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Isa Soares Tonight
IDF: Israel Preparing For A Possible Ground Invasion Of Lebanon; IDF Says It Intercepted Missile Fired At Tel Aviv; Hurricane Helene In The Gulf Of Mexico; U.S. Urgently Working On Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Plan; U.S. Paused Push For Gaza Ceasefire Deal; New Report On Trump Assassination Attempt. Aired 2-3p ET
Aired September 25, 2024 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[14:00:00]
ISA SOARES, CNN INTERNATIONAL HOST: Hello and a very warm welcome, I'm Isa Soares. Tonight, the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict appears to be escalating
fast with Israel's army chief now saying the military is preparing for a possible ground invasion of Lebanon. The IDF released this video showing
Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi visiting troops, you can see there in northern Israel.
He told them they could soon enter enemy territory to destroy Hezbollah. Israel also keeping up airstrikes on Lebanon, saying it hit more than 280
Hezbollah targets just today, and it's calling up two reserve brigades to join the fight. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is vowing to use full
force until residents of northern Israel can return to their homes.
Hezbollah is also escalating attacks, firing its first ever ballistic missile, as you can see there at Tel Aviv. It says it targeted Mossad
headquarters in defense of Lebanon and the people of Gaza. Israel says the missile, as you can see, was intercepted. Sources tell CNN the Biden
administration meantime, Israel's biggest backer is quote, "urgently trying to broker a ceasefire, but the U.S. President is also acknowledging the
worst-case scenario. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: An all-out war is possible, but I think there's also the opportunity are still in play to have a settlement
that can fundamentally change the whole region.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, U.S. officials tell CNN, dozens of U.S. troops have been deployed to Cyprus as the Israel-Hezbollah conflict intensifies. Our
Christiane Amanpour today asked a top Iranian official if there is a red line that would bring his country into this war. And this is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF, VICE PRESIDENT FOR STRATEGIC AFFAIRS, IRAN: As you have noticed over the past 11 months, the Israelis have tried really hard
to drag others into the war, because what happened was an end to the Israeli claim or illusion of invincibility. And they thought that by --
either by increasing the violence, atrocities, war crimes, whatever crimes against humanity, they could restore that aura of invincibility of Israel.
And by dragging others into the conflict, they could expand the war, probably bring the United States in and change the dynamics of the
situation. Everybody in the region understood that and has tried while supporting the people in Gaza who have been under basically the most
inhumane system of warfare mankind has ever seen.
The -- to avoid falling into the trap of the Israelis. And Hezbollah has done a great deal of self-restraint over the past 11 months. But now the
Israelis are crossing the line in my view, and there is every prospect of the war getting more difficult to contain. And I think the international
community has to do whatever it can as soon as possible in order to end this most recent escalation by Israel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, let's get more on all of this. Jeremy Diamond is in Haifa in Israel for the very latest, as we can see also, Jomana Karadsheh is in
Beirut for us. Jeremy, let me start with you because for days, you and I and here on the show, we've been talking about whether what we have been
seeing to date was perhaps precursor, right, to a ground offensive.
We're now hearing some semblance of that from the Israeli military. Just talk us through what they're saying and crucially how imminent it is.
JEREMY DIAMOND, CNN JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. Well, for days now, we have certainly contemplated the possibility of an Israeli
ground invasion, contemplated the possibility that these strikes over the course of the last several days, in addition to being aimed at destroying
Hezbollah infrastructure and dealing a severe blow to that group, that they could also perhaps be shaping operations designed to prepare the terrain
for potential Israeli ground forces.
[14:05:00]
And now, the Israeli military's chief of staff, its top general, General Herzi Halevi, making explicit what we have considered as a possibility,
saying that indeed, those strikes are designed to debilitate Hezbollah, but that they are also designed, as he said, to prepare the terrain for a
potential ground offensive.
He says as he was in northern Israel today, meeting with some of the Israeli troops who could potentially lead that ground offensive, he made
very clear to them that Israel is preparing for the potential for a ground operation, talking explicitly about Israeli boots on the ground in what he
described as enemy territory, which of course, in this case is Lebanon, in areas where Hezbollah has a heavy presence.
As we are speaking right now, the Israeli security cabinet is currently meeting inside Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv discussing this
very possibility. What they are also discussing, I expect, are these ongoing diplomatic efforts being led by the United States to try and reach
some kind of an agreement between Israel and Hezbollah to stop the fighting before it escalates into the kind of all-out ground war that has been
feared for so long now.
