A U.N.-BACKED ORGANIZATION REPORTS THAT HALF OF GAZA, WHICH IS MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE, ARE ON THE BRINK OF CATASTROPHIC HUNGER.

THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY DAVID CAMERON SAYS THE STATUS QUO IS UNSUSTAINABLE, AND EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JAKE SULLIVAN HAD EVEN HARSHER WORDS.

>> INSTEAD TO PAUSE TO RE-EVALUATE ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM SUCCESS, INSTEAD OF A FOCUS ON STABILIZING THE AREAS OF GAZA THAT ISRAEL HAS CLEAR SOD THAT HAMAS DOES NOT REGENERATE AND RETAKE TERRITORY THAT ISRAEL HAS ALREADY CLEARED, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS NOW TALKING ABOUT LAUNCHING A MAJOR MILITARY OPERATION IN RAFAH.

MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN REFUGE IN RAFAH.

THEY WENT FROM GAZA CITY TO CAN EUNICE AND THEN TO RAFAH.

THEY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

GAZA'S OTHER CITIES HAVE LARGELY BEEN DESTROYED.

ISRAEL HAS NOT PRESENTED A PLAN FOR HOW OR WHERE THEY WOULD SAFELY MOVE THOSE CIVILIANS, LET ALONE FEED AND HOUSE THEM AND ENSURE THIN THEM TO BASIC THINGS LIKE SANITATION.

>> PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU IS SCHEDULED TO TALK BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WITH REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS.

NOW, THE INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE CALLS THE IMMINENT FAMINE IN GAZA, QUOTE, A PROFOUND FAILURE OF HUMANITY, AND ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE.

DAVID MILIBAND IS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE IRC.

HE'S A FORMER BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY, AND HE, HIMSELF, IS A CHILD OF HOLOCAUST REFUGEES.

WELCOME BACK TO OUR PROGRAM.

>> THANK YOU, CHRISTIANE.

>> SO, THE W.H.O., YOU ALL, EVERYBODY IS REALLY TRYING TO SOUND THE ALARM OF WHAT IS -- WE CAN SEE BY THE PICTURES THIS IMPENDING FAMINE.

WHO DO YOU BLAME FOR THIS?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S JUST BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT THE THREAT OF IMMINENT FAMINE DESCRIBED BY THE UNITED NATIONS IS SOMEONE, AN OFFICIAL IN NEW YORK WRITING A PRESS RELEASE.

THE INTERNATIONAL PHASE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM IS A DETAILED, QUITE CONSERVATIVE LOOK AT THE FACTS ON THE GROUND.

THEY DESCRIBE, AS SECRETARY BLINKEN SAID, A MILLION PEOPLE AT LEVEL FIVE, THAT IS FAMINE LEVEL.

THE REST OF THE POPULATION, LEVEL FOUR, IS CONSIDERED AN EMERGENCY.

LEVEL THREE, A CRISIS.

2.2 MILLION DON'T KNOW WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM, AND THE MILLION THAT ARE AT RISK OF FAMINE, ANYMORE INNOCENT RISK OF FAMINE, IN LEVEL FIVE, REPRESENT THE FASTEST DEGRADATION, THE FASTEST ACCELERATION OF A HUNGER CRISIS THAT'S EVER BEEN SEEN.

NOW, HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT, TO GET TO YOUR QUESTION?

THIS IS ABOUT VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEING MADE ON THE GROUND ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CROSSING POINTS, ABOUT THE NUMBER OF TRUCKS THAT ARE ALLOWED TO GO THROUGH CROSSING POINTS.

ABOUT WHAT AID, ABOVE ALL FOOD AID, IS ALLOWED TO GO ON THE TRUCKS THAT GO ACROSS THE CROSSING POINTS.

ABOUT THE TRANSIT OF TRUCKS ONCE THEY ARE INSIDE GAZA.

BECAUSE YOU'LL KNOW, THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM CONVOY WAS TURNED BACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT INSIDE GAZA LAST WEEK.

SO, YOU'VE GOT A SERIES OF IMPEDIMENTS, BLOCKAGES, RESTRICTIONS, BEING PUT IN PLACE ON LORRIES CARRYING THE MOST BASIC HUMANITARIAN AID, AND IT IS NOT GETTING THROUGH TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ENDING UP IN THE SITUATION, WHAT ARE FRANKLY FOURTH AND FIFTH-BEST ALTERNATIVES, DROPPING AID FROM THE SKY, BUILDING A PIER THAT'S GOING TO BE ONLINE IN ANOTHER SIX WEEKS.

THAT WON'T HELP THE PEOPLE AT IMMINENT RISK OF FAMINE NOW WHAT THEY NEED IS DIFFERENT DECISIONS ABOUT CROSSING POINTS, ABOUT TRUCK NUMBERS, ABOUT WHAT GOES IN THE TRUCKS.

>> SO, THOSE DECISIONS ARE IN THE HANDS OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND THE IDF.

THE U.N. SAYS IT HAS ENOUGH FOOD SITTING IN THOSE TRUCKS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO FEED THE 2 MILLION PEOPLE PLUS INSIDE GAZA.

WHAT POSSIBLE REASON COULD A DEMOCRACY AT WAR HAVE FOR DENYING THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF SURVIVAL?

>> WELL, NO GOOD REASON HAS BEEN GIVEN.

THERE'S ONE PART OF THE ARGUMENT, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO GET CLEAR WHICH IS, SOME OF THE TRUCKS ARE BEING TURNED BACK BECAUSE OF ALLEGATIONS THAT SOME OF THE ITEMS ON A TRUCK MIGHT BE QUOTE UNQUOTE DUAL USE.

THEY MIGHT HAVE CIVILIAN USE AS WELL AS MILITARY USE.

LET'S BE CLEAR WHAT KIND OF ITEMS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

A PAIR OF SCISSORS FOR USE IN A HEALTH CENTER.

MY OWN ORGANIZATION HAS DOCTORS, SURGEONS WORKING IN ONE OF THE HOSPITALS, NOT THE AL SHIFA HOSPITAL, ANOTHER HOSPITAL IN GAZA, BUT THEY LACK THE MOST BASIC -- THE SALINE DRIPS, THE SALINE AT ALL.

THE MOST BASIC IMPLEMENTS WITH WHICH TO DO THEIR WORK.

AND WHEN A PAIR OF SCISSORS GETS FOUND ON A TRUCK, THE WHOLE TRUCK GETS TURNED BACK.

SO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A REALLY SERIOUS SET OF VERY LOCALIZED DECISIONS, BUT ALSO, BIGGER DECISIONS ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CROSSING POINTS AND HOW THEY'RE USED.

>> I WANT TO PLAY, JUST SO THAT OUR VIEWERS AND YOU ALSO REALLY HEAR FROM AT LEAST ONE PERSON THERE, OF THE DESPERATE HUNGER THAT THEY FACE.

>> Translator: WHAT HAS THIS CHILD DONE TO SUFFER FROM HUNGER?

I CANNOT FIND HIM MILK FOR FIVE SHEKELS.

THE NORMAL MILK IS FOR 150.

THERE IS NO WORK.

THERE IS NO FOOD, NO DRINKS.

WE ARE EATING PLANTS.

WE STARTED EATING PIGEON FOOD, DONKEY FOOD.

WE ARE LIKE THE ANIMALS.

>> I SAW YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD.

I MEAN, THIS REFERENCE TO THEM EATING ANIMAL FOOD IS SHOCKING, STILL, EVERY TIME WE HEAR IT.

>> YEAH, AND REMEMBER, THE -- THE INTERNATIONAL PHASE CLASSIFICATION REPORT THAT CAME OUT THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY, 25 CHILDREN HAVE DIED OF STARVATION ALREADY.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT RHETORIC.

THIS IS NOT ACTUALLY ABOUT POLITICS.

THIS IS ABOUT HUMAN SURVIVAL, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S A FAILURE OF HUMANITY.

>> YOU CANNOT GET AWAY FROM THE IDEA, AS MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING, INCLUDING THE TOP REPRESENTATIVE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE EU JOSEP BORRELL, THAT IT IS DELIBERATE, HERE'S WHAT HE SAID.

