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Isa Soares Tonight
U.S. Conducts A Third Round Of Strikes Against The Houthis In Yemen; Trump Massively Wins Iowa; Zelenskyy Calls For West To Increase Funding; Israel-Hamas War; Growing Worries Over Gaza's Post-War Destiny; Zelenskyy Takes Diplomatic Effort To Davos; Zelenskyy Requests More Support From West; Bradley Fighting Vehicles: Essential Armaments For Ukraine; Big Win For Donald Trump In Iowa Caucus; Trump Won As Republican Nominee In Iowa, New Hampshire Follows; With Trump's Victory In Iowa, All Eyes On New Hampshire; Interview With Former U.S. House Republican And Host Of "White Flag With Joe Walsh" Podcast Joe Walsh; Recent Advertisement Following Iowa, Haley Positions Herself As A Superior Option To Trump And Biden; Trump's Defamation Trial Begun In The Case Of E. Jean Carroll; Hollywood's "Succession" And "The Bear" Huge Winners. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired January 16, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:36]
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: A very warm welcome to the show, everyone, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, the U.S. conducts a third round of
strikes against the Houthis in Yemen just as Iran begins flexing its military muscle in the region, striking sites in Iraq and in Syria.
We'll have all details for you on the regional escalations. Then all eyes now on New Hampshire after Donald Trump's decisive win at the Iowa
Republican caucuses, plus, a plea from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asking the West to step up aid.
We are live for you in Davos at the World Economic Forum. But first, this evening, the U.S. has launched its third round of strikes against Iranian-
backed Houthi rebels inside Yemen. A U.S. Defense official said forces Tuesday destroyed four anti-ship ballistic missiles that were preparing to
launch and were posing an imminent threat to merchant as well as U.S. Navy vessels in the Red Sea.
But a few hours later, the Houthis reportedly launched a missile at a Maltese flagship, there was no significant damage and the vessel continued
its journey. Earlier, the U.S. military said its Navy sees Iranian-made missiles headed to the Houthis in Yemen. The weapons were reportedly found
in a vessel that was boarded off the coast of Somalia.
U.S. National Security adviser Jake Sullivan is calling on all regional governments to protect the vital Red Sea corridor. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAKE SULLIVAN, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, UNITED STATES: We anticipated the Houthis would continue to try to hold this critical artery of risk, and we
continue to reserve the right to take further action, but this needs to be an all hands-on deck effort.
The broad set of countries including those with influence in Tehran and influence in other capitals in the Middle East, making this a priority to
indicate that the entire world rejects wholesale. The idea that a group like the Houthis can basically hijack the world as they are doing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Jake Sullivan there. What Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is defending attacks in Iraqi, Kurdistan and Syria. Iranian forces said a
missile strike ended up being destroyed. A main espionage headquarters of the Israeli Intelligence Agency, the Mossad.
But the Kurdish news agency said five missiles hit the home of a businessman killing him and his 11-month old daughter. Iran also fired
missiles or what it called terror groups in northern Syria, describing them as a security threat. We have team coverage on these stories, did all the
different strand for you.
CNN's Nada Bashir is in Beirut in Lebanon, but we start this hour with Oren Liebermann at the Pentagon about these latest U.S. strikes inside Yemen. So
Oren, what more do we know at this hour, but this third round of strikes. Talk us through what the U.S. says they've targeted in Yemen.
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Isa, it's interesting because this is the first time we have seen the U.S. hit anti-ship ballistic
missiles before they were launched. According to the U.S. Central Command, the U.S. struck four of these Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles as the
Houthis were preparing to launch them, and that's not what we've seen over the course of the last couple of strikes.
So, this is worth keeping an eye on because it takes a level of surveillance and reconnaissance to see missiles before they're launched and
intercept them and destroy them. But you're right, this is the third time we have seen the U.S. strike the Houthis local time, D.C. time, was
Thursday night, was the largest round of strikes conducted with the U.K. Friday night, a much smaller round targeting a radar site, and then this
latest round here.
Of course, where does this go from here? We just heard from National Security adviser Jake Sullivan, who warned that if the Houthis are key on
threatening international shipping lanes and one of the world's most critical waterways, then the U.S. will be compelled to act again, to strike
more Houthi targets.
And according to a U.S. official who spoke with CNN, the Houthis do retain the vast majority of their military capability and their ability to
threaten shipping in the Red Sea. This isn't the only area where the U.S. has targeted Iran or an Iranian proxy here, just off the coast of Somalia.
Again, according to U.S. Central Command, the U.S. seized an Iranian shipment headed towards the Houthis.
What's unique here, because we've seen this happen in the past, is that the U.S. sees advanced components of ballistic missiles and of cruise missiles,
the type of weapons the Houthis have used to target international shipping, U.S. released a picture they say shows components for anti-ship ballistic
missiles.
