ASHER: All right. Now, that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has finalized his cabinet, the nominees face their next big test, Senate confirmation
hearings. And at least two of Trump's picks are under sharp scrutiny.
Critics say that Tulsi Gabbard, picked by Trump to lead U.S. intelligence services, is compromised and has spread pro-Russian propaganda.
And Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth, Trump's choice for defense secretary, is denying sexual assault allegations against him. Many
Democrats are also alarmed by his lack of experience.
Still, some lawmakers say that despite concern over certain nominees, not all of them are actually raising red flags.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADAM SCHIFF, INCOMING U.S. SENATE DEMOCRAT: I think Marco Rubio is enormously well qualified for the job for which he's been nominated. I
still want to ask questions. I'm not going to completely prejudge even him, but he's unquestionably qualified and there are others as well.
But some really stand out for the risk they would present to the American people.
KRISTEN WELKER, NBC NEWS HOST: So right now, Senator Rubio would have your vote as a yes?
SCHIFF: Well, I'm strongly inclined that way. I don't want to prejudge completely because you never can tell what comes out in the vetting
process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: CNN's Alayna Treene joins us live now from West Palm Beach, Florida.
So, Alayna, the big question is just how is the Trump team sort of navigating and bracing for what may be a difficult Senate confirmation
hearing process for some of his most controversial picks, including Tulsi Gabbard for DNI and Pete Hegseth for defense secretary?
ALAYNA TREENE, CNN REPORTER: Right. Well, I'll also just note, Zain, that Donald Trump has moved incredibly quickly to fill out his core cabinet. If
you compare it to where he was in 2016 or where Joe Biden was at the same point in his transition, they had few, if any, cabinet picks at this point.
And so really, we have seen Donald Trump move very aggressively to try and get his picks announced. And now really the attention at Mar-a-Lago is
turning to how he is going to get them through their confirmation processes.
As one thing we know is that Donald Trump's transition team has begun assigning some of these different nominees, certain help and advisors to
really help Sherpa them through this process.
I also know that many members of the team are calling up different senators and trying to really get a sense of what could these picks key
vulnerabilities be.
Another thing as well as they're beginning to start to line up some interviews and kind of chances for these different nominees and appointees
to go to Capitol Hill and meet with some of these senators one on one and behind closed doors to, again, get a sense of, OK, what are the concerns
that these members have? And how can we assuage those concerns and really try to get them through this process with as much support as they can?
Now, part of that as well is them back channeling with these members and talking to these members. We noted last week before Matt Gaetz, Donald
Trump's initial choice to lead the Justice Department, had withdrew his name. Donald Trump himself had begun calling up privately different
senators and trying to get them to, you know, back his choices.
And I believe that is going to continue to happen move closer to some of these hearings and we really start to see what issues some of them have.
Now, you mentioned Tulsi Gabbard and Pete Hegseth specifically. Those are definitely two of Donald Trump's picks that many people on Capitol Hill are
showing some concerns with. One, Tulsi Gabbard. She is a former Democrat, but mainly the concerns we're hearing are, one, her views on surveillance.
She has shown a deep skepticism for the way that the American government has conducted their different surveillance. And also a deep distrust of
some of the agencies that she is likely to be overseeing, but also some of the meetings that she has held.
People are pointing to a 2017 meeting when Tulsi Gabbard was a democratic congresswoman. She had went to Syria to meet with the leader Bashar al-
Assad. People have some questions for that, including Republicans. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma had said he has serious questions about that
meeting that he wants to address with her behind closed doors.
As for Hegseth, not only are the sexual assault allegations that have resurfaced from 2017 starting to weigh on some of these members' minds, but
also this question of, is he experienced enough to lead the entire U. S. Armed Forces?
So all of this is playing out as well at Mar-a-Lago. They are vetting these candidates behind closed doors with private firms trying to get a sense of
how they can, you know, try to see and preview some of these land mines ahead of time and then ultimately overcome them before we see these Senate
confirmation hearings really begin in earnest and play out in the public. Zain?