There's no question that Hezbollah has been firing barrages of rockets at northern Israel. And earlier today, they fired their first ballistic
missile towards the city of Tel Aviv, but at the same time, the kinds of barrages of rockets that we have seen from Hezbollah are nowhere near the
level that Israeli officials have been fearing could be the case for months now as they have anticipated the possibility of this conflict heating up,
whether that is because Hezbollah has chosen to hold its fire for now or because they have been so debilitated over the course of the last week that
they don't have the capability to fire that right now, unclear.
What is clear though is that regardless of what Hezbollah does, Israel is signaling a willingness to continue to ratchet up --
SOARES: Yes --
DIAMOND: The escalation.
SOARES: And as you were talking, Jeremy, I'm seeing now comments from Daniel Hagari, the IDF spokesperson, who said that the military has struck
2,000 targets in Lebanon over the past three days. We're also hearing just in the last few minutes, in fact, Jeremy, and I wonder whether you can
expand on this, you have any more information.
That two drones have been fired at southern Israeli Port of Eilat. This is according to the military, military saying -- Hagari again saying not clear
yet who fired the drones. Do you have any more information on this, Jeremy, at all?
DIAMOND: Yes, that's right. The Israeli military confirming that two drones were fired towards the city of Eilat. One of those drones was apparently
intercepted, but the other one actually hit the port area of Eilat. We understand that there is one man who was slightly injured by shards of
glass as a result of that explosion.
It's not clear who is responsible, we know that the Houthis in the past have carried out those types of attacks. But we also know that Iranian
proxies in Iraq have been increasingly active in this war over the course of the last week or so. And that is also a distinct possibility in this
case. So, clearly things heating up on multiple fronts, both in the south as well as in northern Israel as well as the Israeli military --
SOARES: Yes --
DIAMOND: Continues these very intense and very deadly strikes in Lebanon.
SOARES: And that is exactly the fear of this escalating with the Axis of Resistance, you just laid out really getting involved here. Let me bring
Jomana who is in Beirut. And Jomana, you know, while both sides clearly are escalating -- seem to be escalating every day, civilians as always, and yet
again, continue really to pay the heaviest price.
We are seeing a mass exodus from the last few days in the country with thousands of Syrians and Lebanese fleeing across the border to Syria. Speak
to the displacement and the fear across the country and fear of a wider war. I know it's a country, you know well, you've studied there, you've
lived there, talk us through what you are seeing in the country.
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Isa, as you can imagine, this is a country that knows war all too well unfortunately, and
people are bracing for the worst. You know, neither side here, not Israel, not Hezbollah is calling this a war yet.
But for many people, it very much feels like one already when you're talking about more than a week now of attacks when you had the pager
attacks, the walkie-talkie attacks, airstrikes in Beirut and constant continuous massive airstrikes that have been carried out by the Israeli
military in the south, in the eastern Beqaa region, where this has been mostly focused, this aerial campaign by the Israeli military.
But also other parts of Lebanon as well have been struck. So, people are very fearful of what might be coming, you have had already tens of
thousands of people who have fled their homes, according to the United Nations, they say more than 90,000 people from across the country have left
their homes.
[14:10:00]
But keeping in mind, these are official figures. These are people who are registered with U.N.-run and government-run shelters. But you also have
thousands and thousands of others who have fled to family and relatives to their homes in different parts of the country here in Beirut, even at a
hotel where we are staying, we've seen so many displaced families who have arrived from southern Lebanon, who have arrived from Beirut's southern
suburbs as well.
And you know, we heard from the country's Foreign Minister while there are no official statistics out, he says that right now, the number of people
displaced has -- is approaching 500,000 people, and to put that into context, Isa, that's nearly 10 percent of Lebanon's population.
And then on top of that, you also have people who are crossing the border into war-torn Syria. We're talking about Syrians and Lebanese who say they
have absolutely nowhere left to go. They have nowhere to stay, people can't afford rents in places like Beirut, have no family to stay with, so they're
crossing the border into Syria.
It's a very difficult time for this country, and as you mentioned, of course, it always is the civilians who are caught in the midst of conflicts
they have no control over.
SOARES: Indeed, and this is the moment that we all feared. We've had so many discussions about this and seems that we are at the precipice of that,
thank you very much Jomana and Jeremy, thank you. Well, Alex Marquardt is tracking developments from the U.N. as this clearly is escalating. And
Alex, is he with us? Yes, he is.
And Alex, we'll talk about Ukraine in just a moment and what we heard from President Zelenskyy. But let me ask you first about -- I think as you're
reporting on this escalating crisis, and what we heard really, Jeremy, and just blaring(ph) it out for us there, and that is that the U.S. is working
on a plan to de-escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. What more are you learning about this plan?
ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm sorry, Isa, if you're speaking with me, I can't hear you.