>> THE FAMINE IS NOT NATURAL DISASTER.

IT'S NOT A FLOOD, IT'S NOT AN EARTHQUAKE.

IT'S ENTIRELY MAN-MADE.

HUNDREDS OF TRUCKS ARE WAITING TO ENTER.

AND IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE TO MAKE CROSSING POINTS WORK EFFECTIVELY AND OPEN ADDITIONAL CROSSING POINT.

AND JUST A MATTER OF POLITICAL WILL.

ISRAEL HAS TO DO IT.

STARVATION IS USED AS A WEAPON OF WAR, YES.

STARVATION IS USED AS A WEAPON OF WAR.

>> I MEAN, THAT'S DRAMATIC.

YOU KNOW, I JUST KEEP THINKING SOMALIA, ETHIOPIA, ALL THESE FAMINES THAT WE'VE COVERED, ALL THESE FOOD DELIVERIES, ALL THESE URGENT INTERVENTIONS BY THE U.S. AND OTHERS TO SAVE CIVILIANS -- WHY IS THIS ONE DIFFERENT?

WHY IS THIS ONE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN?

>> WELL, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE OF THE WAY IN WHICH CONFLICT AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS ARE CREATING -- THOSE ARE MAN-MADE, BUT THEY'RE LONG-TERM -- LONG-TERM FACTORS THAT ARE DRIVING ENORMOUS HUMANITARIAN NEED AROUND THE WORLD.

WE PUBLISHED OUR EMERGENCY WATCH LIST, WHICH ACTUALLY HAD SUDAN AS THE NUMBER ONE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS, 25 MILLION PEOPLE IN HUMANITARIAN NEED.

I VISITED SOME OF THEM IN SOUTH SUDAN RECENTLY.

BUT THIS IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE SPEED OF THE ONSET OF THIS FAMINE, BECAUSE OF THE ATTACKS, I SAW THAT PLURAL, BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 HOSTAGES, AS WELL AS 2 MILLION PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS IN GAZA AT THE MOMENT.

>> SO, EVEN MORE URGENT TO STOP THIS.

>> THE DEPTH OF THIS URGENCY, BUT ALSO, WE KNOW THE DEPTH OF THIS POLITICAL CRISIS.

BECAUSE EVERY HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY IS ALSO A POLITICAL EMERGENCY.

>> YEAH.

>> THIS IS A POLITICAL EMERGENCY OF REALLY GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE.

AND IT'S ONE WHERE OUR ROLE AS HUMANITARIANS IS TO BE THE EXPERT WITNESS OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING ON THE GROUND, BECAUSE THE TESTIMONY THAT YOU PLAYED OF THE PALESTINIAN WOMAN FROM GAZA MIRRORS WHAT OUR STAFF ARE SEEING ON THE GROUND IN GAZA, BOTH OUR OWN MEDICAL STAFF, WHO ARE WORKING WITH MEDICAL AID FOR THE PALESTINIANS, WHO ARE OUR PARTNER FOR OUR ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS GROUP, OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL TEAMS, BUT ALSO LOCAL NGOs, AND THESE ARE PEOPLE -- IT'S THEIR COMMUNITY, THEY'RE SEEING LIFE BEING LOST, LIVELIHOOD BEING LOST IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES IN THE MOST DRAMATIC FASHION, AND THEY'RE APPEALING, AS I'M APPEALING, FOR ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

>> WHAT ACTION, THOUGH?

BECAUSE WE KEEP HEARING THAT, ALL THE PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL AROUND THE WORLD ARE SAYING, ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN, A CEASE-FIRE NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR HUMANITARIAN AID, FOR THE RELEASE OF THESE HOSTAGES, CLEARLY, THE ISRAELI PEOPLE, THAT'S THEIR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, THE RELEASE OF THEIR HOSTAGES.

IT REQUIRES A CEASE-FIRE.

IT'S NOT HAPPENING.

AL SHIFA HOSPITAL IS, AGAIN, BEING RAIDED, IT'S IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

SO, THEN AGAIN, THE QUESTION, JAKE SULLIVAN PUT, AND YOU ARE A FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER, SO, IT'S A REAL-LIFE TEST CASE HERE.

IT MEANS THAT THEY ARE CLEARING AND MAYBE NOT HOLDING, IF AL SHIFA IS AGAIN BEING RAIDED, SO, THIS COULD BE ENDLESS.

>> WELL, THAT'S THE FEAR.

AND IMMINENT IN ITS THREAT.

I WANT TO MAKE TWO POINTS.

ONE, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE, AS A HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION, THAT THE DUAL HUMANITARIAN IMPERATIVE, LEGAL AND MORAL HUMANITARIAN IMPERATIVE OF PROTECTING CIVILIANS FROM FIGHTING AND OF DELIVERING AID TO CIVILIANS, THEY CAN ONLY BE MET BY AN IMMEDIATE AND ENDURING CEASE-FIRE, HOWEVER, SECONDLY, WE CANNOT BE IN A POSITION WHERE THE COMPLICATED SEARCH FOR A CEASE-FIRE PRECLUDES OTHER ACTION IN THE INTERIM.

AND THAT'S WHY I WENT THROUGH THE DETAIL FOR YOU OF THE TRUCKLOADS, OF THE LIMITATIONS, OF THE TURNING BACK, OF THE DUAL USE, OF THE PASSAGE OF TRUCKS INSIDE GAZA, WHERE IT'S NOT JUST HOW MANY GO ACROSS THE BORDER, IT'S THEIR ABILITY TO GET TO PEOPLE AND THEN PEOPLE TO GET TO THE FOOD THAT'S NEEDED.

REMEMBER, THIS IS A LEGAL, AS WELL AS A MORAL IMPERATIVE, AND LEGAL RIGHT THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE, NOT JUST TO LIFE AND LIMEN, TO SURVIVAL, BUT TO AID DELIVERY.

AND HERE'S THE MOST SHOCKING THING.

THE FIGHTING HAS ALREADY CLAIMED AT LEAST 30,000 LIVES.

THE MAJORITY OF THEM WOMEN AND KIDS -- >> THEY'RE NOW SAYING 31,000.

>> 31,000 LIVES.

THE PERIL THAT GAZANS FACE IS IF THE FIGHTING DOESN'T GET THEM, THE FAMINE OR THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY, WHICH IS LURKING UNDERNEATH, THIS PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY OF NOT HAVING CLEAN WATER, THAT IS GOING TO STALK THEM, TOO, AND THAT'S WHY THE URGENCY FOR THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL IS NOT JUST TO WORK ON THE CEASE-FIRE, IT'S GOT TO WORK ON THESE VERY PRACTICAL, VERY LOCALIZED DECISIONS.

BECAUSE HERE'S THE THING -- THE AMOUNT OF AID THAT WENT IN IN FEBRUARY, ACCORDING TO DAVID CAMERON REPORTING TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, WAS HALF THAT THAT WENT IN IN JANUARY.

WE'RE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

WE'VE GOT TO TURN ROUND AND GO IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> SO, YOU CLEARLY PAINT A PICTURE, AND SO DO ALL THE HUMANITARIANS OF HOW AID CAN BE DELIVERED AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DISTRIBUTED, BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE DISTRIBUTED PROPERLY.

WE SAW WHEN THE ISRAELIS TRY TO DO IT THEMSELVES, IT WAS A COMPLETE DISASTER, THERE WAS SHOOTING, THERE WERE 118 PEOPLE DEAD, THERE WAS A STAMPEDE, ALL OF THIS, SO, IT WAS A DISASTER.

WHAT DOES THIS ONGOING HUMANITARIAN -- THIS POTENTIAL IMMINENT FAMINE DO FOR ISRAEL, NOT JUST ITS STANDING AND ITS MORALITY, BUT ITS EVENTUAL SECURITY.

>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY, THE GREAT FEAR IS THAT THE LONGER THE FIGHTING GOES ON, THE LONGER THE -- THE DESPERATE STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL OF THE CIVILIANS, THE LONGER THE PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS, THE LONGER THE HOSTAGES ARE HELD, FOR EVERY DAY, MORE OF HUMANITARIAN CRISIS YOU PUT OFF BY THREE DAYS THE -- THE EVENTUAL SUSTAINABLE RESOLUTION OF THIS CORE CRISIS.