[12:25:10]
ASHER: All right. Alayna Treene, live for us. Thank you.
And one of the factors that real did help push Donald Trump to victory earlier this month was the support that he got from Latinos.
CNN's Isabel Rosales went to Central Florida to talk with some of those voters who helped turned their county Republican for the first time in
decades.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIANA MARRERO-PINTO, PUERTO RICAN TRUMP SUPPORTER: See, these are the pork chops. And if you look, this is less than two pounds. And it's 5.49 a
pound.
The eggs, now, I mean, the eggs have gone up probably like 50 percent in price. And then milk's just another item that's completely gone up.
We're so tightly squeezed that we're living in an economy where all you're doing is working to live. And that's not the American dream.
ISABEL ROSALES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Whether it's sticker shock at the grocery store or watching her youngest son move out of Florida's
Osceola County, his dream of affording a home out of reach, Diana Marrero- Pinto's family has faced a bleak economic picture.
MARRERO-PINTO: People were tired. They were just tired. They were tired of prices going up.
ROSALES (voice-over): A registered independent, she voted Republican at the top of the ticket, but for Democrats in some local and congressional races.
In 2016, the Puerto Rican voted Donald Trump. But four years later, she went for Joe Biden, bothered in part about this 2017 incident, when Trump
threw paper towels at struggling Puerto Rican residents during the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
But now, Diana came back to Trump.
TONY HINCHCLIFFE, COMEDIAN: There's literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now.
ROSALES: What do you say about the Latino vote?
MARRERO-PINTO: You spend so much time trying to push down our throats that people like Trump have disrespected us by throwing paper towels and by, you
know, having a comedian that said what he said. You don't realize how much you disrespect us by insulting our intelligence and thinking that you just
have us in your back pocket.
We're just not going to stamp you -- rubber-stamp you because you have a D behind your name.
ROSALES: Latinos are in the majority here in Osceola County, in large part thanks to its thriving Puerto Rican community, one of the largest in the
Sunshine State. And how they vote is important.
Joe Biden beat Trump here by 14 points back in 2020. Four years earlier, Hillary Clinton won it by 25 points.
But this November, Trump narrowly won Osceola by less than two points on his way to carrying the state by a decisive margin.
Hey, Mark. I'm Isabel.
ROSALES (voice-over): The county's longtime GOP chairman not taken by surprise they flipped red.
ROSALES: What happened here with Trump? How did he do it?
MARK CROSS, GOP COUNTY CHAIRMAN: It basically is on the issues. You have to ask the question, were you better off four years ago than you are today?
And nobody in their right mind can say yes.
ROSALES: So, it's about the economy.
CROSS: The economy is part of it. I mean, the illegal immigration problem is part of it.
You know, when you talk about Puerto Ricans and how they vote, what I've noticed is, it's not really a Puerto Rican or a Latino vote, it's an
American vote.
ROSALES (voice-over): Americans by birthright, some Puerto Rican Trump supporters welcoming mass deportations.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no problems with anybody coming in to U.S. legally, but crossing the border, I don't care from what country. They
should be going back to their country and coming back legally into the country.
CARMEN CLAUDIO, PUERTO RICAN SUPPORTER: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE) He said, great America.
ROSALES: She thinks that Donald Trump is the answer to the future, that he's going to make the economy great again. And that he has already started
by getting undocumented people out of here.
CLAUDIO: Great America con (ph) Donald Trump.
ROSALES (voice-over): And as Diana plates the searing chuletas for dinner, her faith is unwavering.
ROSALES: Do you see Trump as a strong Christian man?
MARRERO-PINTO: I see Trump as someone who has foundational Christian values. I wasn't looking for a pastor. I didn't have to worry if he was a
saint.
Father God, we thank you for this food.