[14:05:00]
And these cruise missiles, the first time according to Centcom, the U.S. has seized these types of weapons in more than four years. So you see this
effort to go after not only Houthi weapons, but the shipments that supply the Houthis coming from Iran. It is also worth noting Isa, that in this
operation, two Navy Seals were part of the operation, went into the water in very rough seas and the search for those Seals continues.
SOARES: Stay with us, Oren, let me get to Nada in Beirut. Nada, clearly, tensions are rising in the region, that has been a huge concern you and I
have been talking about this Fall for two weeks now. We've already seen Iran launching strikes that we said in Iraq and Kurdistan and Syria. Just
add some context for us here, Nada, who or what are they targeting and why? What are they saying?
NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Well, look, Isa, we've heard from the U.S. describing these strikes as both reckless and imprecise. But Iran's
Revolutionary Guard has said that these strikes were targeted, as you mentioned, they say they were focused on what is being described as the
main espionage headquarters for Mossad; Israel's Intelligence agency in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq.
They say in retaliation to the targeting and killing by Israeli actors of IRGC commanders and officials, that this was a security threat, this was a
security target for the IRGC. Now, of course, Kurdish media is reporting that, at least, 10 missiles were fired from Iran, five of which they say
were targeting the residents of a Kurdish businessman.
And of course, we have reached out to Israeli authorities on this for further comment. But we have in the last few hours heard from Iraq's
Foreign Minister, who has denied any presence by Mossad in Iraq, including in northern Iraq, issuing strong words of condemnation, saying that the
Iraqi government will be issuing complaint to the U.N. Security Council, characterizing this as a violation of international law.
But also warning that Iraq is now seeing those tensions, those hostilities between Iran and Israel playing out on its own soil. Of course, at least,
four civilians are said to have been killed in those overnight strikes. And as you mentioned, Isa, we also saw strikes in Syria.
Now, these strikes by Iran, according to the IRGC, were said to be targeting what they have characterized as anti-Iran terrorist organizations
and actors coming in response to those twin blasts we saw in the Iranian city of Kerman earlier this month.
Of course, dozens of people were killed, many of them pilgrims who had been visiting the burial site of slain Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani when
those blasts exploded, killing dozens, and of course, at the time, those blasts were claimed by the Islamic State, Iranian government and officials
vowing a strong response.
But this comes at a time of increasing tensions, increasing hostilities, note, just when it comes to the rhetoric we're hearing, the actions of
Iran, particularly with regards to their relations with Israel, but also, of course, groups were broadly in the region backed by and funded by Iran.
As you heard from Oren, we have seen the Houthis carrying out attacks, again, backed by Iran along the Red Sea, they have vowed to continue those
attacks so long as Israel strikes on Gaza continue. And we've been hearing similar messaging here in Lebanon from the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Of course, we've seen hostilities and crossfire on Lebanon's southern border between Hezbollah and the Israeli military from the outset of the
war in Gaza. We have seen that crossfire continuing to escalate, but what we've been hearing over the last few days and weeks is a real emphasis, a
real doubling-down on the messaging from Hezbollah.
This is coming in direct response to the situation we are seeing in Gaza. In fact, just over the weekend, we heard from Hezbollah's Secretary-
General, Hassan Nasrallah saying that there can be no discussion around a possible cessation of hostilities on Lebanon's southern border so long as
Israel's airstrikes on Gaza continue.
So, of course, what we are seeing is exactly what has been the main concern for many across, not only the region, but internationally is the potential
for the war in Gaza to spread out more broadly into the region. We've seen a flurry of diplomatic activity trying to defuse those tensions. But
clearly, as Israel's airstrikes continue on the Gaza Strip, what we are seeing is continued hostility spreading across the region, real fears, real
concerns and alarm bells sounding of the potential for this to escalate further and more broadly. Isa?
SOARES: Indeed, and very important context there from the region, from our Nada Bashir as well from our Oren Liebermann at the Pentagon. Thank you to
you both. Well, in politics, Donald Trump proved the polls is right, capturing historic win in the Iowa caucuses. Trump scored a landslide
victory, getting more than a 50 percent of the vote, an Iowa caucus record, Ron DeSantis finished a distant second, 30 points behind, Nikki Haley was
third.
DeSantis and Haley will now try to rebound in New Hampshire's primary one week from today and prevent what right now seems inevitable to many, a
Trump-Biden rematch in November's general election. The former president is not in New Hampshire today, though, instead, he is in New York courtroom
for defamation trial against him brought by former -- a newspaper columnist E. Jean Carroll, who accuses him, if you remember, of sexual assault. Trump
denies any wrongdoing.
[14:10:00]
Well, no matter how they finished in Iowa, the Republican rivals remain optimistic about their campaigns as they look ahead to the next contest.