AND THAT LEAVES THE WHOLE OF THE REGION LESS SAFE, RATHER THAN MORE SAFE.

THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL FEAR.

WE HAVE OPERATIONS IN LEBANON, WE HAVE OPERATIONS IN SYRIA, WE HAVE OPERATIONS IN IRAQ, WE HAVE OPERATIONS IN JORDAN.

HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS.

AND I WAS IN JORDAN RECENTLY, OBVIOUSLY THE WHOLE REGION IS ROILED BY THIS.

AND SO, THE HUMANITARIAN IMPERATIVE IS NOT JUST A MORAL ONE.

WE KNOW FROM OUR EXPERIENCE AROUND THE WORLD INTENDED HUMANITARIAN CRISIS LEAVES TO FURTHER POLITICAL STABILITY.

THAT'S THE MESSAGE, TOO.

DAVID MILIBAND, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>> NOW, THROUGHOUT THIS WAR, MANY EXTREME ISRAELIS, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF NETANYAHU'S COALITION, ARE SETTING THEIR SIGHTS ON RESETTLING GAZA, WHICH IS WHY THESE COMMENTS BY JARED KUSHNER, DONALD TRUMP'S SON-IN-LAW, ARE SPARKING CONTROVERSY.

>> GAZA'S WATERFRONT PROPERTY, IT COULD BE VALUABLE, IF PEOPLE WOULD FOCUS ON BUILDING UP, YOU KNOW, LIVELIHOODS, YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE MONEY THAT'S GONE INTO THIS TUNNEL NETWORK, IF THEY WOULD HAVE GONE INTO EDUCATION OR INNOVATION, WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE THERE, BUT FROM ISRAEL'S PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD DO MY BEST TO MOVE THE PEOPLE OUT AND CLEAN IT UP.

>> MOVE THE PEOPLE OUT, CLEAN IT UP.

THE OKAY PIPPED WEST BANK GETS MUCH LESS ATTENTION, BUT ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS THERE CONTINUE TO EXPAND AGAINST INTERNATIONAL LAW.

CORRESPONDENT CLARISSA WARD REPORTS FROM THAT TROUBLED WEST BANK.

>> HIGH IN THE HILLS OF THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK, A FLAG FLIES IN THE FACE OF A PALESTINIAN VILLAGE.

"GOD IS KING," IT SAYS.

TWO YOUNG SETTLERS GUARD THIS ILLEGAL OUTPOST.

CONSTRUCTION HASN'T EVEN BEGUN, BUT WE ARE NOT WELCOME.

SO, THEY ARE ASKING US TO LEAVE, THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK TO US.

THEY SAID THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT NINE MONTHS.

DOTTED ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE, MORE SIGNS OF THE FIGHT TO ASSERT ISRAELI CONTROL OVER PALESTINIAN LAND.

THE ARABIC NAMES ON SIGN POSTS CRUDELY ERASED.

UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW, THIS SETTLEMENT IS ILLEGAL, BUT LAST FEBRUARY, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED IT, ALONG WITH EIGHT OTHERS, A MOVE THE U.S.

STRONGLY OPPOSED.

"WE'RE HERE BECAUSE GOD PROMISED US THIS LAND," HE TELLS US.

NOW, THESE SETTLERS HAVE SET THEIR SIGHTS ON A NEW PRIZE.

ONE THAT SEEMED UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE BEFORE OCTOBER 7th.

RETURNING TO GAZA, THEY CHEER.

THAT IS THE GOAL OF ZIONIST SETTLER ORGANIZATIONS, ONE OF MORE THAN A DOZEN GROUPS NOW ADVOCATING FOR THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS IN GAZA.

HER RECENT PROMOTIONAL VIDEO EVEN BOASTS THAT GAZA WILL BECOME THE NEXT RIVIERA.

DANIELA WEISS IS THE GODMOTHER OF THE MOVEMENT, AND SHE'S ALREADY STARTED RECRUITING FROM THE 700,000 STRONG SETTLER COMMUNITY OF ISRAEL.

WE'RE JUST ARRIVING NOW AT A SETTLEMENT IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK AND WE'RE HEADING TO A TALK THAT DANIELA WEISS IS GIVING TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE POTENTIALLY INTERESTED IN RESETTLING GAZA.

"WE ARE FOR THE LAND OF ISRAEL," SHE SAYS.

ABOUT 20 PEOPLE GATHER IN THE LIVING ROOM OF A FAMILY HOME.

WEISS KNOWS THAT FOR MANY IN THIS COMMUNITY, THERE IS DEEP NOSTALGIA FOR A BLOCK OF 21 ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS THAT WERE FORCIBLY EVACUATED BY THE IDF IN 2005 WHEN ISRAEL LEFT THE GAZA STRIP.

"THIS IS THE VISION OF GAZA," SHE SAYS.

"YOU SEE ALL THE NUCLEUS GROUPS."

A MAP HAS ALREADY BEEN DRAWN UP WITH SIX GROUPS LAYING CLAIM TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE ENCLAVE.

SO THEY'VE JUST BEEN HANDING OUT THESE LITTLE BOOKLETS THAT SAY, "PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, RETURN HOME."

AND THEN UNDERNEATH, A CALL TO RETURN TO THE SETTLEMENTS OF GAZA.

ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS TELLS THE GROUP THEY HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FLYING TO FLORIDA TO RAISE MONEY.

THEY GET SUPPORT FROM A NUMBER OF GROUPS IN THE U.S., INCLUDING AMERICANS FOR A SAFE ISRAEL, WHICH COSPONSORED A RECENT WEBINAR ON THE RETURN TO GAZA, EVEN AS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS CRACKED DOWN ON SETTLEMENTS IN THE WEST BANK.

>> VERY STAUNCH SUPPORT FROM VERY PROMINENT, FROM VERY, I WOULD SAY, WEALTHY PEOPLE, WEALTHY JEWS.

>> IN THE U.S. >> IN THE U.S. >> CAN YOU NAME ANY NAMES?

>> NO.

I CANNOT.

NO.

>> BACK AT HER HOME, WEISS TELLS US SHE'S ALREADY ENROLLED 500 FAMILIES.

I HAVE TO ASK YOU, WE'RE SITTING HERE TALKING AND WE'RE LISTENING TO THE CALL -- >> YEAH, I'M LISTENING.

>> YOU HOPE YOU ARE LISTENING TO IT.

>> WHICH IS A REMINDER, I THINK, OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GAZA.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM IN THIS VISION OF THIS NEW SETTLEMENT WITH JEWISH SETTLERS EVEN IN GAZA CITY?

>> WHAT I THINK ABOUT GAZA, THE ARABS OF GAZA LOST THE RIGHT TO BE IN GAZA ON THE 7th OF OCTOBER.

YES, I DO HEAR THE MOSQUE, I DO HEAR THE -- THE PRAYER.

THINGS WERE DIFFERENT UNTIL THE 7th OF OCTOBER.

NO ARAB ARE SPEAKING ABOUT 2 MILLION ARABS.

THEY WILL NOT STAY THERE.

WE, JEWS, WILL BE IN GAZA.

>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE ETHNIC CLEANSING.

>> THE ARABS WANT TO ANNIHILATE THE STATE OF ISRAEL.

SO, YOU CAN CALL THEM MONSTERS, YOU CAN -- YOU CAN CALL THEM CLEANSING OF JEWS.

WE ARE NOT DOING TO THEM, THEY ARE DOING TO US.

I COULDN'T MAKE IT CLEARER WHEN I SAID THAT MYSELF, AS A PERSON, WHO IS PREOCCUPIED WITH SETTLING THE LAND, UNTIL THE 7th OF OCTOBER, I DIDN'T HAVE PLANS OF RETURNING TO GAZA.

IT'S CLEAR, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN CLEANSING.

>> WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT WEISS' VIEWS, TRADITIONALLY SEEN AS EXTREME IN ISRAEL, HAVE BECOME MORE POPULAR SINCE OCTOBER 7th.

