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Quest Means Business
Israel Marks One-Year Since Hamas Terror Attacks; Harris Plants Memorial Tree at Her Washington Residence; US Presidential Candidates Remember October 7 Victims. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired October 07, 2024 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:26]
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": Closing bell ringing on Wall Street. The gavel has been hit. The market is down quite
sharply, best part of 400. We were down over 400, so we have come back up a touch. It is all to do with bond yields and what's likely to happen with
interest rates.
But those are the markets, and these are the main events that we're talking about today.
A year after the Hamas attack on Israel, the war rages on, and more than a hundred hostages remain in captivity.
The second massive hurricane in less than a month heads towards Florida. It is the strongest storm so far this year.
And whose sums add up best? Trump and Harris' economic plans both projected to raise the US national debt.
Tonight, live from London on Monday, it's October the 7th. I'm Richard Quest, and I mean business.
Good evening.
It is a somber day in Israel as the country and the world marks, one year since the brutal October 7th terrorist attacks. The families of the victims
have been holding their remembrances across the country, and that includes the site of the massacre at the NOVA Music Festival.
Hamas militants killed, murdered 1,200 people in Southern Israel and took 250 hostages on the day.
In the war that has followed, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, and the fighting is now expanded to include Hezbollah in
Lebanon, and the conflict is threatening to escalate right across the region.
In Israel, the prime minister paid tribute to what he called the "Fallen of Jerusalem" in an event with the city's mayor. And demonstrators at the same
time, sounded a two-minute siren outside of the prime minister's residence, urging him to bring back the hostages.
Mr. Netanyahu said the country is obliged to get them home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): On this day, in this place, and many places in our country, we remember our fallen,
our abducted whom we are obliged to return, and our heroes who fell for the defense of the homeland and the country.
We went through a terrible massacre a year ago, and we stood up as a people, as lions and as people rises like a lioness, and as a lion, it
lifts itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Jim Sciutto is with me in Tel Aviv two aspects, really we have to deal with. The most important, arguably, well, not arguably. The most
important is, of course, memory of those who died and forgive me, Jim, we do need to pause. Let's go listen to the vice president who is now talking.
KAMALA HARRIS (D), VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: -- October 7, 2023 who were massacred by Hamas terrorists.
Forty-six of our fellow Americans were killed in this brutal terrorist attack, including a singer from Missouri who died shielding her son from
bullets, an academic and peace activist who studied in Seattle and who was the grandson of Holocaust survivors, and a dancer from California who was
killed alongside her fiance2 while attending the NOVA Music Festival.
I am devastated by the pain and loss that occurred on October 7, and Doug and I pray for the family and loved ones of all of those who were lost, and
may their memories be a blessing.
Today, I know many Jews will be reciting and reflecting on the Jewish prayer for mourning, the Kaddish. The words of the prayer are not about
death; it is a prayer about our enduring belief in God, even in our darkest moments. So, as we reflect on the horrors of October 7, let us please be
reminded that we cannot lose faith.
The Jewish philosopher Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, and I quote, "Religion begins with a consciousness that something is asked of us." So,
in this moment, on the one-year commemoration of October 7, what it -- what is asked of us? What is asked of us?
First and foremost, I believe that we must never forget. I will never forget October 7, and the world must never forget.
[16:05:39]
What is asked of us: We must work to ensure nothing like the horrors of October 7 can ever happen again. And on this solemn day, I will restate my
pledge to always ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and that I will always work to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish
people here and around the world.
What is asked of us: We must reunite the hostages held in Gaza with their families, and I will never stop fighting for the release of all the
hostages, including the American citizens, living and deceased: Omer, Edan, Sagui, Keith, Judi, Gadi, and Itay.
What is asked of us: We must uphold the commitment to repair the world, an idea that has been passed on throughout generations of the Jewish people
and across many faiths. And to that end, we must work to relieve the immense suffering of innocent Palestinians in Gaza who have experienced so
much pain and loss over the year.
What is asked of us: We must continue to see light amidst the darkness. As the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said, "A people that can walk through the
valley of the shadow of death and still rejoice is a people that cannot be defeated by any force or fear."
That is why today we plant a pomegranate tree, which, in Judaism, is a symbol of hope and righteousness. So, for years to come, this pomegranate
tree will stand here, spreading its roots and growing stronger, to remind future vice presidents of the United States, their families, and all who
pass through these grounds not only of the horror of October 7th, but the strength and the endurance of the Jewish people.