Our Kylie Atwood has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(CROWD CHANTING)
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An overwhelming victory for Donald Trump.
DONALD TRUMP, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We want to thank the great people of Iowa.
ATWOOD: The former president winning the Iowa caucuses by a considerable margin, solidifying his status as the frontrunner of the 2024 Republican
presidential nomination. Speaking from his Iowa headquarters, Trump gave a rare message of unity.
TRUMP: This is time now for everybody, our country to come together. We want to come together, whether it's Republican or Democrat or liberal or
conservative.
ATWOOD: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis nearly beat out Nikki Haley for second place.
GOV. RON DESANTIS (R-FL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In spite of all of that that they threw at us, everyone against us, we've got our ticket punched
out of Iowa.
ATWOOD: A DeSantis senior campaign official says he will stay in the race.
DESANTIS: People want to have hope for this country's future, and that's what we represent. We represent a chance to reverse the madness that we've
seen in this country.
ATWOOD: Despite placing third, Nikki Haley predicts that this race will come down to her and Trump based on recent positive polling out of New
Hampshire.
NIKKI HALEY, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When you look at how we're doing in New Hampshire, in South Carolina, Indiana --
(CHEERS)
HALEY: I can safely say, tonight, I will make this Republican primary a two-person race
(CHEERS)
ATWOOD: Haley is continuing her message that the GOP needs a new generation of leadership.
HALEY: Seventy percent of Americans don't want another Trump-Biden rematch.
(CHEERS)
ATWOOD: And entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy suspending his campaign for president after placing a disappointing fourth. He called Trump to offer
his endorsement.
VIVEK RAMASWAMY, ENTREPRENEUR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're going to do our part, now going forward to make sure that America first lives on, to
make sure that Donald Trump is successful as the next president of the United States.
ATWOOD: Entrance polling providing insights into how Trump locked in his victory. Two-thirds of caucus goers believe that Biden did not legitimately
win the 2020 election, despite no evidence of widespread voter fraud. And nearly half of caucus goers say they identify with Trump's M.A.G.A.
movement.
TRUMP: We have an invasion of millions and millions of people that are coming into our country. We can't have that. We can't have that. It's not
sustainable as a country, it's horrible.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SOARES: Well, let's dig in to some of the numbers with Jeff Stein, the program, a news director at 1540 KXEL radio in Iowa. Great to see you,
Jeff, welcome back to the show. For our viewers, you might -- I know you and I spoke last week, and you had predicted quite rightly as well as
strong win for Trump. Did he fare better than you expected? How did you see it?
JEFF STEIN, NEWS DIRECTOR, 1540 KXEL RADIO: I thought it would be hard for any candidate to get 50 percent. But we saw some poll data prior to the
caucus, indicating that 80-something percent of Trump supporters, that they would not be moved, they would not consider another candidate.
And so despite the cold weather conditions, his loyal following turned out and again, it is a record, not only in terms of the margin of victory,
which was 20 points, but also the fact that no --
SOARES: Yes --
STEIN: One ever had top 50 percent.
SOARES: OK, explain that to us then. How exactly did he do it? Because he won in the suburbs, he won with evangelicals Christians, I think something
that he had lost back in 2016. I think we've got a graphic to show that. And even won -- here we go, among white born again evangelical Christians
in Iowa, he won by 53 percent of the votes compared to DeSantis at 27. And even won with some ground -- some ground -- with college-educated. How did
he achieve this?
STEIN: I think it's past performance. Look, Ron DeSantis was saying in essence, he would run and govern as Trump did, only for eight years that he
was the heir apparent. Well, it's hard to win as the heir apparent when the original fellow is in the race.
Trump's number one selling point is, I did it before, I can do it again. And that past performance, that record of success, I think resonated with a
lot of people who thought it was safer to go with the proven quantity, even with all of the disruption surrounding him as opposed to taking a chance
with someone else.
SOARES: And when you're talking about disruption, you're talking about the cases against him. Do people not care? They're turning or do they think
that's not important? How do you see it?
STEIN: Well, I think that they see that there are a lot of folks who are trying to get Donald Trump and keep him from being on the ballot, to keep
him from running, to keep him from being elected, and it is the oddest phenomenon.
[14:15:00]
But every time he is arraigned or indicted or loses a civil suit, his popularity goes up. So, the normal --
SOARES: Yes --
STEIN: Playbook for an American election is just out the door, because this is the most unique political phenomenon of at least the past half century.
SOARES: And you interviewed the former president, former President Trump on your radio show, I believe. My team sent me the link, and there he detailed
what he felt mattered most to Americans, right? We've got a graphic that shows what matters most to Iowans, and I'm sure we can bring it up.
Immigration 64 percent to Trump voters, economy, 52 percent, foreign policy, 36 percent, then abortion, 25. Does that match with what you heard
from him and his perception of the priorities you think?