IN LATE JANUARY, JUBILANT CROWDS PACKED AN AUDITORIUM IN JERUSALEM FOR THE VICTORY OF ISRAEL CONFERENCE, CALLING FOR THE RESETTLEMENT OF GAZA.

A POLL THAT MONTH FROM THE JEWISH PEOPLE POLICY INSTITUTE FOUND THAT 26% OF ISRAELIS ADVOCATE THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE SETTLEMENTS AFTER THE WAR IS OVER.

AMONG SUPPORTERS OF PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU'S RIGHT WING COALITION GOVERNMENT, THAT NUMBER JUMPS TO 51%.

SEVERAL MINISTERS WERE PRESENT AT THE CONFERENCE, INCLUDING FAR-RIGHT HERITAGE MINISTER.

IN A RARE INTERVIEW WITH WESTERN MEDIA, HE TELLS US HIS POLITICAL DECISIONS ARE GUIDED BY THE TORAH.

IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT IN HERE?

>> YES.

YES.

>> AND THAT SETTLEMENTS IN GAZA ARE NEEDED TO PREVENT ANOTHER OCTOBER 7th.

>> Translator: THE LANGUAGE OF THE LAND SAYS THAT WHEREVER THERE IS A JEWISH SETTLEMENT, THERE WILL BE MORE SECURITY.

DOESN'T MEAN THERE WILL BE ABSOLUTE SECURITY, BUT THERE WILL BE MORE.

>> WHY WOULD YOU ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING THAT MANY WOULD SAY IS ILLEGAL, IS IMMORAL, IS NOT SUPPORTED BY THE MAJORITY OF ISRAELIS, AND IS ALSO VERY HARMFUL TO ISRAEL IN TERMS OF ITS INTERNATIONAL STANDING?

>> Translator: WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S IMMORAL TO TAKE LAND FROM SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO KILL ME?

WHY IS IT IMMORAL TO TAKE MY LAND, WHICH MY ANCESTORS LIVED THERE, WHICH I'VE GIVEN UP TO SOMEONE WHO SLAUGHTERS, RAPES, AND MURDERS ME?

WHAT IS MORE IMMORAL THAN THAT?

>> NETANYAHU HAS CALLED RESETTLING GAZA, QUOTE, AN UNREALISTIC GOAL, AND MOST ISRAELIS AGREE.

BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED SCORES OF IDF SOLDIERS FIGHTING THERE FROM POSTING VIDEOS.

CALLING FOR A RETURN.

FOR MANY SUPPORTERS OF THE SETTLER MOVEMENT, WHAT WAS ONCE A DISTANT FANTASY IS NOW A FERVENT DREAM.

>> AND THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION ALSO HAS STRONGLY REJECTED THIS VOCAL, BUT STILL, MINORITY VIEW.

CLARISSA WARD THERE.

>>> IN A MOMENT, MICHEL MARTIN HEARS FROM OFER CASSIF.

HE'S AN OPPONENT OF THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT.

BUT FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE TRACK, TO "THE PERSIAN VERSION."

A FAMILY COMEDY THAT WAS A BREAKOUT HIT AT LAST YEAR'S SUNDANCE FESTIVAL, HAS BEEN OUT IN THE UNITED STATES AND IS NOW OPENING IN EUROPE.

THE SEMIALL BIOGRAPHICAL FILM BRINGS SERIOUS ENERGY TO HER OWN MIGRANT EXPERIENCE.

HERE'S A CLIP FROM THE TRAILER.

>> NO ONE EVER GAVE HER THE MEMO THAT MUSLIM WOMEN WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PASSIVE GOOD GIRLS.

THIS IS MY FAMILY IN A NUTSHELL.

OH, MY GOD, I LOVE -- >> I'M NOT AN ACTOR.

>> YOU'RE SO BEAUTIFUL UNTIL YOU TALK.

MY DAD'S ABOUT TO GET A HEART.

>> JUST IMMEDIATE FAMILY.

>> THESE ARE ALL MY SIBLINGS.

THEY'RE ILLITERAT CATS.

>> NOW, IN THE FILM, THEY ALL GATHER TOGETHER AS THEIR FATHER UNDERGOES A HEART TRANSPLANT.

BIJAN, MARYAM, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

SO, MARYAM, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY, A SEMIAUTOBIOGRAPHICAL STORY, YOU WROTE IT, DIRECTED IT.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR LIFE IS -- IS REPRESENTED THERE?

>> OH, MY GOD.

I THINK TOO MUCH, PROBABLY.

HONESTLY, I JUST WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.

I GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY, I WAS BORN IN NEW YORK, MY FAMILY CAME FROM IRAN IN THE '60s, AND I JUST GREW UP NEVER SEEING ANY IMAGES OF PEOPLE LIKE OUR FAMILY, AND I -- YOU KNOW, WHEN TRUMP TOOK OFFICE, I WANTED TO SHOW THE REALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THE LEVITY, AND SOMEONE SAID, WHY DON'T YOU DIG INTO YOUR OWN FAMILY?

I SAID, OH, LORDY, THERE'S SO MUCH TO DIG INTO.

I GREW UP WITH SEVEN BROTHERS AND ONE BATHROOM IN NEW YORK CITY.

>> IN REALITY.

>> IN THE MOVIE, IT'S EIGHT, IN REALITY, IT'S SEVEN.

I JUST DUG DEEP TO KIND OF LOOK AT FAMILY SECRETS, AS A WAY TO ANALYZE THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE.

SO, THE MOVIE IS A LITTLE UNUSUAL.

IT TAKES PLACE HALF IN IRAN, HALF IN AMERICA.

>> PEOPLE ARE NOT USED TO SEEING AN IRANIAN ROM-COM.

>> THEY'RE NOT USED TO SEEING US HAVE FUN.

WE'RE FUN PEOPLE.

>> I AGREE.

IT STARTS -- WELL, IT DOESN'T START.

THERE'S A MAJOR OPENING SEQUENCE WHERE YOU ARE ALL GATHERED, THE FAMILY, AROUND YOU, AS THE FATHER, BIJAN, YOU PLAY THE FATHER -- >> THE OLDER FATHER.

>> THE OLDER FATHER, YES.

>> WHO IS NOW ENDURING A, YOU KNOW, LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS, RIGHT?

AND THAT BRINGS THIS WHOLE STORY TO LIGHT.

WHAT MADE YOU ENJOY PLAYING THIS PART?

DO YOU DO A LOT OF -- OF ACTING IN BRITAIN, IN AMERICA?

>> I ACT IN ENGLAND, YES, FOR BRITISH AND AMERICAN PRODUCTIONS.

EITHER IN THE UK OR EUROPE OR NORTH AFRICA SOMETIMES.

WHAT WAS VERY ATTRACTIVE ABOUT THIS PROJECT, IT'S A SOCIAL FILM, AND IT'S HAPPY, IT'S GOT SOME -- AND IT'S GOT SAD MOMENTS.

AND I ENJOY PLAYING IN MOVIES WHICH ARE SOCIAL FAMILY DISPUTES AND WORKINGS, IF YOU LIKE, AND I WAS HONORED TO PLAY HER FATHER, AND NERVOUS, AS WELL, BECAUSE I WANTED TO HAVE FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT YOUR FATHER REALLY, YOU KNOW -- >> WELL -- >> WHAT KIND OF A CHARACTER HE WAS.

>> I HAVE TO SAY, IT IS REALLY INTERESTING, THAT, BECAUSE -- IT'S ESSENTIALLY -- IT'S BASED AROUND THE VERY FRACTIOUS RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE WITH YOUR MOTHER, AND YOU FIGURE OUT A FAMILY SECRET FROM YOUR GRANDMOTHER, WHEN YOU ARE LEFT BEHIND WITH HER.

>> EXACTLY.

IT'S REALLY BASED ON A TRUE STORY.

MY DAD HAD A HEART TRANSPLANT AND MY GRANDMOTHER CAME AND ONLY WANTED TO STAY WITH ME.

I HAD HAD A FALLING OUT WITH MY MOM, SHE WAS A TOUGH LADY GROWING UP, AND SHE SAID, COME AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR GRANDMOTHER.

DO YOU KNOW WHY YOUR PARENTS CAME TO AMERICA?

