>> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO "AMANPOUR & CO. " HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.

ISRAEL LAUNCHES AN AN UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK TARGETING HAMAS LEADERS IN QATAR.

NETANYAHU CLAIMS FULL ISRAELI RESPONSIBILITY WHILE QATAR AND ITS REGIONAL ALLIES CONDEMN THE ESCALATION.

WE ASK KEY EXPERTS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO UNFOLD NOW.

I SPEAK TO FORMER ISRAELI GENERAL AMOS ABOUT THE MILITARY STRATEGY BEHIND THAT STRIKE.

> >> THEN, WE'LL HEAR FROM PALESTINIAN POLITICIAN MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI IN THE WEST BANK.

ALONGSIDE FORMER U. S. MIDDLE EAST NEGOTIATOR AARON DAVID MILLER.

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> >> "AMANPOUR & CO. " IS MADE POSSIBLE BY --THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS CANDACE KING WEIR THE SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM THE FAMILY FOUNDATION OF LEILA AND MICKEY STRAUS MARK J. BLECHNER THE FILOMEN M. D'AGOSTINO FOUNDATION SETON J. MELVIN THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND CHARLES ROSENBLUM KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG JEFFREY KATZ AND BETH ROGERS AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> AND WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE.

I'M PAULA NEWT TONE IN NEW YORK SITTING IN FOR CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR.

ISRAEL HAS CARRIED OUT AN ATTACK TARGETING SENIOR HAMAS LEADERS IN QATAR'S CAPITAL DOHA.

IT IS THE FIRST ISRAELI STRIKE IN THE GULF STATE AND MARKS A SIGNIFICANT ESCALATION OF ITS TACTICS AGAINST THE MILITANT GROUP.

SEVERAL BLASTS WERE HEARD AND A BUILDING IN THE NORTH OF THE CITY APPEARS TO BE BADLY DAMAGED.

QATAR IS CALLING THE ATTACK A, QUOTE, BLATANT VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAYS HIS COUNTRY ACCEPTS FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OPERATION, WHICH HE CLAIMS WAS JUSTIFIED AFTER A MASS SHOOTING IN JERUSALEM ON MONDAY.

I WANT YOU TO LISTEN NOW.

>> YESTERDAY FOUR OF OUR SOLDIERS WERE KILLED BY HAMAS TERRORISTS IN GAZA, AND SIX ISRAELI CIVILIANS WERE BRUTALLY MURDERED IN A BUS STOP IN JERUSALEM.

THIS MORNING, HAMAS PROUDLY TOOK CREDIT FOR BOTH OF THESE ACTIONS.

AT NOON TODAY, I CONVENED THE HEADS OF ISRAEL SECURITY ORGANIZATIONS AND AUTHORIZED A SURGICAL PRECISION STRIKE ON THE TERRORIST CHIEFS OF HAMAS.

>> U. S. OFFICIALS SAY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAS INFORMED AHEAD OF THE ATTACK.

QATAR A KEY U. S. ALLY, HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE AS A MEDIATOR IN ONGOING TALKS TO TRY AND REACH A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA.

AMONG THOSE TARGETED WAS IN FACT HAMAS' CHIEF NEGOTIATOR KHALIL AL HAYYA.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO A SENIOR ISRAELI OFFICIAL.

WE WANT TO BRING IN RETIRED GENERAL AND FORMER HEAD OF ISRAELI MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

HE JOINS ME NOW FROM WASHINGTON.

IT IS GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, SIR.

I WANT TO ASK YOU JUST RIGHT OFF THE BAT, BLUNTLY, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE WAS BOTH THE POLITICAL AND MILITARY RATIONALE FOR THIS STRIKE?

>> IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU, PAULA.

I THINK THE MAIN ISSUE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HEADS OF THE TERROR ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOW MORE EXTREME WHEN THEY SIT IN A SEVEN STARS HOTEL IN QATAR AND NOT AGREEING TO THE PROPOSAL BY PLUMP THAT THEY WILL BE REMOVED AS AN OBSTACLE TO END THE WAR.

SECOND, QATAR WAS VERY UNHELPFUL IN SUPPORTING HAMAS, GIVING IT A LOT OF MONEY, WEAPONS, AND SUPPORTING IT DIPLOMATICALLY, AND WAS NOT HELPFUL ALSO IN THE NEGOTIATION.