SOARES: Oh, OK, so, let me just check. Can you hear me at all now? No? Right, we're going to try and fix the connection, he is at the U.N., we're
going to try and fix it because it's really important. But let me play out first of all what we heard from President Zelenskyy, as you know, he
addressed the U.N. General Assembly. Listen to what President Zelenskyy had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE: Our people who are forcefully separated by occupation because Putin decided he could do whatever he
wants. It's our heroic soldiers who are giving their lives to defend our country from invaders, trying to steal our land. That's why we say
rightfully so, there can be no just peace without Ukraine.
And I think every leader, every country that supports us in this, that understands us, that sees how Russia, a country more than 20 times larger
than Ukraine in territory still wants even more land, more land, which is insane, and is seizing it day-by-day, while wanting to destroy its
neighbor.
And Russia found very special bodies for that, North Korea and Iran, telling choice of friends. And now every neighbor of Russia in Europe and
central Asia feels that the war could come to them as well and just think what kind of losses that would mean for the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, let's try and see if we can reconnect with Alex Marquardt, who is at the U.N., can you hear me now, Alex?
MARQUARDT: I can, Isa.
SOARES: Fantastic. I am going to ask you about the escalating crisis in the Middle East in just a moment. But we've just heard there as we fixed the
tech gremlins, sorted that out, we heard from Zelenskyy. So, I wonder what you made of what we heard because of course, we are waiting for the victory
plan today.
I don't know what you felt. I felt his speech was kind of light on details, but he did talk about nuclear safety and accusing the Russians of planning
to attack nuclear facilities in Ukraine. What did you make of what we heard?
MARQUARDT: Yes, you're right. Certainly light on detail when it came to --
SOARES: Yes --
MARQUARDT: The plan for victory as he's been calling it. But quite specific about the threat from Russia and really starting with this urgency about,
as he said, Russia's plans to attack the nuclear infrastructure inside of Ukraine. He said he'd gotten a warning two years ago when the war started
about Russia targeting the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe, which is the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is now under Russian
occupation.
[14:15:00]
And now as Ukraine faces its third Winter during this war, he says that they plan to, again, attach -- attack the energy infrastructure, 80 percent
of which, Zelenskyy says is already offline, including all of the thermal nuclear power plants and others. And now, he accuses President Putin of
wanting to go after the nuclear infrastructure, and of course, nuclear fallout does not recognize borders.
And so, this was a warning, not just for, well, to those -- to civilians beyond just Ukraine and into broader Europe. So, that was certainly
designed to get the attention of those in the room. He said that world leaders need to remain united behind Ukraine and not be divided, support
Ukraine against what he called Russian colonialism. Isa?
SOARES: Yes, and I'm looking forward to listening to the Latvian Foreign Minister who I will be speaking to in just a moment about exactly about
this and this Intelligence that we heard from President Zelenskyy. But let me ask you about your reporting that we were just talking about with Jeremy
actually in Israel, and that is, of course, that, you know, the U.S. is working on a plan to de-escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
We've heard from the IDF in the last few minutes that it struck more than 2,000 targets in Lebanon over the past three days, we've also heard in the
last few minutes that two drones have been fired at the southern port -- Israeli port of Eilat. What more do you know about these efforts to de-
escalate from the United States?
MARQUARDT: Well, I mean, certainly from everything you just said, there's no sign of any de-escalation, but that's certainly --
SOARES: Yes --
MARQUARDT: What the U.S. is working towards. Now, we have this stark warning from the U.S. President saying earlier today that the possibility
of an all-out war is certainly possible. But he also said with some optimism that there could be a clamp-down, that there could be a ceasefire
deal.
Now, we have heard so much optimism from U.S. officials in the past few months about the potential for a ceasefire that has not come to fruition.
What my colleagues and I are told is that the U.S. is frantically working on a new ceasefire plan between Israel and Hezbollah. You have the top U.S.
national security officials here in New York working with France, working with other countries to try to get this to a place where both sides can
clamp-down. Interestingly, Isa, they are also linking it to the ceasefire in Gaza, which --
SOARES: Yes --
MARQUARDT: We know is fully stuck at this point. And so, it is very light on details, we have, of course, heard that the U.S. has been working on
ceasefire plans countless times in the past few months. But you know, this -- we are as you have said, closer to this all-out war scenario than we
have been in the past 11 months.
Now, Netanyahu has said that or rather Israeli officials tell CNN that Netanyahu is willing for his government to engage with this U.S. plan as
long as it assures the right for those Israeli civilians in northern Israel to return to their homes, more than 60,000 of them. So, these efforts are
ongoing, but against this very dangerous backdrop of the potential ground incursion by IDF forces into southern Lebanon, Isa?