It will remind us all not to abandon the goal of peace, dignity, and security for all. And it will remind us all to always have faith.
Thank you. And I will now turn it over to the second gentleman, my husband, Doug.
QUEST: Well, I'm sure she did, but we'll take away from the vice president.
She was speaking at her official home, which is the Naval Observatory in Washington, DC, where she and the Second Gentleman will plant a tree.
Apparently, it's traditional for the vice president to plant a tree at that residence, but of course, that has deep significance. Planting trees is,
pardon the phrase, it is very big in the Jewish community who always seem to be planting trees one way or another. I'll talk about that in a moment.
But before we go -- Jim Sciutto is in Tel Aviv.
Jim, before we had to listen to the vice -- we wanted to listen to listen to the vice president. I was saying, we need to go -- I want to dissect it
into two elements today.
Let's do the important bit, which is the commemorations and the memorials to those who were murdered and those who are still hostage.
We don't really know how many, God forgive me for having to talk in such terms, but we don't really know how many of the hostages are still alive.
JIM SCIUTTO CNN ANCHOR AND CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: It's true, the figure of hostages still held is just over a hundred. The Israeli
military believes perhaps a third of them might be dead. But of course, we have circumstances like we had a few weeks ago where several hostages were
killed, six of them lost just before they might have been rescued.
[16:10:10]
So you never know, right? And that's part of the pain I spent this morning at Hostages' Square with families of some of those hostages still
remaining. I spoke to the cousin of one of them, a young woman who just turned 31 in captivity and for them, you know, it's a different kind of
pain, right, than those who lost people on that day because they don't know the outcome, and they're still imagining they are suffering inside Gaza as
well as they remain in Hamas captivity, which is its own category, of course, of pain.
And they have this other frustration as well with their own government. They feel let down that their government has not -- I spoke to another
hostage family just a short time ago on the air, expressing frustration that his government, he says, has not prioritized the return of those
hostages. And that is -- you know, my heart goes out to them. You only imagine yourself in their position, right, when you speak to them as a
parent or as a cousin, a son, brother, sister, you name it, you just imagine yourself going through that same pain. It's a special category of
pain.
QUEST: And now the other side that we need to talk about, which is not only the ongoing wars both in Gaza and, I mean, in Lebanon, but we have this
issue, of course, the role of the US.
And, I mean, the vice president could not be clearer in her commitment. What's the phrase everybody uses -- all right, now we're seeing them plant
the trees at the vice -- or the tree at the vice president's residence.
And she could not have been more clear in the ironclad commitment to Israel, which is significant because there are doubts about not her overall
commitment, but the nuance of her commitments.
SCIUTTO: She did say, and she's often used this combination of statements, a statement of steadfast support for Israel, but also a statement, as we
heard her say, there about reducing the civilian suffering, right, including in Gaza, including in Lebanon and she has tended to combine those
two statements, and it's --
Listen, which is not entirely dissimilar of President Biden's own statements, but perhaps hers somewhat more forceful and listen, it's
certainly a delicate one in this presidential race, in part because there are many in the Democratic Party who are not satisfied with the US role in
this war, and who feel that President Biden has given the Israeli military too much leeway and just in political terms, purely, Richard, there are --
there is a large Muslim and Arab community in the state of Michigan, which is a key swing state, so it has added political significance in what is
already a tight presidential race.
QUEST: Jim Sciutto in Tel Aviv. Late for you, Jim. I'm grateful for you. Thank you.
Joining me here in London, Daniel Levy, who is the president of the US- Middle East Project.
The politics of all of this, let's just take a look at it. We've just seen Kamala Harris planting trees. Now Donald Trump -- Donald Trump attended his
own memorial for the events in New York earlier today.
Donald Trump is due to speak at a separate ceremony tonight in Florida. At the same time, President Biden lit a memorial candle at the White House,
where the president expressed his condolences in a call to Israel's President Isaac Herzog.
So the Israeli position or the US position, vis-a-vis Israel becomes what at this point?
DANIEL LEVY, PRESIDENT, US-MIDDLE EAST PROJECT: Well, I think we're still in this place where the US has not only aligned with Israel, but done so in
a way which has allowed this, perhaps even encouraged this, to still be in a place today where the region has crossed lines, is closer to the
precipice of an all-out conflagration, something one assumes the US didn't want, but maybe it now sees geostrategic advantage in that.