WHICH THE U. S. AND THE EGYPTIANS WERE TRYING TO PROMOTE.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ISRAEL HAS A DOCTRINE SINCE THE MUNICH GAMES MASSACRE THAT ANYBODY WHO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MASSACRE AND VERY MUCH IN THE 7 OF OCTOBER MASSACRE WILL BE REMOVED, WILL BE TARGETED.

ANYONE WHO PLANNED THE 7 OF OCTOBER MASSACRE AND ALL THE KILLED, ISRAELI KIDS, ISRAELI WOMEN, ISRAELI CIVILIANS, 900 OF THEM, EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATE WILL BE REMOVED, AND MANY THAT WERE IN QATAR WERE AMONG THEM.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, QATAR IS FINANCING A LOT OF ANTI- ISRAELI ACTIVITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT ESPECIALLY IN YOUR COUNTRY, IN THE U. S. AND IT'S TIME THAT QATAR THAT IS USING ITS MONEY AND AL JAZEERA TO SPOIL ANY POSITIVE POLITICAL PROCESS WILL ALSO PAY THE PRICE AND WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE.

>> GENERAL, I HAVE TO POINT OUT THAT ISRAEL HAS BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH QATAR.

THEY HAVE USED THEM AS TRUSTWORTHY NEGOTIATORS IN THE PAST, AND THAT THE UNITED STATES AT THIS POINT IN TIME HAS BEEN LEANING ON QATAR TO TRY AND HELP THESE NEGOTIATIONS.

BUT I ALSO DO WANT TO PINT OINT OUT THAT CNN HAS SPOKEN TO FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE HOSTAGES, SAYING NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT THEY DO WANT TO SEE THE HAMAS LEADERSHIP PUNISHED, THAT THIS WAS NOT THE TIME AND THIS WAS NOT THE WAY.

>> WE'RE VERY WORRIED, VERY, VERY WORRIED.

WE DON'T KNOW WHO WILL BE NOW NEGOTIATING WITH ISRAEL ABOUT THE REMAINING HOSTAGES.

THERE ARE STILL HOSTAGES SUFFERING THERE.

I BELIEVE THAT TAKING ACTS ON HAMAS MILITARY LEADERS CAN WAIT, AND WHAT WE NOW NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON IS SAVING THE HOSTAGES.

>> GENERAL, I HAVE TO ASK YOU, IT IS SUCH A TOUGH SITUATION FOR THESE FAMILIES.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM?

THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED STRIKE ON A COUNTRY THAT SAYS IN GOOD FAITH THEY WERE TRYING TO GET TO THE RELEASE OF THOSE HOSTAGES.

>> MY HEART IS WITH THE FAMILIES.

I'M CALLING TO END THE WAR IN THE LAST YEAR BY FIRST BRINGING BACK ALL THE HOSTAGE S IN ONE PAUSE AND END THE WAR AND REMOVING OF HAMAS FROM GAZA.

THIS IS A GOAL THAT I SUPPORT, AND THE FAMILIES WILL AGREE FOR IT FOR SURE.

UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT RUNNING THE NEGOTIATION, AND PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO IS RUNNING THE NEGOTIATION, PUT ON THE TABLE IN THE LAST THREE DAYS A PROPOSAL TO END THE WAR WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO MY PLAN.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, HAMAS LEADERS IN QATAR, UNLIKE HAMAS LEADERS IN GAZA, REFUSE TO GO ALONG THIS LINE.

SO I HOPE FOR THE FAMILIES TO SEE THEIR LOVED ONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

I WANT THIS WAR TO BE OVER AND I THINK - - >> BUT DO YOU BELIEVE THE STRIKE IS WHAT IS GOING TO BRING THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS HOME?

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THOSE FAMILIES ARE TERRIFIED.

THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS KIND OF A STRIKE WILL BRING THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS HOME SOONER.

HOW?

>> FUTURE WILL TELL.

NOT -- HOW?

THOSE EXTREMES IN THE HAMAS LEADERS, THOSE WHO REFUSE TO END THE WAR ALL THE TIME, THOSE WHO HAVEN'T SAY YES TO PRESIDENT TRUMP PROPOSALS ARE NOW REMOVED.