SOARES: Yes, very precarious here indeed, Alex, as always, appreciate it, thank you. Let's get more then from the U.N. General Assembly joining us
live from New York is Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze. Foreign Minister, welcome back to the show, wonderful to see you.
We are monitoring as you can imagine, two big stories here on the show. And I will get to Ukraine, but first, let me get your reaction to what we've
been hearing, something that our correspondent just mentioned there, is that the Israeli army chief says it's preparing for a possible ground
incursion into Lebanon.
This as Israel and Hezbollah continue to trade waves, forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes. Just your reaction to what's playing out in
the Middle East and whether you think this -- we're in the brink really of an all-out war.
BAIBA BRAZE, FOREIGN MINISTER, LATVIA: I think there are several layers to all of that, of course, Israel does have the right to self-defense, and
that was after the 7th of October attacks, that was stated publicly. We all want to see the ceasefire with regard to the current situation to enable
the help to civilians that are suffering and of course, see attacks from Hezbollah on Israeli territory are not acceptable as a barrage of rockets
as you just said, is something that is happening and we cannot ignore it.
In the same time, of course, nobody wants to see further escalations, so, I think there's a lot of efforts going on currently. I know there's a lot of
effort going on currently to try to de-escalate the situation and prevent further difficulties in the region --
SOARES: Yes --
BRAZE: Let's put it that -- it's an understatement, of course.
SOARES: Let's talk to you those efforts then, because the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today that his country will not rest until
its -- all the residents can return home. You heard our correspondent, we're talking about 60,000 Israelis haven't been able to go back home for
almost a year. We've also heard from the Israeli, that the strategy seems to be escalate -- to de-escalate.
[14:20:00]
I mean, one, what do you think of that strategy? Do you think it's going to work? And also at what cost, Foreign Minister?
BRAZE: Oh, listen, I don't want to comment on specific statements of certain leaders one way or the other. I think there's -- what is important
that there's the -- off the records behind the scenes big effort going on to try to find solutions that doesn't bring further hostilities, but de-
escalation. And we fully support those efforts.
SOARES: I understand. I understand, you don't want to comment on what we heard from Prime Minister, but let me ask you this, do you think a ground
invasion by Israeli troops can force Hezbollah to back down? Can change the dynamics in the region?
BRAZE: Again, I don't want to comment on speculative statements or some type of ideas that circulate one way or the other. What is important is,
for everyone to put a thought in and a work and a practical effort to make sure further hostilities are rewarded. Having said that, obviously, both on
the Israeli side and Lebanese side, again, the individuals again, civilians are affected.
And whatever is the right to defense, self-defense or whatever the situation, the civilian rights to exist peacefully and live their --
SOARES: Yes --
BRAZE: Lives have to be respected. International humanitarian law applies also in these situations. We are also as Latvian members of UNIFIL, of the
United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, so, UNIFIL is something that many countries contribute to, they're there on the line between both countries.
So, there are various layers to all of these situations. So, let's try at least by our efforts, by our words to try to keep that peace and try to
keep that sort of level of hostilities to turn it down, not up.
SOARES: Yes, and we know, we've been hearing from the United States, in fact, from our Alex Marquardt, our correspondent in New York basically
saying the U.S. is working urgently we've been told on a plan to de- escalate tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. But let me leave that for just a second and focus on Ukraine.
We are waiting to hear Foreign Minister, a victory plan from President Zelenskyy today, we didn't get much in terms of that detail, but we expect
this to include potentially discussion on Kyiv's long-stated request for long-range missiles like ATACMS, to strike military targets inside Russia.
Do you believe the U.S. will back this? And do you think this coupled with perhaps more incursions into Russia will bring about a victory?
BRAZE: Ideally, we see that on the battlefields, I really don't care about the statements. I don't care about reflections in the media. I would like
to see on the battlefield that Ukraine has the ability to strike those airfields where the Russian planes take off to bomb the Ukrainian
civilians, where large hubs or logistics or fuel or others, or equipment material is gathered and from where Russia supplies its occupation troops
in Ukraine, remember, it's a country that is attacked. It's a victim, we need to help it and we need to help it to self-defend.
SOARES: Yes, and of course, worth reminding viewers that Ukraine is facing a third Winter, and in today, we heard President Zelenskyy saying that
Russia, it's stepping up strikes on Ukraine's energy grid, right? In a bid to plunge the country --
BRAZE: Correct --
SOARES: Into what he called --
BRAZE: Correct --
SOARES: Dark and cold Winter. Speak to the pressures here, Foreign Minister. What pressures can be applied because I remember reading that you
have been calling for further sanctions.