STEIN: He certainly talked at great length yesterday, prior to the caucus, he was as you noted on my program in Iowa, he talked about the economy and
how things were so much better when he was in office. He also talked about security and the immigration issue and the open-border, not just on the
south, but also the north.
Those are key issues. On the Democrat side, there's a lot of talk about abortion, but folks on the right seem to worry about those Homeland
Security and pocketbook issue.
SOARES: And of course, our viewers as we set you up, wouldn't know, and the next stage is New Hampshire. Nikki Haley, as you would have heard today,
Jeff, has said that, you know, most Americans don't want a Trump-Biden rematch. Is that true?
STEIN: Well, the polls say that we don't want a Trump-Biden rematch, but that's what we're headed for, because again, each party seems to be rather
set in their old ways. The interesting thing about New Hampshire is, not only is it a primary, but you do not have to face party affiliation.
You can be a Democrat and vote in the Republican primary simply by asking for a ballot. And there are a lot of Democrats since Mr. Biden is not
participating in their primary, who may cross over and vote for Haley. That happened a lot in Iowa last night in some of the urban areas with some of
the caucus goers actually saying they switch parties for a day --
SOARES: OK --
STEIN: They would have one more chance to vote against Donald Trump
SOARES: Out of those -- very quickly, out of those two candidates, the -- Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, who has the best or better chance, I should
say, of going up against Donald Trump, you think Jeff?
STEIN: Probably Nikki Haley simply because of the fact that Ron DeSantis has a much more similar platform and more DeSantis supporters say their
second choice is Trump than anyone else. And so, I think that if the sun starts shifting even further away from DeSantis, he's going to have a
harder time maintaining the operation and the money he needs
SOARES: Jeff, always great to get your perspective. Thank you very much. Jeff Stein there. Thank you.
STEIN: Thank you.
SOARES: And next off, as Jeff and I were talking about is New Hampshire. All eyes are on the granite state where the slogan, "live free or die".
Nikki Haley came in a close third place as you can see last night in Iowa behind Ron DeSantis, but polls show her in a much stronger position for
next week's primary. Haley's team has a new ad airing in New Hampshire, and argues that she is the better alternative to Republican frontrunner Donald
Trump and President Joe Biden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The two most disliked politicians in America, Trump and Biden. Both are consumed by chaos, negativity and grievances of the past.
The better choice for a better America, Nikki Haley.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Kristen Holmes joins us now from Atkinson, New Hampshire. Begs the question, Kristen, why didn't -- you know, why didn't this ad come out
sooner? Why didn't she put that message out before of course, Iowa. We know she's already there, right? She traveled last night, she's staked a lot of
capital, both financial and political on this. What are the expectations here?
KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, when you look at Iowa, it's a completely different electorate, but she looked at Iowa and did not have
any sort of ground game there because it was unlikely she was going to have a path in that state. Now, she did see a late surge in the polls that there
were actually some polls that showed her coming in second to Ron DeSantis in third.
But they did not believe that she was going to have an effective ground, that game there. It's a much more evangelical and conservative area with a
lot of loyalty to the former president. Now, in terms of New Hampshire, it is a completely different electorate. You're looking at independents,
moderates, conservatives, even some Democratic-leaning independents who can all vote in a Republican primary.
Nikki Haley has seen traction here, and there is a belief that after Chris Christie dropped out of the race here, that some of those votes, if not
most of those votes that would have gone to Chris Christie, would go to Nikki Haley. It's a similar lane, a similar path in New Hampshire.
[14:20:00]
Now, in terms of Donald Trump, he believes and his team believes -- I just got off the phone with one of his advisors that he has a good grip on the
conservative portion of voters here in New Hampshire. The question is, what about those more moderate or left-leaning voters who are still going to
vote in a Republican primary. That is who they are targeting now.
So they have two series of ads out, one on immigration, that is to target Republicans, conservatives, to secure that base, they believe that, that is
the number one issue for Republicans in New Hampshire. They also have an ad attacking Nikki Haley on Social Security and Medicare, that is targeted at
that more moderate or even left-leaning independent voter.
They have seen the numbers. If you look at our recent CNN polling, 55 percent, Haley wins 55 percent of moderate voters, Trump wins 60 percent of
conservative voters. They need to chip away at that 55 percent, and that is what they are trying to do.
Now, I will tell you though, his team says that they are confident he is going to win here. However, he did add multiple events in New Hampshire
after we started seeing a rise in Haley's polls.
SOARES: Thanks for breaking it all down for us, Kristen Holmes there, thank you very much. Well, still to come tonight, deepening concerns about the
fate of Gaza after the war. We'll have more on this after the break -- that was really interesting.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Israel is accusing Hamas of psychological torture by releasing distressing videos of three hostages in Gaza. CNN is not showing these
videos, but these are images of the hostages involved in photos taken before October the 7th.