SO NOT TOMORROW, NOT THE DAY AFTER, BUT I THINK WITHIN WEEKS, WE WILL SEE THAT THE LEADERS OF HAMAS IN GAZA, WHO ARE SUFFERING WITH THE 2 MILLION PALESTINIANS IN GAZA AND WANT TO END THE WAR, BUT THOSE IN QATAR WHO REFUSE TO DO IT, I THINK NOT IN THE SHORT-RUN, BUT A LITTLE BIT AFTER THAT IN THE MID RUN, WE WILL SEE AN END TO THIS WAR IN A WAY THE FACT THAT HAMAS LEADERS LIKE THOSE WHO WERE TARGETED IN QATAR THIS MORNING WILL BE REMOVED IS A STEP FORWARD TO END THIS WAR THAT SHOULD BE ENDED ALMOST A YEAR AGO.

>> AND I DO WANT TO SAY THAT ANOTHER ONE OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS, A MOTHER POSTED ON X SAYING THAT, LOOK, SHE BELIEVES THIS IS ACTUALLY THE EXECUTION OF HER SON, NOT THE SAVIOR FOR HER SON DURING THIS STRIKE.

I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN IT AS WELL.

>> I SAW IT, AND MY HEART IS WITH THE FAMILIES.

BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING THAT HAMAS IS UNWILLING TO END THE WAR AS MUCH AS SOME OF THE ISRAELI COALITION ELEMENTS, LIKE --SO WE HAVE TO REMOVE THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST ENDING THE WAR AND BRING THESE HOSTAGES BACK, BUT NOT IN ANY PRICE.

AND THE PRICE THAT THESE LEADERS OF HAMAS ARE PUTTING IS UNACCEPTABLE.

WE SHOULD END THIS WAR IN AN PACKAGE, IN A DEAL THAT WILL INCLUDE FOUR ELEMENTS.

RETURNS OF ALL THE HOSTAGES, WITHDRAWAL OF ISRAELI FORCES, REMOVING HAMAS FROM POWER, AND A SIDE LETTER BETWEEN ISRAEL AND AMERICA ON THE MODALITIES THAT HAVE BEEN DONE WITH THE --ON LEBANON, ON HEZBOLLAH, THAT IF HAMAS WILL REBUILD ITSELF AS AN ARMED TERROR ORGANIZATION, ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO GO BACK AND HIT HAMAS.

BUT THE FAMILIES WILL GET THEIR LOVED ONE AT HOME BEFORE THEN.

AND THIS IS THE OUTLINE THAT WE HAVE TO PROMOTE BOTH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, AND THOSE WHO HAVEN'T PUSHED HAMAS GOOD ENOUGH, WHICH IS THE PEOPLE IN DOHA.

>> GENERAL, I WANT TO LEAN ON YOUR DECADES OF EXPERIENCE BOTH IN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AN ALSO WITH THE AIR FORCE.

IS THERE REALLY SUCH A THING AS A SURGICAL STRIKE?

HOW MUCH COLLATERAL DAMAGE COULD THIS HAVE CAUSED?

YOU HEARD PEOPLE SCREAMING THERE IN DOHA.

THERE WERE CERTAINLY A LOT OF PANIC, A LOT OF TERROR.

PERHAPS QATARI CITIZENS COULD HAVE BEEN HURT OR KILLED AS WELL.

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT?

HOW DID YOU SEE THIS OPERATION UNFOLDING?

>> I THINK THAT IN ANY MILITARY ATTACK, THERE IS A PROPORTIONALITY TO THE GOALS THAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE.

NOBODY CAN REMOVE ONLY THE BAD GUYS.

HOWEVER, I THINK THIS CONSIDERATION WAS HIGH ON THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE PLANNERS.

I KNOW VERY WELL THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE.

I KNOW VERY WELL THE INTELLIGENCE.

AND I THINK THEY TRIED TO DO IT AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE.

THE WAY THEY DID IT BY THE WAY IN ASANA WITH THE HOUTHIS GOVERNMENT.

THOSE WHO CARE ABOUT CIVILIANS SHOULD BRING BACK THE HOSTAGES THAT ARE SEVEN AND FIVE DAYS IN GAZA.

THESE PEOPLE HAVEN'T SEEN, THESE PEOPLE WERE STARVED, AND HAMAS, WHO IS BASICALLY HIDING AND SHIELDING THEMSELVES BEHIND CIVILIANS IS TO BLAME IN THIS WAR.

HAMAS IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE KILLING OF THE PEOPLE OF GAZA, BECAUSE IT PUT ALL ITS COMMAND POST AND ALL HIS CAMPS AND THE PLACES THAT FIRING AT ISRAEL CIVILIAN POPULATION WITHOUT ANY DISCRIMINATION, THEY HAVE TO STOP SHIELDING THEMSELVES BEHIND THIS CIVILIANS, AND DON'T BLAME THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE, WHICH IS THE MOST PRECISE ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD THAT I EVER MET IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATELY NOW CLOSE TO 50 YEARS.