BRAZE: We will -- we will go on with further sanctions very clearly, we have to lower the oil price to decrease income in the Russian budget,
because about a third of the Russian budget is from various natural resources, be it oil or gas. So, lowering the oil price is essential to
decrease the ability to finance a war on the Russian side. It's not a lethal -- it's not some type of escalatory measure.
It's a -- it's a pretty straight forward economic objection that should be done. Banning shadow fleet vessels, carrying oil, resupplying, then back to
Europe. So, there's a whole set of measures that can be done unilaterally or multilaterally, and that needs to be done.
But also continuing to help Ukrainian people with various generators, transformers, other civilian help, if countries can provide military help
or if organizations can provide military help, they can do that to the civilians, and again, that's in every person's interests to make sure that
this country survives this Winter, and that it's victorious on the battlefield. We are --
[14:25:00]
SOARES: Indeed --
BRAZE: We were standing here for the underdog then.
SOARES: Foreign Minister, I appreciate you coming on the show, thank you very much indeed.
BRAZE: You're very welcome.
SOARES: And still to come tonight, I'll be speaking to the Norwegian Prime Minister who will join me live from the United Nations, a firmer believer
of the two-state solution. We'll discuss how and if diplomacy can still exist in the Middle East. Plus, we are watching Hurricane Helene as it
passes Cuba and Mexico on its way towards Florida. We have a live report coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back everyone. Florida and the southern eastern United States are bracing for what is expected to be a major and rapidly
intensifying storm, Hurricane Helene just reached Category One strength, and right now, it's moving past Mexico and heading north.
Here's what Helene looked like in Cancun as it passed as a tropical storm. It likely will reach Florida later on Thursday where evacuation orders are
in place for several coastal counties and residents are busy. You can see they're preparing, but it's not just Florida, the entire southeastern
United States could be impacted by Helene through rain as well as flash flooding.
Let's go to Cuba where the latest conditions, really -- Patrick Oppmann. And Patrick, just before we came to you, I'm seeing that more than 50,000
people are without power in western Cuba, just give us a sense of what you are seeing on the ground.
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we're a bit of a low right now, but all day long, you've had these periods of intense rain, and then
there's a low and then the rain kicks up. And you know, we're talking about a storm really incredible, the winds of this storm -- of this hurricane now
stretch from Cosmos(ph), Mexico, to where I am in Havana, Cuba, really quite astounding.
And as it picks up more and more power, that is when it's going to get quite frightening. The storm did not make a direct hit on Cuba, all the
same, more than 50,000 people in the western-most province of Pinata, Rio(ph) are without power. Certainly, many more probably when you begin to
count other provinces to the east of that western-most province.
Cuba officials now are only beginning to try to understand the damage that has been wrought, and even though, it did not make eye wall -- that did not
make landfall, the eye of the storm here in Cuba, still lots and lots of rain. And the problem that you have, Isa, in a place like Havana where you
have so much aging infrastructure is as things dry out over the next few days, that can really be a dangerous time because that's when some of the
old buildings behind me, they can crack and they can give way.
[14:30:14]
And you have pieces of some of the old stoneworks collapse and even entire buildings come down.
So, while it did not make a direct hit on Cuba, it certainly has caused some pain and suffering here and will continue to do so in Florida.
SOARES: Appreciate it, Patrick. Good to see you. Patrick Oppmann there in Havana in Cuba.
And still to come tonight, sources are telling CNN that the U.S. is working urgently, we're told, and a plan for an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. We'll
have a live report from Washington, D.C. on a Biden administration's efforts in the region. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Welcome back, everyone. Sources tell CNN that the Biden administration is working urgently on a plan to mediate a ceasefire between
Israel and Hezbollah. As Israel says, its military is preparing for a possibility of a ground incursion into Lebanon.
Meanwhile, sources also say the White House has all but paused attempts to get Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire and hostage deal. And the
volatile situation was addressed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. Have a listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: With regard to Lebanon, we've been working tirelessly with partners to avoid a full-blown war and to move to a
diplomatic process that would allow Israelis and Lebanese alike to go back to their homes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Let's get more on all this. Kylie Atwood, who joins me now from Washington, D.C. So, Kylie, just help us and help our viewers around the
world make sense of what we are hearing. Because at one point we heard earlier today saying that the Biden administration has all but paused,
right, a push for Gaza's ceasefire and hostage deal. Now, we're hearing they're working urgently on a plan to mediate a ceasefire between Israel
and Hezbollah. Are the two not connected? And give us more details on this plan.