ROSALES (voice-over): No saint nor pastor, but a man, she says, who shares her values.
MARRERO-PINTO: Amen.
ROSALES: Here in Osceola County, there is an exceptionally large amount of nonparty-affiliated voters, meaning that both sides have to bring their A
game to court these voters.
Now, Mark Cross, that GOP county chairman that you saw in the story, he says that he is passing the torch. He is announcing the successor that he
is endorsing, and that person is a Puerto Rican pastor. And as a Latino, he would be the first to lead the local party.
I asked Cross, what is the message they're trying to send with that pick? And he told me that Republicans are looking to the future, that this is
someone who's young, someone who represents the community, showing that they are serious about this voting bloc.
In Kissimmee, Florida, Isabel Rosales, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
[12:30:02]
ASHER: All right. Still to come, Israel may be taking the next step to end the fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Major developments unfolding with a
ceasefire deal. Details for you, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: All right. Welcome back to ONE WORLD, I'm Zain Asher.
Let's talk about our top story, big developments coming out of Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office says that the Israeli cabinet
will vote tomorrow on the ceasefire deal that is being discussed right now with Hezbollah.
However, multiple sources stress that the agreement will not be final until all issues are resolved. This latest development comes amid a Human Rights
Watch investigation into an Israeli airstrike last month that killed three journalists in Lebanon with U.S.-made weapons.
The investigation found the strike was, quote, most likely a deliberate attack on civilians and an apparent war crime as well.
Time now for The Exchange. Joining me live now from Washington is Firas Maksad. Firas is a senior fellow and senior director for strategic outreach
at the Middle East Institute and is widely considered an expert in U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Firas, thank you so much for being with
us.
Just want to start by getting your reaction to this potential ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Obviously, we know that the Israeli cabinet
needs to approve it. They're going to be convening tomorrow, but all signs do point that there will be an approval in terms of the ceasefire.
But just your reaction, especially since Hezbollah had initially said that they wouldn't agree to any ceasefire at all with Israel unless there was an
end to the fighting in Gaza. Clearly, a lot has changed since then. Your thoughts?
FIRAS MAKSAD, SENIOR FELLOW AND SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR STRATEGIC OUTREACH, MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE: Zain, a lot has changed and a lot is also riding on
that. Some 3,500 Lebanese have lost their lives, over a million are internally displaced. And some 60,000 Israelis have also been outside of
their homes in Northern Israel now for the better part of a year. So, yes, a lot is riding on this.
No doubt that this war has not went well for Hezbollah or their Iranian backers. Israel and Bibi Netanyahu have had the upper hand and have
established escalation dominance. So a big question over the last couple of hours has been whether, in fact, Israel will sign on to that ceasefire.
[12:35:13]
And what we saw happen over the weekend is that the Israeli -- sorry, the American envoy, Amos Hochstein, pretty much sent an ultimatum to Israel
through its ambassador in Washington that he will withdraw that initiative should they not respond to it and respond positively.
So we're now all anticipating a positive response from Israel, but I would say that this is -- I am cautiously optimistic. There are still a lot of
details to be ironed out and a 70-day period in which this agreement needs to play out and be implemented. A lot of things can still go wrong.
ASHER: Yes. Cautiously optimistic, as are a lot of people. But you mentioned that Hezbollah, a lot has changed, but also that Hezbollah is
considerably weaker. I mean, first of all, its leadership has been completely decimated.
I do want to talk about Iran, because they are still vowing to retaliate against Israel. The fact that Hezbollah, obviously an Iran proxy, has now
sort of, well, is likely to reach some kind of ceasefire deal with Israel. Does that affect how Iran retaliates against Israel anyway? Your thoughts
MAKSAD: Absolutely. I mean, I don't think that Iran right now, despite the rhetoric, is in a place that it can retaliate against Israel. I just came
from a conversation here in Washington that was focused on Iran. And everybody agrees that Iran is extremely vulnerable in terms of its lack of
air defenses, given the last round of tit-for-tat in which Israel took down most of its air defenses.