>> GENERAL YADLIN, WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE FOR NOW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU, PAULA.

IT'S A PLEASURE BEING WITH YOU.

>> NOW FOR MORE ON ALL THIS WHICH WANT TO BRING IN OUR JEREMY DIAMOND IN JERUSALEM.

JEREMY, YOU JUST HEARD THAT INTERVIEW THERE.

BUT WHAT MORE ARE WE LEARNING ABOUT THIS ATTACK FROM ISRAELI AUTHORITIES THEMSELVES?

BECAUSE UNLIKE OTHER MILITARY OPERATIONS THEY'VE CARRIED OUT, THEY VERY QUICKLY CAME OUT AND TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT WAS A SIGNAL IN AND OF ITSELF, THE FACT THAT THIS WAS NOT CONDUCTED BY ISRAEL'S MOSSAD BUT RATHER BY THE ISRAELI MILITARY IN COOPERATION WITH THE SHIN BET, ISRAEL'S INTERNAL SECURITY SERVICE, SIGNALED THAT ISRAEL WANTED THE WORLD TO KNOW, WANTED QATAR TO KNOW, WANTED HAMAS TO KNOW THAT IT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS STRIKE AND WAS MAKING NO BONES ABOUT IT.

AND INDEED, WE JUST HEARD FROM THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU DIRECTLY, WHO ADDRESS ADDRESSED THIS STRIKE, TOOK CREDIT FOR IT, AND TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT SHOWS THE DAYS WHERE THE HEADS OF TERROR ENJOYED IMMUNITY ANYWHERE ARE OVER.

HE SAID HE WILL NOT ALLOW SUCH IMMUNITY FOR THE MURDERERS OF OUR PEOPLE.

VERY MUCH FRAMING THESE STRIKES IN THE CONTEXT OF BEING RETALIATION FOR THE OCTOBER 7th MASSACRE, WHICH THE ISRAELI MILITARY AND SECURITY SERVICES HAVE HAD ALL HEADS OF HAMAS RESPONSIBLE FOR.

WHAT WAS MOST INTERESTING IN THE REMARKS OF THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, THOUGH, WAS THE PART WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN NEXT.

AND THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT THIS ATTACK COULD OPEN THE DOOR TO AN END OF THE WAR IN GAZA, NOTING THAT ISRAEL HAS ACCEPTED THE PRINCIPLES PUT FORWARD BY THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENTS IN TERMS OF THIS LATEST CEASEFIRE AND HOSTAGE RELEASE PROPOSAL, AND HE SAID THAT IF HAMAS ACCEPTS IT, THEN THIS CAN QUICKLY LEAD TO THE END OF A WAR.

HERE IS THE ONE PROBLEM.

THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER MAY HAVE JUST KILLED HAMAS' CHIEF NEGOTIATOR, AND THE SENIOR HAMAS LEADERSHIP, WHO WOULD HAVE TO ACCEPT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY POTENTIAL AGREEMENT.

AND SO THE REAL QUESTION NOW, AND ONE THAT'S BEEN RAISED BY QATARI OFFICIALS, WAS THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT TRYING TO UNDERMINE THAT CEASEFIRE AND HOSTAGE RELEASE NEGOTIATING PROCESS, GIVEN THE CRITICAL JUNCTURE AT WHICH THIS STRIKE TOOK PLACE, A STRIKE THAT WAS MONTHS IN THE PLANNING, BUT ONLY EXECUTED DAYS AFTER THE UNITED STATES MOVED FORWARD WITH THIS NEW EFFORT TO REACH A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA AND TO BRING THE HOSTAGES HOME.

CARRYING OUT A STRIKE THAT AT LEAST IN THE SHORT- TERM WILL REACH THE POSSIBILITY OF REACHING AN AGREEMENT SUCH FURTHER AWAY.

I THINK THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS UNQUESTIONABLE.

AND WE'VE HEARD THE FEARS OF MANY OF THE HOSTAGE FAMILIES BEING EXPRESSED TODAY THAT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

THE REAL QUESTION IS WHAT HAPPENS DOWN THE LINE.