[14:35:00]
KYLIE ATWOOD, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, realistically, these are two different areas which could require two different solutions.
We have been reporting for quite some time that U.S. officials were hopeful that bringing together a ceasefire and a hostage release deal in Gaza would
then bring down the fighting, bring down the tensions that we have seen exacerbated on the northern border of Israel.
But now, without that deal in place, we're now seeing a very increased escalation between Northern Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. And so, U.S.
officials have really no choice at this moment but to focus on that. And as we have reported, our colleagues have reported, U.S. officials are urgently
working to try and bring together some sort of diplomatic solution that can de-escalate the situation there and then, of course, they would have to
turn back to Gaza where the war continues to rage on.
But, significantly, that U.S. support for a ceasefire and support for a hostage release deal, it really hasn't been actively worked on in recent
weeks. We saw the Secretary of State travel to the region last week to Egypt. I was with him. He notably did not go to Israel. It was the first
time that he had traveled to the region and not gone to Israel since we have seen the back and forth that he has done, this shuttle diplomacy after
October 7th.
And U.S. officials are saying at this moment, when it comes to Gaza, when it comes to the conversations with Israel and Hamas and Sinwar, that
effectively, the U.S. can't want this deal more than those two parties do. And what they say right now is that Hamas and Sinwar have shown that they
do not want a deal. But when or if they decide they do, it'll be incumbent on the U.S. to pressure Netanyahu to actually come to that deal.
But effectively, they believe that even if they try and put different forms of, you know, a proposal on the table, it's not necessarily going to be
accepted because both parties don't have the political will right now to actually say yes.
And so, that is where they are at a dead end. There's some conversations about changing their strategy here. But for this moment in time, while the
U.N. General Assembly is happening, they're really focused on trying to deescalate between Hezbollah and Israel.
SOARES: Yes, very much needed. Kylie, appreciate it. Thank you very much. Joining me now from the United Nations in Norwegian, Prime Minister Jonas
Store. Norway recognized the State of Palestine, if you remember in May, alongside Ireland as well as Spain. Prime Minister, welcome to the show.
Let me pick up where my colleague, Kylie Atwood, just left off. We've heard in the last 24 hours or so that the Biden administration has all but paused
the push for a Gaza ceasefire as well as hostage deal when we're also hearing that the Biden administration is now working urgently on a plan to
mediate a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Just speak to what is unfolding right now in the Middle East and your concerns or perhaps
frustrations here, Prime Minister.
JONAS STORE, NORWEGIAN PRIME MINISTER: Well, I mean, these are two still ongoing, very dramatic situations, and both need to be dealt with. Norway's
position has been clear, you know, as we have condemned the 7th of October attack last year. We've also been very clear that the warfare going on from
Israel's side is not proportional. It's really a breach of what international law sets of limits, and it's a kind of a disaster unfolding
in Gaza.
I appreciate that these negotiations have been very hard, that either party have not been making the right move to get to some kind of agreement. And
then, comes Lebanon in the north. So, I can only, you know, encourage and support whatever the U.S. can do to put pressure on the parties. And we
try, I think, as Europeans to try to be constructive in the same direction.
But it is really up to the key parties here, Israel and Hamas concerning Gaza. And to find some solutions when it comes to the border with Lebanon
and the fight with Hezbollah. Both are dangerous conflicts because they risk escalating into something which is much broader and I think it's
important that we also here at the U.N. now do what we can to avoid that escalation. And I'm hopeful that we can manage at least to avoid that that
further disaster.
SOARES: Yes, indeed. And I wonder then, in your view, Prime Minister, how we then go about de-escalating. Because just in the last few hours, we've
heard the Israeli army chief saying the military is preparing for a possible ground invasion of Lebanon.
STORE: Well, again, you know, I appreciate that talks are going on. That's what we also hear and experience that there are talks, you know, to find
some kind of ceasefire. Obviously, there has been something boiling here between Hezbollah and Israel for many, many months. People are moving away
from the border. A lot of people are being killed. But there doesn't seem to be, to me at least, a long-term plan of what the ground invasion by
Israel into Lebanon would really lead to. So, what problem will that actually solve?
[14:40:00]
So, I think being able to avoid that, which in itself would be a major escalation. Iran is important in this. I have, together with some of my
colleagues, we've been meeting with a new president of Iran to impress upon him that Iran must play the de-escalation card. They are in direct link
with many of these groups, Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and so on.
And if we are going to take seriously that the new president of Iran wants to take his country in directions of less conflict, de-escalation, engaging
more with the west, here he has some obvious opportunities to demonstrate that.