The first video on Sunday had a caption reading, "tomorrow we'll inform you of their fate". By late Monday, a third video appeared to show the two male
hostages dead. The IDF says it's met with the families of all three hostages and has expressed grave concern for the fate of the two men.
Well, Israel has announced the withdrawal of an army division from Gaza, but deadly airstrikes continue. Residents report heavy bombardment in Khan
Yunis as well as in Rafah. They warn an ongoing communications blackout is making it hard for people to get video as well as detailed information to
the outside world.
We are though seeing images like this, families lined up in Rafah, waiting to get food, numerous aid agencies are warning of the risk of famine,
something that we've heard here on this show, and the death toll is soaring by the day.
[14:25:00]
The Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 24,000 people have been killed, including 10,600 children, 10,600 children. When South Africa
presented its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, if you remember, just last week, its evidence could include video from Gaza
that was apparently filmed by Israeli soldiers themselves.
Our Jomana Karadsheh has been looking through footage circulating on social media. She shows us how some videos are only deepening concerns about
Israel's intentions for Gaza after the war.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(CROWD WAILING)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a moment of division, pain and trauma for many Israelis, the end of Gush
Katif, a cluster of Israeli settlements in Gaza dismantled by the government in 2005. Thousands of settlers forced out of their homes under
the disengagement law that's on end to Israel's presence in the Gaza Strip.
But after nearly two decades of yearning for a return, the movement to do so now appears more emboldened than ever.
(A MAN SINGING)
KARADSHEH: Among no rest in Israeli troops themselves. Social media is now awash in images like these. One of Israel's most popular musicians to the
cheers of troops, sings about that return and moving the Nova festival scene of a Hamas massacre to Gaza's beaches.
From inside Gaza, soldiers proudly displaying the orange color of protest against the 2005 disengagement. Here, soldiers with a banner that reads,
"only settlement would be considered victory." And in this video, troops announcing the symbolic re-establishment of a former settlement.
YISHAI FLEISHER, INTERNATIONAL SPOKESMAN, JEWISH COMMUNITY OF HEBRON: Amen. Jewish sovereignty, Jewish governance, and of course, Jewish people being
able to live in this ancestral piece of land. Arabs, if they oppose Jihad, pro-Israel, and want to live that good life in that beautiful soil, there
should be an opportunity for that.
But anti-Israel, pro Jihad Arabs got to leave. And they're going to have to find a different place to go.
KARADSHEH: From the frontlines, a message to the prime minister.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are occupying, deporting and settling. Do you hear that, BiBi? Occupying, deporting and settling.
KARADSHEH: BiBi, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to unveil his government's plans for post-war Gaza, but he's dismissed calls to re-
establish settlements as quote, "unrealistic".
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRIME MINISTER, ISRAEL: Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population.
(CROWD CHANTING)
KARADSHEH: But those calls for expelling Gazans and reviving settlements are coming from powerful far-right members of his coalition.
BEZALEL SMOTRICH, FINANCE MINISTER, ISRAEL (through translator): We will not be able to rule there without re-establishing a settlement. The
majority of them want to emigrate. They just need to be allowed to do it.
KARADSHEH: The comments have been concerning enough to draw rebuke from U.S. and Arab governments, and many within Israel who say they're widely
unacceptable. But voices of the movement are growing louder by the day.
Ultra-nationalist and religious parties bringing that discussion into the Knesset, while these voices are by no means a majority in Israel, they are
powerful and have been advancing their extremist agenda.
DAHLIA SCHEINDLIN, JOURNALIST & POLLING EXPERT: The ideas that often seem very extreme at a certain phase in Israel's history can over time become
increasingly normalized, very incrementally.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
KARADSHEH: Palestinians fear this is the unspoken plan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): There's only one solution for the Gaza Strip.
(EXPLOSION)
KARADSHEH: Gaza has become unlivable. The north, a decimated wasteland. Around half of all buildings across Gaza damaged or destroyed. Nearly its
entire population forced to move time and time again, 1.9 million people squeezed into a tiny part of the enclave, not knowing if they'll ever be
allowed to return to their homes. And the far-right has been promoting relocating Palestinians as a humanitarian idea.
ITAMAR BEN GVIR, MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY, ISRAEL (through translator): We must promote a solution to encourage the immigration of the
residents of Gaza. This is a correct, just, moral and humane solution.
KARADSHEH: For that, Israel is facing accusations of violating international laws, acts that could amount to genocide.
OMER BARTOV, PROFESSOR, HOLOCAUST & GENOCIDE STUDIES, BROWN UNIVERSITY: There's an opening for those ministers, media people and so forth on the
Israeli right to say, well, the most humanitarian solution is to remove that population or to encourage them as they say, to move out of Gaza.