QUEST: So is the US perceived, do you think as a weak partner? Which is ironic, considering the strength -- because it really cannot provide
leverage, the necessary or whatever is perceived as the necessary leverage it is. It is being dragged by Netanyahu.
LEVY: I think that is the perception across much of the world, across the Middle East region, yes, that old tail wagging the dog.
But here what you have seen is an Israel that is ever more transparently dependent on the US, and yet is doing things which, I think globally, are
weakening the US.
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QUEST: How do you square that circle?
Well, the US has its own interests, and it has to decide, is it a US interest to now contain this, to get a ceasefire, not to have oilfield set
on fire, not to risk something much broader. If that's the case, it's an if, because of how the administration has acted, if that's the case, Israel
relies on the conveyor belt of US weapons.
You have not yet placed the dilemma in front of Israel, it's either you begin to do what we say, or the weapons flows look different.
QUEST: We've come close to it. Well, all right, that's the real politic of it. There have been threats of certain weapons not being sent, or certain
things taking place, but what you're saying is that will ever happen.
LEVY: Prime Minister Netanyahu, this is not his first rodeo. This is not his first president. He feels he has the measure of the US, and he feels
right now he has the US exactly where he wants it, especially in an election season where he knows that for many of the potential Democrat
voters who may not have just watched the vice president, they look at this and they say to themselves, where's your humanity towards the 16,000 dead
Palestinian children, 40,000 dead Palestinians, the devastation now in Lebanon -- the displacement --
QUEST: Okay, so why is, in your view, the US not taking a harder line? I mean, if the real politic is, where does the 500 pound gorilla sit wherever
it wants, why isn't the us doing it?
LEVY: Look we know the role of Israel in US domestic politics is not the only issue. There's all kinds of issues. We know the role of finance in US
election campaigns, whether it's gun lobbies or other things. We know all of that.
There is a question here as to how the US sees the geopolitics. Does it say, listen, these are our guys even if they're doing this, we have to
stand by them. That's one thing.
Number two, Biden feels a bit like an anachronistic Democrat leader for the third decade of the 21st Century. When you look at where Democrat politics
is at, where its voters are at, where the constituency is at, what they think.
But also, sorry --
QUEST: No finish.
LEVY: But also, you have to ask, have they correctly assessed what this Israeli government is about, the Israeli government in its coalition
guidelines, this is not some secret says the Jewish people have the exclusive and inalienable right to all parts of the land of Israel.
This is a government that shares nothing with the idea of peace. It couldn't be more alien to it. It wants to displace and eradicate
Palestinians. Get to grips with that reality, because it's dangerous.
QUEST: I'm grateful for you for coming in. Thank you. I wish you Happy New Year.
LEVY: And to you.
QUEST: And well over the fast --
LEVY: Thank you.
QUEST: -- for this weekend.
LEVY: Thank you.
QUEST: We will talk more about this at QUEST MEANS BUSINESS tonight.
The US state of Florida is on track -- it is the second major hurricane in as many weeks. I'll give you the latest on Hurricane Milton. You can see
where it is. It's now, yep, it's a Category Five.
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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Hurricane Milton has quickly grown into a category five storm across the Gulf of Mexico. Now it's the strongest storm to occur anywhere on the
planet this year. And when I say that, I'm well aware that I was talking only about Hurricane Helene only a couple of days ago. And that was the
strongest, the fastest, the biggest. And that's a reflection of the dangers and problems and tragedies that are before us as a result of these
phenomena.
The forecast has Florida as a category three on Wednesday, and state officials have told people in this path go to higher ground. It includes
parts of Tampa, St. Petersburg, one of the state's most populated areas. The governor, Ron DeSantis, says areas damaged last month by Hurricane
Helene very likely could be hit again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RON DESANTIS (R), FLORIDA: We have 51 counties in Florida currently under a state of emergency. The executive order that I signed over the
weekend also orders all disaster debris management sites and landfills to be open 24/7 in the lead-up to Hurricane Milton. We had a lot of debris
left from Hurricane Helene on Florida's Gulf coast. That creates a huge hazard if you have a major hurricane hit in that area this week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Now, one of the big problems is the misinformation, which complicates the recovery effort. Misinformation about Hurricane Helene and
the various federal responsibilities, ground aids, and assistance. It's become such a problem that officials in North Carolina are urging people to
be aware of AI generated images and to question where they're getting their information.