THEY CAME BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH DOCTORS, THEY WERE ALL IN VIETNAM.

THAT'S SUCH A CUTE STORY, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH?

THEY CAME BECAUSE OF ASCANDAL.

IT WAS A FUN THING TO DO, BECAUSE WE THINK OF OUR PARENTS AS SO DIFFERENT THAN US, BUT ACTUALLY, THE MOVIE IS SHOWING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOTHER AND DAUGHTER THROUGH DIFFERENT DECADES, AND THE REASON THAT WE HAVE SO MANY ISSUES, MY MOTHER AND I, THAT WE'RE SO MUCH ALIKE, UNBEKNOWN UNBEKNOWNST TO ME.

>> AND THE STORY IS REAL.

>> YES.

HE IS BAD.

>> HE HAS ANOTHER FAMILY.

>> KIND OF.

YES.

HE HAD -- HE BEHAVED BADLY WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER.

>> YEAH.

>> HE WASN'T A BAD MAN, HE WAS A GOOD MAN, HE LOVED HIS FAKELY -- >> THAT'S WHAT MAKES THE FAMILY SO -- >> YES.

>> BUT YOUR MOTHER IN REAL LIFE WAS BETROETED WHEN SHE WAS A TEENAGER -- >> MY MOTHER GOT MARRIED AT 13.

I HEARD THIS STORY.

I CAST A 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL TO PLAY MY MOTHER.

I KNEW THE STORY, I HEARD IT A MILLION TIMES, RIGHT?

BUT WHEN YOU BRING AN ACTOR TO PLAY YOUR MOTHER, YOU REALLY EMPHASIZE.

THIS GIRL WAS ONE YEAR OLDER THAN MY OWN DAUGHTER.

AND SHE PLAYED MY MOTHER.

AND ALSO MY FATHER, HE BECAME A MAN AT 11, HIS OWN FATHER DIED AND HE HAD TO BECOME THE PATRIARCH OF EIGHT SISTERS.

SO, FOR ME, I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT MY PARENTS, ABOUT BEING EMPATHETIC.

THIS FILM, FOR ME, WAS A CHALLENGE, BECAUSE I HAD TO THINK OF MY PARENTS, NOT AS MY PARENTS, BUT AS INDIVIDUALS, TEENAGERS, 20 SOMETHING YEAR OLDS WHO MAKE MISTAKES AND WHO ARE AFRAID.

>> AND BIJAN, SAYS A LOT ABOUT IRAN, IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT HOW THINGS WERE BACK THEN.

>> YES.

>> YEAH, WHICH NOT MANY PEOPLE IN THE WEST REALLY KNOW.

>> AND EVEN IRANIANS BORN POST-REVOLUTION DON'T KNOW MUCH, BORN OUTSIDE OF IRAN.

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH, AND THINK, YOU KNOW, MY MOM STRUGGLED IN THE '60s, OF COURSE, BEFORE THE REVOLUTION, THERE WAS LOT OF FREEDOM, BUT STILL, WOMEN'S STRUGGLES ARE CONTINUOUS, EVEN PRE-REVOLUTION.

>> AND OF COURSE, THAT'S GOING ON NOW.

>> AND NOW, OF COURSE, IT'S A CONTINUUM.

PEOPLE SAY, THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS IS AN ONGOING ONE.

MY MOM WANTED TO FINISH SCHOOL, AND THAT'S WHY SHE'S SO OPEN TO HAVING HER STORY TOLD.

SHE SAYS TIME, AFTER HOW MANY, 50-PLUS YEARS, 60-PLUS YEARS, THAT WE TAKE THE REINS.

THIS IS A MOTHER WHO MY WHOLE LIFE SAID, WE SHOULD NOT TALK ABOUT THE PAST, WE SHOULD NOT TALK ABOUT OUR STORIES.

AND HERE SHE IS, SHE'S SAYING -- >> SO, SHE -- SHE LIKES THIS FILM?

>> SHE WANTED ME -- I WOULD NEVER DO IT WITHOUT HER PERMISSION.

>> WARTS AND ALL.

>> PEOPLE LIKE ME IN THE FILM, BUT THE MOTHER, BECAUSE WE SEE ALL OF WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH AND HOW SHE BECAME A STRONG IMMIGRANT AND EVERYTHING SHE DID FOR HER FAMILY AND REDEFINED HERSELF AND BECAME THE WRITER OF HER OWN DESTINY.

THEY'RE LIKE, YOU'RE COOL, BUT YOUR MOM IS 100 TIMES MORE INTERESTING.

AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, SHE REALLY IS.

BECAUSE I LEARNED SO MUCH MAKING A FILM ABOUT HER.

>> AND BIJAN, THE FILM IS, OBVIOUSLY, A GREAT TRIBUTE TO THE WOMEN -- >> ABSOLUTELY.

TOTALLY.

TOTALLY.

I MEAN, MY OWN MOTHER WAS A STRONG PERSON IN MY FAMILY, I RELATE TO THAT, AS WELL.

>> AND IT'S SO -- >> THE FATHER FIGURE WAS AN INTERESTING MAN, HE HAD HIS DOGMATIC, STRICT SENSE OF PRINCIPLES.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO SELL HIS HOUSE -- >> IN AMERICA, MY DAD WAS VERY UNIQUE.

I THINK I'M A MIX OF BOTH MY PARENTS.

MY DAD WAS SO IDEALISTIC.

HE WAS A DOCTOR THAT WOULD -- PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE MONEY, THEY WOULD JUST BRING HIM A PIE.

OR, LIKE, A KNIT SWEATER, AND THAT WAS FINE.

AND -- >> IN THE FILM, AGAIN, IT AMERICANS TWO WORLDS, YOU GO BACK AND FORTH, AMERICA, CHILDHOOD, IRAN, YOU KNOW -- >> AND MY SMUGGLING DAYS.

>> WELL, THAT -- I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE -- LET'S PLAY JUST A CLIP THAT WE HAVE, IT SORT OF KIND OF MAGICAL REALISM PART OF THE PLAY.

>> SO, SHIA MUSLIMS ARE REALLY INTO THIS MAGIC STUFF.

AND OUR FAMILY, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE THAT COMES TO SAVE THE DAY.

HIS NAME IS -- HE'S THIS AMAZING SAINT.

HE DISAPPEARED A FEW HUNDRED YEARS AGO, LIKE, LITERALLY, DISAPPEARED INTO THIN AIR ONE DAY.

HE'S A BUSY GUY.

A TRUE BELIEVER SAYS HIS NAME AND HE APPEARS IN TIMES OF NEED.

AND HE CAN APPEAR IN HUMAN OR ANIMAL FORM.

OH, YOU'RE SKEPTICAL, HUH?

WELL, I SORT OF AM, TOO.

THIS CLOSE TO GETTING WHAT SHE WANTS, OF COURSE, SHE PULLED THE FAVOR FROM THE BIG GUY.

MY MOM REALLY BELIEVES IN THIS STUFF.

I'M NOT SURE I DO.

SHE'S OLD WORLD, I'M NEW WORLD.

THIS IS MY MOM AND IT'S RELATIONSHIP IN A NUTSHELL.

>> GREAT TO BE ABLE TO STOP TIME IN A MOVIE.

>> AND AS WE SAID, IT WON THE AUDIENCE FAVORITE AT SUNDANCE.

WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THE REACTION?

>> I REALLY -- YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU MAKE A MOVIE, IT'S SO BARING YOUR FAMILY BARE -- I WAS TERRIFIED, MY FAMILY WAS IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT IN THE END, PEOPLE GOT UP AND DANCE.

AND THE HEAD OF SONY SAID, WE'VE NEVER HAD AUDIENCE STAND UP AND DANCE.

AND THAT WAS KIND OF MY AGENDA, FOR YOU TO GO THROUGH THE ROLLER COASTER OF THIS FAMILY, BUT AT THE END, WANT TO CELEBRATE, AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A RADICAL CONCEPT, I THINK, IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD.

>> IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT THAT.

I WANT TO ASK YOU A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT QUESTION.

YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE ALL -- YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEING CONCERNED WITH REPETITION, DIFFERENCE, AND DISRUPTION.

>> MY ART.

>> YES.