SOARES: And that is the concern that this widen out -- widens out and brings the Axis of Resistance in this into a wider conflict. The other
concern as well is this -- and we've heard this before from the Hezbollah side is that, you know, what could bring a pause is a ceasefire in Gaza.
The Israelis, of course, want their hostages back as well.
We're almost a year now, almost a year since this war started on October the 7th by Hamas. Why do you think, Prime Minister, we have failed, you
think to get a ceasefire agreement?
STORE: Well, because I think that none of the parties see their interest served at the moment with a ceasefire agreement. That is pretty obvious.
So, we need to understand why. I think for Hamas, it's about maintaining their position in Gaza of the resistant force. They want to keep that
alive. And on the Israeli side, I don't see that, you know, they either have an interest of ending their ability to go after Hamas.
But it brings us back to this issue. What security threat will Israel face from a population of more than 2 million people? We have seen almost 80
percent of everything being destroyed. This is not going to enhance security. It is extremely short sighted.
I appreciate Israel's right to defend itself after 7th of October. It is clearly written into international law. But international law is also very
clear on the proportionality of this. So, I think, you know, it is a great tragedy unfolding because so many people are suffering. So, many people are
being killed. And nobody seemed to be in a position to impress upon Hamas to release the hostages and get the ceasefire, and on Israel to stop this
fighting, which is just, you know, fueling more conflicts.
And let me just also add, because we don't mention it enough, the West Bank. That is, I think, is of great concern because the current Israeli
government, Prime Minister Netanyahu and his ministers, are putting life in danger there by weakening and destroying the Palestinian Authority and
weakening any protection of civilians on the West Bank. And I think that's really needs to get our attention.
SOARES: Yes, and this is -- I'm glad you brought it up. This is a conversation we had in depth with Josep Borrell, the E.U. chief, just on
the show on Monday. Let me expand, if I could, on your comments on Gaza, because it does seem that the conflict that we have been seeing for the
past almost a year is really testing, Prime Minister, the limits of diplomacy on many levels.
In August, and correct me if there's any new developments here, Israel revoked the diplomatic status of eight Norwegian diplomats working in the
Palestinian territories. Just explain to our viewers on what grounds they were revoked, and what that tells you perhaps, on how Prime Minister
Netanyahu whether he wants a two-state solution and where he sees this conflict going?
STORE: Well, I mean, Prime Minister Netanyahu is very clear, he doesn't want a two-state solution. He works systematically for a one-state
solution. And I think that's an -- that will be an Israel not in accordance with the values of the State of Israel, a democracy with equal rights.
Norway recognized the State of Palestine as you rightfully said in May. Why did we do that? It's been our position for many decades that the
Palestinians have a right to a state. Our view was that should be part of a final agreement on peace. That seems not to be in the cards. And we wanted
to recognize Palestinian State with the following reason. Palestinians should have their right to be treated with the rights and obligations of a
state, to abide by the U.N. charter and what you expect from a state.
If we don't treat them as a state, you leave the language to Hamas and terrorist group who speak through violence. Now, Israel reacted to that. I
can appreciate, you know, in calculus of Prime Minister Netanyahu, it is negative that we treat the Palestinians with statehood. Then he pulled back
visas from Norwegian diplomats who work with the Palestinians.
And I told my Israeli friends that, you know, this is not a punishment of Norway. It doesn't hurt my country, but it hurts our ability to support a
Palestinian authority, which can keep order and some, you know, welfare and some education and some health to a vulnerable Palestinian situation.
But I appreciate that part of that government doesn't see that as a goal. You know, they see as a goal to put the livelihood of Palestinians in
danger so that they will find it untenable to live there. And that is a drama which I think the world cannot accept. And we speak out clearly
against it.
[14:45:00]
SOARES: And very briefly, Prime Minister, I know that your country, I know Norway, I know also that Ireland and Spain, and we heard from Mr. Sanchez
this in the last hour right here on CNN, have been really reeling the efforts of recognizing Palestinian Statehood. Where are you on those
efforts to get further -- more countries in Europe and elsewhere to recognize Palestinian Statehood?
STORE: Well, you can add Slovenia to that list. They also --
SOARES: Slovenia, you're right? Yes.
STORE: And I think there are more countries in Europe considering this. And remember one thing, these are countries that are friends of Israel, who
wants the best for Israel, for people who live in Israel, for all the values of this fine democracy.
So, we do this to keep alive a vision that what may eventually bring peace and stability to this region. It's hard to imagine now is that there are
two states living side by side in peace. And you know, Norway works now with our Arab colleagues, with our Gulf State colleagues, so that there is
a dialogue ongoing on how you can work towards a broader framework of a two-state solution once there is ceasefire in the one conflict and the
other.