[14:30:02]
If that happens, then this entire scenario that I'm talking about will be seen as ethnic cleansing, and ethnic cleansing is always on the verge of
genocide.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): A view rejected by the likes of Hebron settler leader and return to Gush Katif activist Yishai Fleisher.
YISHAI FLEISHER, INTERNATIONAL SPOKESMAN, JEWISH COMMUNITY OF HEBRON: It is a time of opportunity to change more people's minds here in Israel, and to
bring more unity and brotherhood in our peoplehood.
KARADSHEH: And do you feel that this vision, what you believe in, what should happen, has become more of a possibility, more realistic right now
post October 7th?
FLEISHER: I'd love to think so, yes. But Israel isn't very much in conversation right now. There's definitely a think out happening. People
are like waking up to -- you know, they're trying to open their minds.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Jomana Karadsheh, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Fascinating piece from Jomana Karadsheh there.
And still to come tonight, Ukraine's president says delays in Western funding are adding years to Russia's war as he addresses the World Economic
Forum in Switzerland. We are live in Davos, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back. Foreign policy was among the issues facing Republican voters in Iowa last night. As we told you where the outcome of this year's
presidential election, critical to Ukraine's ongoing war efforts against Russia.
[14:35:00]
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland today, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, delays in the West providing weapons as
well as support was emboldening Vladimir Putin. Further aid from the U.S. would require congressional approval which, so far as you know, Republicans
have blocked. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT: Every reduction in pressure on the aggressor adds years to the war. But every investment in the confidence
of the defender shortens the war.
Putin must regret. We need him to lose. We need to finally dispel the notion that global unity is weaker than one man's hatred and we can do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And while in Davos, the Ukrainian president also met, you can see there with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Well, let's go to CNN's Business Editor-at- Large Richard Quest who is in Davos. Richard, great to see you. That message that we heard, the little
clip that we played from President Zelenskyy, it -- clearly urgent and a powerful one, but one that we have heard time and time again. Which really
begs the question, is the West listening, Richard? Are leaders listening where you are?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Oh, they are listening, Isa. But there's not much they can do about it. It doesn't matter where you're --
look, Zelenskyy has taken Davos by storm. If I seem a bit out of breath, it's because Zelenskyy's up there on the promenade, Ukraine House. And they
have stopped traffic in every direction you can imagine. Davos has literally ground to a halt. And for good reason, the security issues are
immense.
But when you talk to the leaders, for instance, we had Jens Stoltenberg met with Zelenskyy, Antony Blinken met with Zelenskyy, Ursula von der Leyen met
with Zelenskyy. The problem that they -- they have all got is as long as other politicians in the U.S., Hungary, in the E.U., then they are stymied
in their ability to provide the money Ukraine needs. Listen to what Ursula von der Leyen told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
URSULA VON DER LEYEN, EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT: Well, of course, after almost two years of an atrocious war that Russia has unleashed also against
the civilian population in Ukraine. This is -- they are exhausted without any question, but they are determined to prevail. And this is something we
have to support with all our means and they need hope indeed. And this is the reason why the European Union opened accession negotiations with
Ukraine.
So, Ukraine knows that their path is towards membership in the European Union. And this is what Ukrainian people want. They want their children to
grow up in a country that is member of the European Union.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUEST: Yes, but also, President von der Leyen knows she needs unanimity amongst the 27 if she's to give the billions of euros in aid, and she
hasn't got that, which is why she's now speculating at the next European Council, Isa, that she'll find a way to do something with somewhere. You
know -- classically, you know, open -- see under which one the money is --
SOARES: Yes.
QUEST: -- and see where you can finally send some money to Kyiv.
SOARES: Yes, and Hungary is still, like you said, very much the holdout. And look, just add some context here for us, Richard. You have covered many
Davos's, right? There have been many a crisis in Davos, a financial banking crisis. What is the mood like there this year?
QUEST: That is a very good question because the mood is not anywhere like the sort of misery, mayhem and downright depression we've had in the past.
But if you ask people how difficult this year is going to be, you'll get a sigh. Yes, it's difficult. It's going to be a hard year.
Come over here. I want to show you something as we -- this is our wall that we've been talking about. The question we're asking everybody this year.
Are you ready for A.I.? Remember the IMF report we talked about it the other day. And you see, people are saying that we are dangerously
unprepared for A.I. Some of them a little more optimistic and the reasons. Issues of retraining, inequality, security, ethics, understanding the path,
polarization.
Now, I know you will want to be on this wall.
SOARES: I love --
QUEST: So --
SOARES: -- I love that the board is back, Richard. The board is in -- has made a comeback. Wonderful to see.
QUEST: Choose your color, blue --
SOARES: Green, please. Let's go for green.
QUEST: -- red, green or black?
SOARES: Green, and I'm going to go --
QUEST: All right.