But also, I like to always make the point that the most formidable defense that the regime had against Israel is Hezbollah. Hezbollah was -- it still
is its first line of defense. And that's also been significantly diminished and weakened.
So one of the things to look out for is that although the ceasefire agreement stipulates that any weapon shipments, any attempt by Iran to
replenish and rebuild Hezbollah is going to be meant with an Israeli strike and action. It'll be very interesting to see how Iran tries to go about
doing that without this ceasefire falling apart.
ASHER: So, what does Iran risk if it does still choose to retaliate against Israel? I mean, obviously, there is a sort of domestic support that the
Ayatollah has to consider, that wants Iran to retaliate against the Israelis. But at the same time, though, you know, any sort of attack
against Israel is going to backfire. And any sort of attack against Israel isn't necessarily going to do Israel that much harm as well.
So just give us your thoughts on what Iran risks here, by actually moving forward with some kind of retaliation.
MAKSAD: It is a very risky catalyst. On one hand, the regime does feel embarrassed and does feel the need to restore lost deterrence, vis-a -vis,
Israel.
But at the same time, as I mentioned, it's vulnerable. And the -- and the risk here is that many right now in capitals of influence, but particularly
in Washington, D.C. and in Israel, think that there is a window of an opportunity to act against Iran's nuclear program, a window before Iran
rebuilds and reconstitutes its air defense systems and before it rebuilds and reconstitutes Hezbollah in Lebanon and that it's at the precipice of
actually finalizing its nuclear program or weaponizing its nuclear program.
So there is this argument being made in the halls of power that maybe in the coming days and months. There's an opportunity and a closing window to
take advantage of. And if Iran launches any kind of response against Israel, it could very much be giving them that pretext, both Israel that
pretext and the U.S. to launch an attack against its nuclear program.
ASHER: As you know, Firas, one of the reasons that the Israelis have said, just in terms of why they decided to step up their operations against
Hezbollah, why they decided, you know, to launch this sort of ground incursion in Southern Lebanon, is because you had tens of thousands of
Israelis who had been forced to evacuate from their homes in Northern Israel.
Now that we're likely going to -- and I know we're both cautiously optimistic, we're likely going to see a ceasefire deal between Hezbollah
and Israel.
During that sort of 60-day transition period, how likely is there, just in terms of there being any movement in terms of getting those Israelis back
to their homes? That was Israel's stated goal from the get-go.
MAKSAD: Yes. I mean, I don't know how these Israelis will feel, how confident they will feel and what their government has been able to
accomplish. I suspect that they would certainly wait until sort of that 60, crucial 60-day period in which we're going to see a staggered and staged
withdrawal on both sides.
So we're going to see, according to this deal, the Israeli military begin its withdrawal from significant parts of South Lebanon, but we're also
going to have to see Hezbollah begin to withdraw heavy weaponries north of that Litani River, some 15 miles of the border, and the Lebanese military
stepping in to fill that void.
[12:40:06]
So there's going to be a lot of moving pieces to this, even if they are the best of intentions on both sides. And I think there are questionable
intentions on both sides, whether it's on the Israeli side where Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu might feel the need and the ability to do
more or the Iranians who are going to want to replenish Hezbollah stockpiles.
So it's a crucial 60-day period. And I think many Israelis will wait before they go back to their homes and their towns in the north.
ASHER: Yes. I mean, if you are a betting man, what would you -- what would you anticipate in terms of, you know, what's going to happen after that 60-
day period is over?
MAKSAD: Yes. I'm not a betting man. And I don't like that to venture into predicting the future much, but I'll say this.
I'll say that there's a component of this that has not been addressed at all yet, which is what happens the day after, particularly given the heavy
destruction and suffering on the Lebanese side of this.
We also understand that Lebanon is a very fragile state. It hasn't had a president for over two years now. Needs -- it has a caretaker government.