The lies gaining the most traction concern the federal government's response and the notion that relief funds were spent on migrant.
Brian Stelter is in New York.
Brian, good evening to you. Two ways to tackle this, you can tackle it.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA ANALYST: Yes.
QUEST: I mean, but you can either try and stop the misinformation. That's almost impossible. That'll find a way. Or we can educate people as they are
doing, you know, don't believe everything you read, look at your sources. How serious is this?
STELTER: I think this is a particularly disturbing example of how disinformation oftentimes wins out on social media feeds, and how the truth
can barely catch up. This is a notable example because local officials in North Carolina, including one official I spoke to in Rutherford County, who
said we've had to waste our time trying to debunk these rumors when we need to be focusing on the recovery efforts. In other words, this disinformation
has actually hindered the rescue efforts.
This is a phenomenon we've seen in other countries as well, Richard, and it all stems from an environment of low or no trust. Some Americans, in
particular many right wing Americans, many Trump supporting Americans, feel they have no trust in government or other institutions.
QUEST: Right.
STELTER: Even in their own Republican elected officials. And in that environment of no trust rumors lies and innuendo end up spreading. And by
the way, we're seeing it already, Richard, in Florida when it comes to Milton. While Helene is still in recovery, there's a new hurricane on the
way, and there are already lies spreading about the coming storm.
QUEST: Who is creating these lies?
STELTER: Well, let's face it. The former president Donald Trump has been spreading some of the conspiracy theories about FEMA, claiming that
migrants are being supported but not American citizens. That's been debunked over and over again. But that's come out of Trump's mouth several
times.
Many of his allies like Elon Musk have promoted these ideas on X, but it's not just X. You know, I see these AI generated memes and things on Facebook
and other sites as well. Oftentimes, researchers try to look for foreign connections, wondering about foreign propaganda efforts, but I think what's
awfully disturbing, Richard, is oftentimes people are doing this to each other, right?
Americans in this case doing this to other Americans, spreading lies for profit because if you have an encounter, like X, you can monetize your
viral lie and actually get a check in the mail from X, thanks to all the traffic you get.
QUEST: I was just about to say, Brian, we don't need or they don't need to worry about foreign enemies when there's enough people at home playing
Jenga with their own democracy.
STELTER: Jenga is the perfect -- I'm never going to think of Jenga the same way again. I love playing Jenga. But that's exactly what's happening.
Pieces are getting pulled out. The towers getting shakier and shakier as people have less and less trust. And I'm not here to say you should always
take the government's word. Of course not. But when you have elected officials, Republicans and Democrats, and you have videos seen with your
own eyes, the relief efforts are underway, well, that should be some way to start to restore trust, restore faith. In this case, in the recovery
efforts in North Carolina.
And again, as I said, lies already spreading about Milton. The new conspiracy theory cracking this, Richard, is that somehow the government
controls the weather and creates these hurricanes on purpose. I'm not sure how you could possibly talk someone out of some of this nonsense that gets
spread online.
QUEST: Before we are finished, we need to play Jenga at Christmas and prove it.
STELTER: All right. I'll do that with you in New York.
QUEST: Excellent. Right. Now the U.S. government watchdog says both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are proposing measures the nation can't afford.
It's a very worthy group, very highly respected. So let's put that out there to start with it. They are called the Committee for Responsible
Federal Budget, the CRFB, and they looked at a range of lightly outcomes.
So its moderate estimates show how the Harris plan would likely add more than $3 trillion to the national debt. Her plan has no -- nothing at the
bottom, high at the top, and that's the medium. Donald Trump's would add seven and a half. But look at the range. He -- at the low end, it's one and
a half, top end it's up to $15 trillion.
It comes amid worries about the U.S. fiscal policy. As things stands, the debt to GDP ratio is on track to each 125 percent in 2035.
Rana is in Colorado Springs. We will try and work out why Rana is over there in Colorado Springs. That's a subject for another day. Rana is there.
Rana, is the truth of this situation that nobody comes to the table with clean hands?