SOARES: -- dangerously.
QUEST: I'll start here and I'm -- right. Tell me when to stop.
SOARES: Left --
QUEST: Tell me when to stop.
SOARES: Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Bit more. Around there. I do think it has a potential, Richard, to transform the global
economy, but I have huge concerns over security, regulation, topics that I know that you will be taking on with all of your guests.
QUEST: We will.
[14:40:00]
SOARES: But wonderful to see that the board is back.
QUEST: We will.
SOARES: Richard Quest will be back at the top of the hour in about 20 minutes with "Quest Means Business". Thanks Richard. Good to see you.
And while Western support for Ukraine's campaign is waning in some corners, one U.S. made machine is helping Ukraine stay in the fight. Our Fred
Pleitgen gives us a closer look at the Bradley fighting vehicles. Have a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the Russian army assaults Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, U.S. provided
Bradley infantry fighting vehicles are key to keeping the Ukrainians in the fight.
We're ready, the crews say. And then unleash their powerful 25-millimeter gun on Russian troops in nearby tree lines, helping Ukrainian infantry
blunt an assault.
The vehicle's commander's call sign is Barbie. And he tells me the Bradleys are making all the difference.
I doubt that we'd be talking with you doing this interview if we didn't have the Bradleys, he says. Most likely the northern flank would have been
already lost without the Bradleys.
They have no time to lose. The next task waiting as the Russians try to press forward.
PLEITGEN: The Ukrainians say the Bradley is now one of their most effective tools in the defense of Avdiivka. Because of its armor and its strong
canon, it can easily defeat Russian armored vehicles.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): The Bradley's also own the dark, the crew says. Able to find and target Russian troops with their thermal scopes. You can see
the rounds impact after they fire a salvo at Russian forces.
I asked Barbie if the Russians fear the Bradley.
The Russians are very afraid of the Bradley. He says, we were getting radio intercepts where we could hear their infantry shouting that the Bradley was
coming and they couldn't do anything against it.
They've come a long way since Ukraine's failed counteroffensive this past summer when Bradley's and other Western vehicles were often bogged down by
minefields and Russian artillery barrages unable to unleash their firepower. Now, it often looks like this, Ukraine's 47th Mechanized Brigade
provided us with these videos of what they say is Bradley's firing at Russian infantry positions.
They also provided several videos purporting to show a Bradley beating Russia's most capable main battle tank, the T-90, in a duel. The Bradley
fires salvos at the Russian tank, after taking many hits, the T-90 seems to be out of control, its turret spinning. The vehicle then hits a tree before
the Ukrainians send a drone to finish it off. The Russian crew manages to bail.
But the Ukrainians fear this could end soon if U.S. Congress doesn't OK additional funding for military aid. And both U.S. and Ukrainian officials
have said that Ukraine is already forced to ration some ammunition.
JOHN KIRBY, U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS: The assistance that we provided, has now ground to a halt.
The attacks that the Russians are conducting are only increasing.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Barbie and his crew say, so far, they have no shortages of ammo or spare parts for the Bradleys. A key weapon as they try
to hold the line against a massive Russian invasion force. Fred Pleitgen, CNN, near Avdiivka, Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: And still to come tonight, a big win in Iowa for Donald Trump. But what's next for him in New Hampshire? We'll take a look at what impact the
win may or may not have, that's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:45:38]
SOARES: Welcome back. Donald Trump made history Monday night in Iowa, winning the state's Republican caucuses by a huge 30-point margin. His win
was expected, but the margin was a bit of a surprise to some. Trump won the state despite not spending as much time or indeed money there as his rivals
did. Ron DeSantis came in a distant second place.
Next up in the election process is New Hampshire, we told you at the top of the show. Trump is in the lead there but faces rival Nikki Haley who is
gaining strength. Joining us now is the former congressman from Illinois and the host of the podcast "Fight Flag with Joe Walsh".
Joe, welcome to the show. So, a dominant, I think, fair to say, performance from Trump in Iowa. How do you see? I mean, does this mean that Trump still
holds sway on the Republican Party nationwide? What are you expecting?
JOE WALSH, FORMER U.S. HOUSE REPUBLICAN: I -- it's good to be with you. I'm a boring guest because I'm, kind of, beating a dead horse. I think this
nomination fight is over, but I always thought this nomination fight was over and I don't really ever think it began. I think this has always been
Trump's nomination. Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis never were really running against him. He owns this party. He is a cult leader and the voters in the
Republican Party love him.
SOARES: But this is just Iowa. I mean, we still have a long way to go. If we look at the New Hampshire poll, and you can tell me, New Hampshire poll
that we have, Trump at 39 percent. Haley at 32 percent, so very closely there behind him. And then Christie, of course, who -- who's gone, who's
dropped out. Does this not suggest that perhaps she has a chance, or are you saying, Joe, that after this it's very much all for Trump to win here?