And this new reality of Hezbollah not being north of -- sorry, south of the Litani River, that all has to play domestically in Lebanon.
And so I worry about Lebanon's domestic stability. The last time we had a major Hezbollah-Israel war in 2006, Hezbollah ultimately turned its weapons
on the Lebanese and invaded West Beirut and attacked government offices as it tried to diminish Hezbollah's power.
And so a lot of what's being requested of the Lebanese government right now might put it at odds with Hezbollah. And we're going to have to wait and
see whether that's going to play out well for the Lebanese and how it's going to impact that ceasefire deal.
ASHER: All right. Firas Maksad, always good to talk to you. Thank you so much for being on the program.
All right. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine will be among the issues discussed as foreign ministers of the G7 meet in Italy both today and
tomorrow. Ukraine's foreign minister will attend the meetings on Tuesday.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Italy on Sunday. It will be his last G7 Summit before the Trump administration takes over the White
House in January.
Let's bring in CNN's Jennifer Hansler. She joins me live now from the State Department.
So, Jennifer, I mean, obviously, there is going to be a lot of concern about how a Trump presidency is going to dramatically alter the face of
Western foreign policy.
JENNIFER HANSLER, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT REPORTER: That's absolutely right, Zain. And that's going to be sort of the overshadowing issue of this last
foreign ministerial of the G7 that Blinken is attending right now.
How do they prepare for a potential massive change in policy when the new administration comes in? We've heard from the incoming president that he
wants to see a resolution to the war between Russia and Ukraine. He has suggested he would not back them in the same way that we have seen the
Biden administration backed Kyiv. So there has been a concerted push by the Biden administration to provide as much assistance, military assistance,
financial assistance to Kyiv as possible before they leave office in a little under two months. And we expect this to be a big point of
conversation among the foreign ministers there in Italy.
We have heard from European leaders saying that Europe needs to now take up the mantle of supporting Ukraine as the U.S. could be taking a less
leadership role in this conflict. And then, of course, the issues in the Middle East are what are front and center in today's meetings, the first
ministerial session this morning focused on the Middle East and the Red Sea escalation broadly in that region.
And later today, they will be joined by their Arab counterparts to talk about the ongoing wars in Gaza, the war between Israel and Lebanese
Hezbollah that there are efforts ongoing on this latter front to bring that to a close.
But the war in Gaza, still there is no resolution there, even as the U.S. has been saying they are pushing for a deal, a ceasefire and to put forward
what they call these day after plans for governance and security.
But, of course, there is a lot of question about whether those can actually move forward while Biden is still in office. Zain.
ASHER: All right. Jennifer Hansler at the State Department, thank you. We'll be right back with more after this short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[12:45:46]
ASHER: All right. It's been nearly 30 years since Brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez were sentenced to a life in a California prison for murdering
their parents. And now a judge must decide whether new evidence in their case could provide a path towards their release from prison.
The brothers are set to appear before a judge in Los Angeles next hour to discuss the next steps in their case.
CNN's Jean Casarez is following this story for us from New York. So they're going to be appearing 1:30 P.M. Eastern time. And this is a huge milestone
in terms of whether or not they could eventually end up walking free. This is a status hearing. Jean, take us through it.
JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You're exactly right. This is a milestone because it's been 28 years since they have been in a courtroom. They are
going to face this judge virtually from their prison.
However, they're going to be in the courtroom, so to speak. And the whole focus here today is potential new evidence, part of a habeas corpus
petition.
Now, this was filed by the defense in 2023. The district attorney's office never took it up. It wasn't brought before a judge.
But with George Gascon, who in days before the election, brought front and center the Menendez brothers possibly being released from prison.
