Biden holds talks on Iran with Israel amid calls to address journalist’s death

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• Judy Woodruff:

  In Jerusalem today, President Biden and Israeli leaders discussed the threat posed by Iran, despite differences over a possible diplomatic deal having to do with Iran's nuclear program.

  The president also reiterated his support for a two-state solution to the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as aides faced questions about why the president is not meeting with the family of a Palestinian American journalist who was killed two months ago.

  Nick Schifrin begins our coverage.

• Nick Schifrin:

  On day two of President Biden's tour of Israel, they welcomed him like a rock star. Israeli President Yitskhak Herzog escorted him down the red carpet and awarded him Israel's highest civilian honor for what he called a half-century of work for Israel's security.

  Earlier, President Biden and Prime Minister Yair Lapid signed what officials called a blueprint for future cooperation, including an American promise to use all elements of its national power to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.

  Israel translates that as a credible military threat.

• Yair Lapid, Israeli Prime Minister:

  The only thing that will stop Iran is knowing that, if they continue to develop their nuclear program, the free world will use force.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Biden's preference, return to the Iran nuclear deal. But he warned of a time limit.

• President Joe Biden:

  I continue to believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve this outcome.

  When that will come, I'm not certain, but we're not going to wait forever.

• Nick Schifrin:

  President Biden also met and traded chuckles with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel's opposition, and he said the U.S. supports a Palestinian state.

• President Joe Biden:

  A two-state solution of two people, both of whom have deep and ancient roots in this land, living side by side in peace and security.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Tomorrow, President Biden will bring that message to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, where this mural will greet him, Shireen Abu Akleh, prominent Palestinian American journalist killed two months ago this week.

  So, Ali, you arrived here and then what happened?

  Ali Samoudi has been reporting from Jenin in the occupied West Bank for 30 years. He was Abu Akleh's producer at Al-Jazeera and was with her when she was killed.

• Ali Samoudi, Al-Jazeera Producer (through translator):

  We kept walking until we reached this point here. When we got here, we heard the sound of an explosion a little further up. So, we stopped.

  I turned immediately, and Shireen was there, and told her: "Shireen, they're shooting. We have to return."

• Nick Schifrin:

  Samoudi says an Israeli patrol parked just as that hill begins about 750 feet away.

• Ali Samoudi (through translator):

  Before I could finish my word, I felt an explosion here. I was shot by a bullet. Shireen screamed: "Ali got shot."

  I started running in this direction. The bullets continued in all directions.

• Nick Schifrin:

  After you were shot, what happened to Shireen?

• Ali Samoudi (through translator):

  Shireen ran in this direction, hoping she could get away. She hid here, but the bullets kept coming, until she was reached this point, where she was shot. Here are the bullets of the Israeli occupation forces.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Abu Akleh's body lifeless, killed by a bullet that pierced her helmet.

  Who do you believe shot you?

• Ali Samoudi (through translator):

  The Israeli occupation forces. They shot at us intentionally and directly. We were journalists and there were no militants among us. If it was the Palestinians that shot us, we would have said so.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Initially, Israeli army spokesman Ran Kochav accused the journalists of — quote — "filming and working with a media outlet amidst armed Palestinians. They're armed with cameras."

  Defense Minister Benny Gantz later said it was impossible to know for sure who fired the fatal shot.

• Benny Gantz, Israeli Defense Minister (through translator):

  It is important to emphasize that, during this operational event, like in many others, hundreds of bullets were fired at IDF troops, which responded with firepower of their own, only in the direction of the sources of the shooting.

• Nick Schifrin:

  The Israelis say that there were other people with weapons, with guns firing at them at that moment.

• Ali Samoudi (through translator):

  These are lies. The Israeli army is lying. There were only journalists in this area and the army patrols.

• Nick Schifrin:

  On July the 4th, the U.S. released a statement that said, based on Israeli and Palestinian investigations, gunfire from Israel Defense Force positions was likely responsible, even though the bullet that killed Abu Akleh was badly damaged, which prevented a clear conclusion.

  A senior Israeli official objected to the U.S. statement, telling reporters: "You cannot say there is inclusivity on the one hand, but it's conclusive on the other hand. If it draws on the Palestinian investigation, I question the validity of that investigation."

  In Ramallah, Palestinian Justice Minister Mohammed al-Shalaldeh also criticized the U.S. statement, telling me it didn't go far enough?

  Mohammed al-Shalaldeh, Palestinian Minister of Justice (through translator): The American report has unfortunately distorted, camouflaged and misled the process away from the path of justice and the implementation of the rules of international law.

  Lina Abu Akleh, Niece of Shireen Abu Akleh: She could light up an entire room without even trying.

• Nick Schifrin:

  For Abu Akleh's niece, Lina, her aunt's death leaves an unfillable void, not only for her and their family, but also for their entire community.

• Lina Abu Akleh:

  What happened on the day of her funeral was a testament to her legacy. Tens and thousands of people came to carry her on their shoulders, the same way she carried their voices for 25 years.

• Nick Schifrin:

  But then Israeli security forces attacked her pallbearers.

• Lina Abu Akleh:

  You violate the right to dignity. That's what happens. They violated the right to dignity.

• Nick Schifrin:

  This week, she and the rest of the family spoke to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to ask for a meeting with President Biden.

• Lina Abu Akleh:

  If I met him, I would tell him that you have all the power to make a change, to make a difference. And if you want to leave a lasting impression during the presidency, and if you want to uphold all these values of human rights, protection of journalists, democracy, accountability, et cetera, this is your time. This is your chance to make a difference.

• Nick Schifrin:

  But U.S. officials say President Biden is simply too busy on this trip to meet with the family.

  Meanwhile, a senior Israeli official says he does not think that the Abu Akleh killing will take away from any of the accomplishments or announcements made in the last two days. And, Judy, both senior U.S. and Israeli officials are calling this trip a success.

• Judy Woodruff:

  And so, Nick, with regard to Iran, both the U.S. and Israel say they have the same goal. But what about when it comes to how to achieve that goal?

• Nick Schifrin:

  Yes, I think you just hit the nail on the head.

  Both sides want to prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon. But the U.S. wants to resign the Iranian nuclear deal, and Israel says it's a bad deal. At the end of the day, what Israeli officials who talk to me say is that they actually hope the Iranian nuclear deal kind of dies over the next few months, and that Iran longer term can be deterred through a combination of economic punishment and military deterrence.

  But, Judy, right now, Iran has never been as close to a nuclear weapon as it is today.

• Judy Woodruff:

  Sobering.

  And, Nick, we know that, from Israel, President Biden goes on to Saudi Arabia tomorrow. A lot of attention that trip. What is known at this point about plans for him to meet with the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman?

• Nick Schifrin:

  Yes, I asked a U.S. official tonight whether President Biden would shake Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's hands, and the response was — quote — "We are focused on meetings, not greetings."

  For the record, that's neither no or a yes.

  And President Biden was asked today whether he would bring up Jamal Khashoggi, The Washington Post columnist who was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in a killing that U.S. intelligence believes was personally blessed by MBS. President Biden said in response to that: "My position on Khashoggi is so clear, if anyone doesn't understand it in Saudi Arabia or anywhere else, they haven't been around for a while," which, Judy, is also neither a yes nor a no.

• Judy Woodruff:

  And, as we say, we are going to be watching that part of the trip very closely.

  Nick Schifrin reporting late tonight from Israel.

  Thank you, Nick.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Thanks.

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