RANA FAROOHAR, CNN GLOBAL ECONOMIC ANALYST: Well, yes and no. First of all, I want to say I'm working very hard in Colorado, Richard, just to let you
know. But in terms of fiscal policy, what's clear is that neither Republicans nor Democrats really have a plan, a serious plan to reduce the
debt and deficit.
Now, one thing I noticed about this report is it doesn't account for how the individual policy measures would affect growth. And I will say that
I've seen a number of studies showing that in certain circumstances, the Harris plan does actually create more productivity and growth. And so, you
know, that's one of the ways you can reduce debt and deficit.
QUEST: Right. But which of --
FAROOHAR: But, you know, I would have to say I -- yes, go ahead.
QUEST: So -- yes. Which of the policies, which of the ones in either party is the most damaging economically in your view?
FAROOHAR: There's no question that a hard Trump decoupling from China with high tariffs on not just China but everybody, coupled with a complete 19th
century style reduction in taxes is kind of a recipe for a lot of debt and deficit. I mean, if you think about it, you know, you're completely cutting
tax revenue at the same time that you're raising tariffs and inflation. I mean, that's a pretty catastrophic economic plan.
QUEST: One of the problems I'm facing in talking about the tariff issue is I don't know of any serious economists that believe actually it's a good
idea. Most economists, serious economists will tell you that it will put up prices and the middle class will pay more in inflation, et cetera, et
cetera. But I can't work out why this -- anybody is even promulgating the opposite.
FAROOHAR: So, listen, I do think that there is a place for tariffs in an economic toolbox as one of many policies that one might use in a very
limited strategic way to create more space for domestic industry in areas like industrial strategy. You know, chips, EVs. This is something the Biden
administration has done.
I actually think that there is an economic case to be made and there are serious economists that will say that, yes, you can use these measures
strategically. You know, Danny Rodricks, some of the other more progressive, post-neoliberal economists would say that. But I don't know
anybody like you that would say 100 percent tariffs, you know, on many countries is a good idea. I mean, that's just -- it's hooey for starters.
It's not going to happen because frankly you would get a U.S. asset market correction that I think Donald Trump would not be willing to countenance. I
mean, this is the most financialized president probably in history that we've seen in the past and Trump, too, you know, I can't imagine that that
would change.
So again, I think there are tariffs and tariffs. Trump's plan is completely unrealistic and unstrategic. Is there a way to say to countries that are
not -- like China that are not playing ball and not abiding by rules that, yes, you're going to be punished? Sure. I think that's fair.
QUEST: All right. Good to see you, always grateful. Thank you, Rana in Colorado.
As you and I continue our nightly conversation, our get-together, at the moment in the last half hour there have been sirens sounding in Tel Aviv as
Israel commemorates the anniversary of October 7th.
[16:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
QUEST: Please allow me to update you with news that we're receiving. There've been multiple projectiles launched into Israel. I'm using that
phrase cause we're not sure what they are, whether they're missiles, rockets or whatever. So projectiles pretty much gives the idea that things
have been lobbed across at Israel. And the Israeli military said they came from Lebanon and the details are under review.
Nic Robertson heard those sirens.
Nic, the thing about the shift that's taken place, you know, even Tel Aviv is not a stranger to sirens over the many years of conflict, but the
reality of anything ever reaching or getting or being serious stuff that has changed in this conflict. Now there's a real possibility.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: There is a real possibility. And I think I can sort of add some detail. We watched the
intercepts from here. I'm pretty sure they were David sling intercepts. Number one, by the height that they were going to. Number two, by the time
it took for the detonation and the size of the detonation to reach us. The sound of it.
But that would mean that these were ballistic missiles being fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon. They've tried to fire some here before. They've
mostly been intercepted. But the fact that they were making it to Tel Aviv, the fact that the intercepts were so high really speaks to the fact that
they were very likely ballistic missiles. And I think perhaps four or five, you know, on a day like today, you've now had that number of missiles
serious.
The Hezbollah's big stuff, if you will, fired at Tel Aviv. The Houthis have got off a couple of their ballistic missiles, running about 1200 miles or
so from Yemen. Here they say they've got drones close to Tel Avis as well. That set the sirens off. And there were as well rockets coming from Gaza,
Hamas' rockets today, five of them, from central Gaza. And they sent out their longer-range ones, too, setting off the sirens in and around Tel Aviv
again.