Now that was on an area of the rehabilitation in prison, but this goes along with that because the defense is saying that, first of all, there was
a letter that was not allowed in the trials that Erik had written to his brother, his cousin, months before the murders, saying he was so afraid of
his father and his father could enter his bedroom at night and what was he going to do? And he wanted to talk with his mother, but he knew his mother
would tell his father. And they are saying that if a jury saw that letter, that they could have been found not guilty.
And then also, since that letter, one of the former members of Menudo came forward saying that he, as a young boy, was sexually assaulted by Jose
Menendez, who was a record executive at that time and did dealings with Menudo, the group. And so they are also alleging that.
Now, with the habeas proceeding, their conviction could be vacated, and then a new trial would be ordered.
Now, this is a status hearing today, so it's not a full-blown hearing on the merits of this habeas petition. But you never know what will happen and
how far and how deep into the facts or alleged facts that it will go today.
ASHER: And it's interesting, because there has been just such a renewed obsession about this case in pop culture because of that Netflix
documentary that recently came out that I know that you watched.
CASAREZ: Yes.
ASHER: Just talk us through that, because a lot of people are talking about this case. You even have supporters outside the courthouse literally
calling for their release and supporting family members who are calling for their release as well.
CASAREZ: Absolutely. In fact, I predict that people are going to have signs, they're going to be outside in front of the courthouse.
Now, the large family of the Menendez brothers, they are in -- virtually in support of this. The brother of Kitty Menendez, his mother, is against
releasing them.
But what's so interesting here is that there was all this publicity, all this PR, how many people are in prison that also are trying to do good
things in prison, but they don't have the Netflix documentary?
[12:50:10]
But the media push that this has given, and adding to that, Gascon, who is the current district attorney, he didn't win the election. So he's going to
be out in about a week and a day. And a brand new district attorney is coming in that will have his own thoughts and his own opinions.
So I think it is left to be determined if they will ultimately get out. But, of course, their defense attorney says that they are cautiously
optimistic. And I guess that's how you would be at this point.
ASHER: Yes. But you're right to mention the new district attorney being sworn in, because that could completely change the game for the Menendez
brothers.
CASAREZ: Absolutely.
ASHER: Jean Casarez, we have to leave it there. Thank you so much. We'll be right back with more.
CASAREZ: Thank you.
ASHER: Of course.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ASHER: I want to show you a Sunday mass like no other. This was Sunday in Madrid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(BELL DINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: You're looking at a so-called priest known as comedian Leo Bassi leading mass at a church that worships rubber ducks. Each weekend, Bassi
mixes humor, current affairs and some cracking for dozens of attendees.
He started the unusual church in 2012 to venerate the small things. And thanks to social media it has really taken off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're green.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Hollywood goes green as the movie "Wicked" tops the box office over the weekend. The musical adaptation of the Broadway show created a cultural
moment alongside another film that broke records as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're usually prisoners of war.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Acclaim this city for the glory of Rome.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: "Gladiator 2" fans waiting a long time for the sequel to the iconic film that won the Oscar for Best Picture 23 years ago. The two blockbusters
created a phenomenon that is being called Glicked, similar to what Barbie and Oppenheimer created back in 2023, just last year with Barbienheimer.
And last hour, U.S. President Joe Biden presided over a special pardon ceremony for the fourth and final time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
[12:55:03]
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And today, Peach and Blossom, will join the freed birds of the United States of America.
They were stayed nice listening to their favorite music, which apparently includes the song, "Livin' on a Prayer." Well, fellows, your prayers are
going to be answered today.
Based on your temperament and commitment to being productive members of society, I hereby pardon Peach and Blossom.
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ASHER: Thanks to President Biden, the two 18-kilogram birds were spared from being part of a Thanksgiving feast this week. They will instead live
on an educational farm in Minnesota.
It's the 77th year of the White House turkey pardon, which started during the Truman administration. A good way to start a Thanksgiving holiday week
here in the U.S.
All right. That does it for this hour of ONE WORLD. I'm Zain Asher. We appreciate you watching. "AMANPOUR" is up next. You're watching CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