WALSH: This is the only state in the Union, and I love New Hampshire. I campaigned in New Hampshire. But it's a very quirky state. A lot of
independents, Democrats typically cross over and vote, a lot of unaffiliated voters. So, it's tailor made for someone like Nikki Haley.
When you look at Republicans in New Hampshire, just Republicans, they overwhelmingly favor Trump.
But then after New Hampshire, in Nikki Haley's home state of South Carolina, Trump is killing her. And then in all of the other states, Trump
has a huge, huge lead. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's a really, really tough, tough uphill fight for Nikki Haley.
SOARES: Uphill fight, does she has -- does she have the best chance out of both of the other candidates? And I just want to play if I can, Joe, a
little clip from what she said today. Have a listen. That's who I'm running against. That's who I want.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIKKI HALEY, U.S. REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That's who I'm running against. That's who I want. That's -- at the end of the day, he's the front
runner. He's the one that I'm seven points away from. He's the one that we're fighting for. There is nobody else I need to debate. I have had five
strong debates and have done plenty of them. He can't hide forever. At some point, he's got to get on a debate stage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: You heard her there, Joe, saying basically, you know, she only plans to debate Trump or Biden next. Placing herself as, really, the
alternative. How close does she have to get? I mean, for her, what are her chances here? What's her pathway here?
WALSH: Well, her pathway is to shock the world and beat Donald Trump in New Hampshire. And then all of a sudden, Republicans begin to think that
Trump's not invincible. I just think that's so impossible. Here's the dirty little secret about this race. Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, neither one of
them have been trying to beat Donald Trump. They haven't been. They've been running to be the alternative in case a heart attack or a jail cell takes
Trump out. That's all Nikki Haley is trying to do. Is just to be the alternative in case something happens to Trump. She's the only one who has
a chance to be the alternative.
SOARES: And what I heard from a radio show host at the top of the hour from Iowa, he said to me, no one wants the alternative. Everyone wants the real
thing, right? When you have the real thing, no one's going to vote for an alternative. This is what he's been hearing. Jeff Stein, who we heard at
the top of the show.
[14:50:00]
For us on this side of the Atlantic, Joe, though, just help us make sense of what some of the polls we saw in relation to Iowa. I'm sure we can bring
it up. Voters were asked to Joe Biden legitimately when the 2020 election. And we're showing viewers the response there. 60 says -- 66 percent of Iowa
citizen (ph) said no.
I mean, how is it possible the Republican voters -- this is Iowa in particular, are rewarding someone, right, with 51 percent of the vote with
91 felony counts? We -- I -- we struggled to wrap our heads around that.
WALSH: So, the entire world needs to wrap their arms around this. In America, we have two major political parties. One of our two parties has
become a personality. The voter -- and it's my former party. The voters in the Republican Party do not believe Joe Biden won in 2020. They do not
believe January 6th was a bad day, and they don't believe Trump did anything wrong. They believe the deep state is coming after him. This is
why Trump's hold on the party is so immense because the voters believe this.
SOARES: Yes. Joe, always great to get your perspective and insight. I have a feeling you and I will be talking much more often. Thank you, Joe.
WALSH: Thank you.
SOARES: Take care.
WALSH: Thanks.
SOARES: Well, Donald Trump will be campaigning in New Hampshire later this evening, but he's spending the day in a New York courtroom for the opening
of the second E. Jean Carroll defamation trial. A jury has been selected and they are set to be sworn in in the next hour. Carroll is the writer who
sued Trump, if you remember, and won for defamatory statements that he made about -- he made her allegation of sexual assault. The trial is to
determine damages. Of course, will stay across this.
We're going to take a short break. We'll be back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:55:05]
SOARES: And finally, tonight, after a delay from the writers and actors' strike, it was finally television's turn to shine in Hollywood.
"Succession" and "The Bear" cleaned up as the big winners at Monday night's Emmy Awards. Excuse me. "Succession" went in with an amazing 27
nominations, and "The Bear" with 13. The shows both took home six awards, including best drama, best comedy, actor and actress.
One particular highlight of the night was Niecy Nash, who won the best supporting actress in a limited series or movie. Nash made sure to thank
her biggest supporter. You have to listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIECY NASH, ACTOR, "DAHMER - MONSTER: THE JEFFREY DAHMER STORY": And you know who I want to thank? I want to thank me for believing in me and doing
what they said I could not do. And I want to say to myself in front of all you beautiful people, gone girl with your bad self. You did that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: We should all be applauding Niecy Nash. That was Phenomenal. Why not thank yourself? It's taken her that long to get there and she deserves
it.
And that does it for us for tonight. Thanks very much for your company. "Quest Means Business" up next live from Davos. I shall see you tomorrow.
Bye-bye.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