IN YOUR ART.

SO, TELL ME ABOUT THAT, YOU ARE ALSO AN ARTIST, I'VE SEEN YOUR BEAUTIFUL PAINTINGS.

>> I MAKE PAINTINGS AND VARIOUS WORKS OF ART.

REPETITION IS VERY INTERESTING FOR ME.

I JUST BELIEVE THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS A SERIES OF REPETITIVE ACTIONS.

WE ARE REPETITIONS, AND IT'S LIKE SNOWFLAKES, BUT THERE IS ALWAYS A DIFFERENCE.

AND MY LATEST WORK OF ART, IN TERMS OF PAINTINGS, I'VE BEEN PAINTING -- >> THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN IN IRAN.

>> YES, IT'S A SYMBOL O OPPRESSOR.

>> AND JUST QUICKLY, BEFORE I ASK YOU THE LAST QUESTION, PLAYING -- YOU PLAYED IN "THE DIPLOMAT," A VERY POPULAR SERIES ABOUT A U.S.

AMBASSADOR HERE IN BRITAIN.

>> YES, YES.

>> WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

>> IT WAS GOOD, BECAUSE, FOR ONCE, I MEAN, IRANIANS GET UP TO MANY BAD THINGS, BUT THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS DOING THE BAD THINGS.

AND IN THIS PARTICULAR TV SHOW, WE WERE NOT ACTUALLY THE PEOPLE WHO HAD BEHAVED -- >> YOU WEREN'T THE BADDIES.

>> YEAH, FOR ONCE.

>> FOR ONCE.

YOU HAVE BEEN BANNED AND YOUR FILMS HAVE BEEN BANNED IN IRAN, YOU'VE DONE OTHER FILMS ABOUT THE COUNTRY, SO, IN THE LAST 30 SECONDS THAT WE HAVE, HOW IS THIS BEING SEEN THERE, AND SHARELY PEOPLE HAVE SEEN IT.

>> IT HAS A GREAT RECEPTION.

IT'S BEEN PIRATED, OBVIOUSLY, AND THEY WATCH IT THERE, AND IT'S KIND OF THE FIRST FILM THAT TAKES PLACE HALF BETWEEN IRAN AND HALF BETWEEN AMERICA, SO, IT'S -- THEIR STORY AND OUR STORY, AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY RESPONDING TO THE HUMOR AND THE PLAYFULNESS, AND THE MAGIC REALISM ASPECTS OF IT.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS VERY FUNNY, AS A KID, YOU USED TO TRAVEL BACK -- >> IT WAS A SMUGGLER.

I SMUGGLED MICHAEL JACKSON, MADONNA, BECAUSE BACK IN THE DAY, THERE WAS NO DIGITAL DOWNLOADS.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET MUSIC FROM AMERICA WAS FOR ME TO PUT THEM IN MY UNDERWEAR.

>> ONE OF THE BEST SCENES, THE AIRPORT SCENE IN THE FILM.

>> IT'S VERY GOOD.

IT'S A VERY UPLIFTING AND FUN FILM.

IT REALLY IS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> A GREAT STORY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.

>>> AND AS WE SAID, THIS WILL PREMIER HERE IN THE UK ON FRIDAY.

>>> NOW, AS WE REPORTED EARLIER, THERE ARE LOUD AND DIFFERING VOICES WITHIN IRAN ON THE SO-CALLED DAY AFTER THE WAR.

WE HEARD THE EXTREME SETTLER VIEW EARLIER.

AND LEFT WING LAWMAKER OFER CASSIF IS JUST AS PASSIONATE ABOUT OPPOSING THAT, AND OPPOSING NETANYAHU'S HANDLING OF THE WAR.

STRESSING THE NEED FOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION.

AND HE JOINS MICHEL MARTIN NOW TO EXPLAIN WHY, AND HOW HE SURVIVED THE RECENT EFFORT TO IMPEACH HIM.

>> THANKS, CHRISTIANE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING US WITH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, MY PLEASURE AND HONOR.

>> BEFORE WE GET INTO RECENT EVENTS, I WANTED TO GO BACK A LITTLE BIT, TO LAST MONTH.

YOU'VE BEEN VERY CRITICAL OF THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT.

YOU HAVE ARGUED AND YOU HAVE MADE NO SECRET OF THE FACT THAT YOU THINK THAT THIS GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ENGAGING IN MANY SORT OF ANTI-DEMOCRATIC EFFORTS, TRYING TO SILENCE DISSENT, SILENCE ANY CRITICISM, CRACKING DOWN ON PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS THAT WOULD BE CUSTOMARY IN A DEMOCRACY.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT -- AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS YOUR FELLOW KNESSET MEMBERS THAT WOULD MOVE TO IMPEACH YOU, BUT HOW DID YOU FIND OUT THAT THEY WERE MOVING TO IMPEACH YOU?

>> WELL, THE RECENT LAW IN ISRAEL THAT WAS ENACTED IN 2016 THAT ALLOWS A MAJORITY OF 90 MEMBERS OF THE KNESSET OUT OF 120 TO IMPEACH ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE KNESSET IF ONE IS ACCUSED IN EITHER BEING SUPPORTING RACISM AND SUPPORTING AN ARMED STRUGGLE AGAINST ISRAEL.

AFTER I SIGNED THIS ME SITUATION, WHICH I GUESS WE WILL DISCUSS LATER ABOUT, I REALIZED THAT ONE MEMBER OF THE KNESSET, FAR-RIGHT MEMBER OF THE KNESSET, BEGAN IN GETTING SIGNATURES FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THE KNESSET IN ORDER TO BEGIN A MOTION TO IMPEACH ME.

SO, THAT'S HOW I KNEW ABOUT IT, AND THE REST IS FOR HISTORY, MORE OR LESS.

>> THE SPECIFIC ACTION THAT YOU WERE ACCUSED OF IS IN RELATION TO YOUR DECISION TO SUPPORT THE PETITION TO THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT THAT WOULD HAVE INVESTIGATED ISRAEL IN RELATION TO ITS ACTIONS IN GAZA.

YOU KNOW, SOUTH AFRICA HAS ASKED FOR ISRAEL TO BE INVESTIGATED.

AND YOU SAID THAT YOU FEEL THAT THIS WAS AN APPROPRIATE THING TO DO.

AS BRIEFLY AS YOU CAN, WHY DID YOU FEEL THAT THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO DO?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, I DO NOT TRUST ANY GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE ITSELF.

IT'S NOT ONLY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, BUT ANY GOVERNMENT.

I THINK THAT THE BASIS OF DEMOCRACY IS THAT ANYONE SHOULD CAST DOUBT ON ONE'S OWN GOVERNMENT.

SINCE 1949, THE STATE OF ISRAEL ITSELF JOINED TO THIS CONVENTION ON GENOCIDE AND ACTUALLY RECOGNIZING THEM IN INVESTIGATING SUCH ACCUSATIONS, SO, FOR ME, IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT THE ICJ IS THE AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE THE ONGOING IN GAZA, NOT THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT ITSELF.

THAT WAS ONE THING.

THE OTHER IS THAT IN THE APPEAL OF SOUTH AFRICA, AS WELL AS IN THE PETITION THAT I JOINED, EVENTUALLY, BY THE WAY, THERE WERE ALMOST 1,000 ISRAELI CITIZENS WHO SIGNED THIS PETITION, THERE WAS A VERY CLEAR CALL TO STOP THE WAR.

WE ALL KNOW THAT THE DEATH TOLL OF PALESTINIANS IN GAZA IS MORE THAN 30,000.

AND THERE ARE ALSO ISRAELI SOLDIERS AND HOSTAGES.

WE WANT EVERYONE TO -- TO LIVE.

WE DON'T WANT VICTIMS ANYMORE.

SO, IT WAS VERY CLEAR FOR ME, BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL IS NOT INTERESTED IN THE LIVES OF ANYONE, NEITHER THE ISRAELIS, LET ALONE THE PALESTINIANS, SO, I FOUND MYSELF OBLIGED TO APPEAL TO AN INTERNATIONAL -- ICJ.

>> THE EFFORT TO IMPEACH YOU FAILED.