But the drama now is there seems to be, as one conflict is still emerging, another one adds to the big theater on conflicts. But we have to also keep
the long-term perspective, because this has huge implications from far beyond the Middle East.
And I want to be clear, you know, we didn't talk about Ukraine in this conversation, but when we talk about Ukraine and their right for self-
defense, people in the south say that, you know, if we don't treat Palestinians with equal rights, we have double language. And I don't want
to be a prime minister of double language. So, we recognize Palestinians right to have a state and we recognize Ukraine's right to defend itself.
SOARES: And I have heard prime ministers, foreign ministers, even former prime ministers from the Global South saying exactly that, concerning --
concerned of double standards. Prime Minister, you have been very clear and very generous with your time. Thank you very much, sir.
STORE: Thank you.
SOARES: Well, let me update you on our breaking news. Israel's military says two drones, we told you in the last 46 minutes, were fired at the
Southern Port of Eilat. One of them landed. The other, if you heard from Jeremy, was intercepted. And as Jeremy told us, two people were lightly
injured.
An umbrella group of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq said it was behind the attack. This is the first video we're getting of that. Israel has not
confirmed that, but says the drones approached from the east. So, we'll stay across, of course, these concerning developments out of the Middle
East.
And still to come tonight, a stunning report about the failures to protect Donald Trump from an assassin what it says went wrong in Butler,
Pennsylvania.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SOARES: Well, Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump says he's been, quote, "threatened very directly by Iran." This after Secretary of
State Antony Blinken said the government is tracking a threat by Iran against current as well as former U.S. officials.
[14:50:00]
Speaking a short time ago at a rally in North Carolina, Trump described how he would respond as president. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R), FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT AND 2024 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If I were the president, I would inform the threatening country, in this case
Iran, that if you do anything to harm this person, we are going to blow your largest cities and the country itself to smithereens. We're going to
blow it to smithereens. You can't do that. And there would be no more threats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOARES: Well, a breakdown in communication with nobody clearly in charge. That's one of the stunning conclusions of a new U.S. Senate report about
the first attempt on the life of Donald Trump. Other highlights from the report about the July shooting in Pennsylvania, Secret Service agents did
not request a surveillance team. No visual barriers were put in place around the rally to block the shooter. And there was confusion about who
was responsible for securing the building that the gunman climbed onto.
Let's get more on what came out of that. Annie Grayer tracking the story. She joins us now live from Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Annie, good to
see you. Talk us through the kind of sweeping failures here and whether any of these issues critically have been addressed.
ANNIE GRAYER, CNN REPORTER: Well, the report says that these issues were, quote, "foreseeable and preventable." And that is just an alarming
statement from the Senate Committee, a bipartisan group of lawmakers to say about the Secret Service as they are still trying to keep President --
Former President Donald Trump and Kamala Harris safe in the lead up to the election.
And there is no sign that any of these issues that they've identified have really been address. I mean, there were serious breakdowns in communication
here, and there was no clear sense of who was in charge at this Butler rally, and that's just a huge problem as Secret Service tries to, you know,
pull themselves together and continue to protect Trump.
And even after this report, the Secret Service isn't denying anything, and, in fact, in a statement said that this, in fact, matches up with their own
investigation into the Butler rally that day.
I mean, just another example, the Secret Service was tracking credible threats from Iran against Former President Donald Trump and local police
officers in Pennsylvania didn't know that that was something that the Secret Service was watching. So, just across the board, a breakdown in
communication with no one clearly in charge and no clear answers about how to fix these issues.
SOARES: Annie Grayer, appreciate it. Thanks, Annie. Good to see you. We are going to take a short break. We'll see you in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[14:55:00]
SOARES: Well, don't put all your eggs in one basket. It might end up costing more than you expect. That's because the price of eggs is spiking
yet again. In the U.S., it jumped 28 percent just in the last year. And the main culprit, bird flu. The disease has impacted more than 100 million
birds in the U.S. since January 2020, according to the CDC. And this means fewer eggs and higher prices, of course, at the grocery store.
Now, across the Atlantic, where a zoo in Finland is returning two pandas to China, because they cannot afford to keep them. The animals were due to
stay in Finland for another eight years, but the zoo is saying that their care is too expensive, costing a whopping EUR1.5 million every year. The
pandas will go into a month-long quarantine before they are shipped back to China in November. And it's their care not the bamboo costs have gone up.
No inflation pressures there.
That's done for us. Thanks very much for joining us. Thank you. Jim Sciutto, in fact, with Newsroom is up next. I'll see you tomorrow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[15:00:00]
END