[16:35:05]
So, you know, a day like today, a day when all of Israel's enemies would like to score hits, October the 7th. A big day for people here to remember
those who died October 7th. They've all targeted with long-range missiles. And that's the reality of today. As you say, this can now happen at any
time, noon, night, any moment.
QUEST: Nic Robertson in Tel Aviv. Grateful, sir. When there's more to come, please come back and tell us. Israel has been striking Beirut with some of
the most intense bombing of its war against Hezbollah. A massive explosion was seen overnight in the southern part of the city. One strike caused a
large blast near Beirut's airport. Look at the size of this thing. The IDF says it hit 120 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon within an hour on
Monday.
And officials -- Lebanese officials say 10 firefighters died when this station was hit. Hezbollah has been firing back. It wounded five people
when it targeted Haifa with rockets. Dr. Peter Noun is the chairman of the Pediatric Oncology at St George Hospital in Beirut, and is with me now,
Sir, we can leave the politics, if you will, and the militaries to others. Tell me about the medical. Tell me about the situation you're facing.
DR. PETER NOUN, CHAIRMAN, PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY, ST. GEORGE HOSPITAL: Hello, unfortunately, it's second time with you, Richard. We talked together three
years ago after the blast of Beirut, and unfortunately, every three or four years, we have a big, big tense problem in Lebanon. Now we are facing a big
problem after the bombing of the south and the southern suburbs of Beirut.
And we have many hospitals not working anymore in the south around four and in the suburban part of Beirut, we have two to three hospitals who shut
down, but now they are reopened only for emergencies. As pediatric oncologist, I'm facing a big problem with my patients. You know, pediatric
cancer patients are patients who will survive to their diseases. They have more than 90 percent recovery and survival rate. But when they skip
chemotherapy, it will be helpful for their lives.
(CROSSTALK)
QUEST: So, is this -- is this a case where -- is this a case where you can't get the medications, they can't come in to receive the medications or
just the disruption to life is so enormous that it's impossible to maintain a schedule?
NOUN: Mostly because I cannot afford to come to the hospital because they are displaced. We have last week, for example, the last seven days, seven
to 10 of my patients couldn't come to take the chemotherapy because they are displaced from the south or the Beqaa and cannot take the route to come
to the hospital because it's very dangerous. There is bombing on the roads, and they cannot come to take the chemotherapy.
And this is very, very harmful to them. We are creating a sort of committee for emergencies, and we are seeing if we can -- colleagues in different
parts of the country, if they can give these kids the chemotherapy. And this is the same also for the patients with dialysis. You know, dialysis is
very important. They cannot skip their courses, so we are rescheduling the patients in different hospitals fast from the bomb.
QUEST: So, what will, you know, we know from the pandemic that when -- we opened the pandemic and other wars, that when these things happen and
people don't get treatment, we really see the results of this in about six months to a year to two or three years. People die. People don't get well.
People have long-term ailments, impairments.
[16:40:07]
And I'm guessing, unfortunately, that's exactly what you're expecting.
NOUN: Yes, of course, because also during the bombing of Beirut blasts several years ago and the social economic crisis, we had the same problem,
and some patients skipped their treatment, and now we are seeing that they have relapses. So, we wonder if this will happen again. And unfortunately,
we think it will happen if they skip again their courses. For this reason, we are creating an emergency crisis committee to settle these patients in
different parts of the country.
But it's not always very easy, because we are afraid also, as you said, Richard before, we are afraid of shortages. Until now, the Ministry of
Public Health is reassuring us that we have for four months enough show enough stocks in the country. But we never know if we -- if it will last a
lot, if, really, these four months, we have everything, or only essential drugs, not or chemotherapy. So, really, we don't know. We are in fear of
anything.
QUEST: Doctor, I'm grateful thank you for your time. I think you're the only interviewee that I will ever say I hope I don't have to speak to you
again but I say that with affection and great affection and hope that when we do talk again, it's unhappy at times. Doctor, I'm grateful. Thank you
for the -- for the work that you're doing.
(CROSSTALK)
NOUN: Thank you.
QUEST: And that's QUEST MEANS BUSINESS as we -- you and I start a new week together. I'm Richard Quest. I'm in London all week, looking forward to
being with you, well as always. Whatever you're up to in the hours ahead, I hope it's profitable. We'll have next to you, Connecting Africa.
(CONNECTING AFRICA)
[17:00:00]
END