IT DID RECEIVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF VOTES, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO OBVIOUSLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE IMPEACHMENT.

YOU CLEARLY HAVE NOT BEEN COWED BY THIS, I MEAN, THIS WEEK, YOU GAVE A SPEECH ON THE FLOOR IN SUPPORT OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S SANCTIONS AGAINST SETTLERS IN THE WEST BANK.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION?

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO PLACE SANCTIONS ON THESE SETTLERS?

AS YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY CONTROVERSIAL, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, MANY PEOPLE THINK IT'S SORT OF MINIMALIST, SOME PEOPLE THINK IT'S THE WRONG PEOPLE, SOME PEOPLE THINK IT'S A BAND AID, IT DOESN'T REALLY ADDRESS THE SITUATION.

MANY OPINIONS, BUT WHY DO YOU THINK IT WAS AN APPROPRIATE COURSE OF ACTION?

>> I MAY UPSET ALL THE THINGS YOU SAID, BUT STILL, IT DOESN'T RULE OUT THE SANCTIONS.

I AGREE THAT THE MAIN, YOU KNOW, BODY, THAT SHOULD BE SANCTIONED IS THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT.

THE GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ONGOING PROBLEMS THAT SETTLERS CARRY OUT AGAINST PALESTINIANS IN THE WEST BANK.

LOOK, I WANT TO BE VERY, VERY BLUNT AND VERY, VERY CLEAR -- THERE IS AN ETHNIC CLEANSING GOING ON IN THE WEST BANK.

BEFORE THE MASSACRE OF 7th OF OCTOBER.

LITERALLY THREE, FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE MASSACRE, THE TERRIBLE MASSACRE, THE CRIMINAL MASSACRE THAT HAMAS COMMITTED, IN WHICH I PERSONALLY LOST SOME FRIENDS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT I -- WE TOTALLY CONDEMN IT, BECAUSE, AGAIN, SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IF I'M AGAINST THE WAR AND AGAINST THE OCCUPATION, THAT MEANS THAT I SUPPORT THE CRIMES OF HAMAS, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

SO, I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT, TOO.

SO, THREE OR FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE MASSACRE COMMITTED BY HAMAS, I VISITED THE JORDAN VALLEY, SOME PASTORS COMMUNITIES OF PALESTINIANS IN THE WEST BANK AND I REALIZED THEN THAT ALREADY FOUR COMMUNITIES WERE TOTALLY ELIMINATED.

THEY HAD TO FLEE, BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING DAILY PROBLEMS COMMITTED BY SETTLERS.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A SIZE, A TERRITORY DOUBLE THE CITY OF TEL AVIV.

AND SINCE OCTOBER 7th, IT RISES INTO COMMUNITIES THAT -- >> WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

YOU'RE SAYING THAT IN THE WEST BANK, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT GAZA -- >> I'M TALKING ABOUT THE WEST BANK.

>> YOU BELIEVE THE SETTLERS ARE MAKING AN EFFORT TO DRIVE PALESTINIANS OUT -- >> SUCCESSFULLY.

>> BY FORCE.

>> SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS.

MORE THAN 20 COMMUNITIES, PALESTINIAN COMMUNITIES OF INNOCENT SHEPHERDS, POOR PEOPLE.

I VISITED.

I KNOW MANY OF THEM.

PERSONALLY.

GOOD PEOPLE.

HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, VIOLENCE OR WHATEVER.

THEY ARE ASSAULTED ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS, A DAILY BASIS, FOR YEARS, ACTUALLY.

IT'S BEEN MORE THAN -- EXACTLY ONE YEAR SINCE I FIRST SENT A LETTER TO THE DEFENSE MINISTER OF ISRAEL.

I SAID TO HIM, AS A MEMBER OF THE KNESSET, I SAID, THERE ARE PROBLEMS GOING ON BY SETTLERS AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS IN THE WEST BANK.

PLEASE STOP IT.

YOU HAVE TO STOP IT FIRST, BECAUSE IT'S CRIMINAL, AND SECONDLY, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BLOW UP -- EVERYBODY'S GOING TO PAY THE PRICE.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A BLOODSHED THAT WE'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED.

I SAID THAT SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE THE MASSACRE OF OCTOBER 7th.

AND EVER SINCE, I SENT -- I GUESS ANOTHER TEN LETTERS OF THE SAME KIND, UP TO NOW, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE REPLY FROM THE MINISTER.

ONE REPLY.

>> DO YOU THINK THE ISRAELI PUBLIC SEES WHAT YOU SEE IN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK?

>> NO.

THEY DON'T.

THE MEDIA IN ISRAEL -- THE MEDIA IN ISRAEL RUN ENTIRELY, BY THE WAY, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW -- IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN DOING OR FORCING THE MEDIA TO DO.

THE MEDIA, APART FROM -- TOTALLY HIDES OR IGNORES FROM THE ONGOING IN GAZA AND IN THE WEST BANK.

NOBODY ACTUALLY KNOWS ABOUT IT.

AND THE VAST MAJORITY DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

IT'S BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE A VILLAIN WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

>> THE POLLS IN ISRAEL SHOW HIGH SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL'S WAR IN GAZA, IN JANUARY, THERE WAS A GROUP, THE ISRAEL DEMOCRACY INSTITUTE, WHICH I THINK IS A RESPECTED RESEARCH INSTITUTE SAID 56% OF ISRAELIS POLLED IN JANUARY SAID CONTINUING THE MILITARY OFFENSIVE WAS THE BEST WAY TO RECOVER THE HOSTAGES.

YET, THE PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU IS NOT POPULAR, THAT SAME POLL FOUND THAT ONLY 15% WANT NETANYAHU TO BE PRIME MINISTER ONCE THE WAR IS OVER.

HOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?

>> WELL, MANY PEOPLE IN ISRAEL PUT THE BLAME, OR, AT LEAST SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MASSACRE OF OCTOBER 7th ON NETANYAHU, AND JUSTLY SO.

HE IS RESPONSIBLE.

HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ONGOING POLICY.

HE SAID, EXPLICITLY, IN 2019, AND I QUOTE HIM ALMOST WORD BY WORD, HE SAID, THOSE WHO OPPOSE A PALESTINIAN STATE, LIKE HE DOES, MUST STRENGTHEN HAMAS.

HE SAID SO.

HE SAID SO.

IN 2015, SAID, AND I QUOTE, THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY IS A BURDEN, HAMAS IS AN ASSET.

HE SAID SO.

THEY WANTED HAMAS TO BE STRONG, AS PART OF THE CLASSIC DIVIDE AND RULE.

AND THEY WANT HAMAS TO BE STRONGER IN ORDER TO FIND AND EXCUSE IN SAYING THAT THERE'S NO ONE TO TALK TO.

THEY WANTED IT.

THEY PASSED NETANYAHU MORE THAN TEN YEARS.

ALLOWED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO BE TO THE POCKETS OF HAMAS FROM QATAR.

IT'S NOT A SECRET.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.

HE'S RESPONSIBLE.

AND PEOPLE, BECAUSE OF THAT, MANY ISRAELIS DON'T WANT HIM AS A PRIME MINISTER, AND JUSTLY SO.

THEY SAY, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE, YOU ARE -- YOU ARE GUILTY, SOME EVEN SAY, YOU ARE GUILTY.

AT THE SAME TIME, MANY OF THEM THINK THAT THE WAR MUST GO ON.

OF COURSE I'M NOT THERE, I HAVE MY OWN CRITICISM, BUT WE DO NOT AGREE ABOUT THE WAR, THE ASSAULT.

THERE ARE MANY THAT DO AGREE WITH ME, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE FAMILIES OF THE HOSTAGES, NOT ALL OF THEM.

MANY OF THE FAMILIES OF THE HOSTAGES AND THE VICTIMS WHO WERE BUTCHERED BY HAMAS UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ASSAULT ON GAZA WILL NOT DELIVER NEITHER SECURITY FOR THE ISRAELIS, NOT LET ALONE RELEASE OF THE HOSTAGES.

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE ATMOSPHERE IS SHIFTING, SLOWLY, GRADUALLY, BUT IT IS SHIFTING, BECAUSE OF THAT -- BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION.

>> SO, LET US TURN NOW TO THE U.S. ROLE HERE.

FIRST, THERE WAS THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER, SENATOR FROM NEW YORK, THE, I WOULD SAY, THE SORT OF HIGHEST RANKING, MOST PROMINENT JEWISH ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE UNITED STATES, SAID THAT THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT SHOULD GO, THAT THE PRIME MINISTER IS NOT SERVING THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE.

THIS CAUSED A HUGE REACTION.

AND THEN, ACCORDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN CALLED PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU JUST THIS WEEK TO WARN AGAINST THIS PLANNED MILITARY OPERATION THAT WE ARE TOLD IS COMING IN RAFAH.

SAYING THAT A MAJOR GROUND OPERATION THERE WOULD BE A MISTAKE.

WHAT -- WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS?

PARTICULARLY THE WHITE HOUSE.

DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS CONSEQUENCE SNSHL.

>> LOOK, I MUST SAY, I'M VERY CRITICAL OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, BECAUSE ACTUALLY, WE FOUND THEIR CONSENT, THE ASSAULT ON GAZA, AND THE DEATH TOLL WOULD HAVE NEVER OCCURRED.

I MEAN, THERE IS A KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ALLOW ME TO USE SOME CONCEPTS FROM PSYCHOLOGY, THERE IS A KIND OF DISSONANCE COGNITIVE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, DISSONANCE COGNITIVE IS WHEN ONE CONSCIOUSLY CLINGING TO TWO CONTRADICTORY OR MORE MOMENTS.

AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE IN THE BEHAVIOR OF PRESIDENT BIDEN, BECAUSE ON THE ONE HAND, HE SPEAKS ABOUT THE DIRE SITUATION, THE GRAVE SITUATION OF THE PALESTINIANS IN GAZA.

THEY ARE STARVING THERE.

SO IT IS THE STARVATION, CAUSED BY ISRAEL, AND, OF COURSE, NO MEDICINE, NO HOSPITAL, DESTRUCTION, DEATH TOLL, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

THAT COULD NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES.

>> WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?

>> BECAUSE -- BECAUSE I GIVE YOU TWO EXAMPLES, WHICH, FOR ME, ARE THE MAIN ONES.

FIRST OF ALL, EVERY TIME THERE'S A -- A MOTION IN CRITICISM OF ISRAEL IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL OF THE UNITED NATIONS, THE UNITED STATES VETOES.

THAT'S SUPPORT, WHICH I DO NOT REALLY ACCEPT.

I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR.

IT'S NOT A SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL AND THE ISRAELIS.

IT'S SUPPORT FOR THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS AGAINST ISRAELIS.

I AM AS IN OPPOSITION, I'M COMMITTED TO THE ISRAELI PUBLIC, AND I'M TRYING TO DO MY JOB.

AND PART OF MY JOB IS TO STAND STILL AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT IF THE GOVERNMENT IS WRONG, LET ALONE SINCE.

AND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IN SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL IS ACTING AGAINST JUSTICE, AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS, BUT ALSO AGAINST THE ISRAELIS.

>> EXCEPT THAT PUBLIC OPINION, AS WE'VEDISCUSSED, DOES NOT SUPPORT THIS GOVERNMENT, BUT IT SUPPORTS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING.

YOUR VIEWS ARE NOT IN THE MAJORITY.

>> FIRST OF ALL, YOU MAY BE RIGHT.

THAT DOESN'T UNDERMINE MY OBLIGATION TO RAISE MY VOICE AND TO REPRESENT THE THOUSANDS AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ISRAELIS WHO DO SUPPORT MY VIEW.

AND THE PEOPLE OUT OF ISRAEL.

I GUESS WE BOTH WOULD AGREE THAT POLLS ARE MAINLY FOR STATISTICS, BUT NOT FOR POLITICAL DECISIONS.

>> SO, THE WHITE HOUSE HAS SAID THAT MR. BIDEN ASKED PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU TO SEND A DELEGATION OF INTELLIGENCE AND MILITARY OFFICIALS TO WASHINGTON TO HEAR FIRST-HAND THE WHITE HOUSE'S VIEWS, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THIS PLANNED INCURSION INTO RAFAH.

WE ARE TOLD THAT THE GOVERNMENT, THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO SEND SUCH A DELEGATION.

DOES THAT OFFER ANY HOPE TO YOU?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD NETANYAHU EXPLAIN SENDING THE DELEGATION.

HE SAID HE'S BEEN DOING THAT FOR, AND I QUOTE, FOR RESPECT.

BECAUSE HE RESPECTS BIDEN.

MR. BIDEN.

NOT BECAUSE HE WANTS TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING OR HE'S READY TO, YOU KNOW, TO REFRAIN FROM OPERATING IN RAFAH.

I THINK TO SAY THAT INVADING RAFAH IS WRONG, IT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

IT'S GOING TO BE A CARNAGE.

IT'S -- THE DEATH TOLL THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE, THE BLOODSHED THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE, IS GOING TO BE EVEN MORE DISASTROUS THAN IT'S BEEN -- THAN WHAT HAS BEEN GOING THUS FAR.

>> BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, CLEARLY YOU REMAIN AS OUTSPOKEN AS EVER.

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU ARE OPENING UP MORE DEMOCRATIC SPACE, YOU KNOW, MORE SPACE FOR PUBLIC CRITICISM, OR TO SORT OF MAINTAIN THESE DEMOCRATIC TRADITIONS OF SORT OF PUBLIC DISSENT?

>> YOU KNOW, YOU PROBABLY KNOW THIS STORY, THAT JUST AFTER THE AMERICA, UNITED STATES INVADED VIETNAM, THERE WAS ONE PERSON USED TO DEMONSTRATE IN FRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE, AND EVERY TIME HE WAS ASKED, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE ALONE, YOU KNOW YOU ARE ALL ALONE, EVERYBODY SUPPORTS THE INVASION, THE ASSAULT OF VIETNAM, AND HE USED TO ANSWER, ACCORDING TO THE STORY, HE WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO CHANGE SOCIETY, SO, HE USED TO SAY, PERHAPS I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE SOCIETY, BUT I'M STANDING HERE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT SOCIETY DOESN'T CHANGE ME.

BUT EVENTUALLY, GOING BACK TO THIS STORY, WE KNOW THAT THIS GUY PROBABLY DID CHANGE SOCIETY.

BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LATER.

SO, ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, BY USING THIS STORY, I DO BELIEVE NOT ONLY ME, BUT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, WE WENT TO DEMONSTRATE IN FRONT OF THE AMERICAN EMBASSY, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.

AND CALLING FOR THE UNITED STATES TO RECOGNIZE THE PALESTINIAN STATE.

SO, IT'S NOT ONLY ME.

IT'S -- IT'S NOT ME.

BUT PEOPLE LIKE ME AND ME TOGETHER, WE ARE THE HOPE FOR BOTH PEOPLES OF THIS LAND, INCLUDING THE ISRAELIS.

>> OFER CASSIF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU.

HAVE A NICE DAY.

>> AND THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS CONSISTENTLY DENIED ANY ATTEMPT TO STRENGTHEN HAMAS.

>>> AND FINALLY TONIGHT, SPRING HAS BEGUN IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, MARKING FOR MANY IN THE WORLD NOT JUST THE PROMISE OF WARMER WEATHER, BUT ALSO THE BEGINNING OF THE ANCIENT FESTIVAL OF NORUZ.

THE CELEBRATION OF THE PERSIAN NEW YEAR.

SOME 300 MILLION PEOPLE ARE TAKING PART IN RITUALS THAT SYMBOLIZE REBIRTH AND REFLECTION.

FROM IRAN TO AFGHANISTAN, CENTRAL A CENTRAL ASIA, AND THE KURDS.

IN TEHRAN, WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUMPING OVER FIRE TO CLEANSE THEIR SPIRIT.

AND EVEN IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, WHERE ONE IRANIAN AMERICAN ASTRONAUT HAS PREPARED A CUSTOMARY.

>>> AND THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S COMING UP ON THE SHOW EVERY NIGHT, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT PBS.ORG/AMANPOUR.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND GOOD-BYE FROM LONDON.