WILL QATAR, WHICH HAS JUST SEEN ITS SOVEREIGNTY VIOLATED BY THESE ISRAELI STRIKES, WILL QATAR CONTINUE TO REMAIN INVOLVED AS THE KEY MEDIATOR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS THAT IT HAS BEEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST TWO YEARS OF WAR, OR WILL IT WITHDRAW FROM THE PROCESS ALL TOGETHER.

WHO WILL TAKE OVER FROM HAMAS, IF INDEED THE SENIOR HAMAS LEADERS ARE CONFIRMED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED, AND WHERE DOES THAT, OF COURSE, LEAVE THE 48 HOSTAGES HELD BY HAMAS AND OTHER PALESTINIAN MILITANT GROUPS IN GAZA, AND WHERE DOES IT LEAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA.

>> AND JEREMY, YOU KNOW WE DO NOT KNOW THE FATE OF THE HAMAS LEADERSHIP THERE, IF THEY WERE INJURED OR KILLED OR HAPPENED TO ESCAPE THIS KIND OF A STRIKE.

I WILL POINT OUT THE QATARI OFFICIALS KIND OF SEEMED TO BE CLAIMING THIS WAS DONE BY ISRAEL IN ORDER TO UNDERMINE ANY KIND OF A NEGOTIATION PROCESS BETWEEN HAMAS AND ISRAEL.

AND SO I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE WIDER REACTION THERE WHERE YOU ARE IN ISRAEL.

THERE HAS BEEN AN OUTPOURING IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, UNDERSTANDING THAT A MAJORITY OF ISRAELIS WANT THE HOSTAGES HOME.

AND NOW EVERYONE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS MOVE BY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT MAKES THINGS ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT.

>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU THINK ABOUT THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

WE SAW HAMAS INITIALLY ACCEPTING A PROPOSAL THAT ISRAEL ITSELF HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF, A TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE THAT WOULD SEE THE RELEASE OF ABOUT HALF OF THE LIVING HOSTAGES.

ISRAEL SAID THAT IT HAD ALREADY MOVED ON, THAT IT WAS NOW SEEKING A TOTAL DEAL FOR ALL OF THE HOSTAGES AND END OF THE WAR IN GAZA RATHER THAN A PARTIAL DEAL.

INSTEAD, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT CHOSE TO BEGIN MOVING FORWARD WITH PLANS FOR A MAJOR OFFENSIVE TO CAPTURE AND CONQUER GAZA CITY, WHERE ONE MILLION PEOPLE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FORCIBLY DISPLACED.

BUT THEN WE SAW ON SUNDAY, THE UNITED STATES PUTTING FORWARD THIS LATEST PROPOSAL, SEEKING TO GET HAMAS TO AGREE TO RELEASE ALL OF THE HOSTAGES IN EXCHANGE FOR THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AND A CEASEFIRE THAT WOULD SEE NEGOTIATIONS TO END THE WAR IN GAZA.

A CEASEFIRE THAT WOULD STAY IN PLACE AS LONG AS THOSE NEGOTIATIONS WERE CONTINUING.

THE UNITED STATES SAID THAT ISRAEL HAD POSITIVELY RESPONDED TO IT.

HAMAS WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REVIEWING THAT PROPOSAL WHEN ITS SENIOR LEADERSHIP WAS STRUCK IN THIS ISRAELI ATTACK IN THE QATARI CAPITAL TODAY.

AND SO, AGAIN, FOR PEOPLE IN ISRAEL, INCLUDING THE FAMILIES OF THE HOSTAGES WHO SAID TODAY THAT THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE NEWS OF THIS STRIKE WITH CONSIDERABLE ANXIETY AND UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE, MANY PEOPLE HERE FEELING LIKE IT PUTS A CEASEFIRE AND HOSTAGE RELEASE DEAL FURTHER AWAY.

AGAIN, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT-TERM.

WE WILL SEE ULTIMATELY WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE END GAME HERE FOR THE WAR IN GAZA AND FOR THE HOSTAGES THEMSELVES.

>> INDEED WE WILL.

JEREMY DIAMOND FOR NEWS JERUSALEM, GRATEFUL TO YOU.

SO HOW IS THE REST OF THE REGION REACTING TO ISRAEL'S STRIKES IN QATAR?

AS WE'VE MENTIONED, THE QATARI FOREIGN MINISTRY STRONGLY CONDEMNING THE ATTACK, CALLING IT, QUOTE, COWARDLY, WHILE THE U. N. SECRETARY GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES HIGHLIGHTED QATAR'S VERY POSITIVE ROLE IN CEASEFIRE NEGOTIATIONS.

>> I CONDEMN THIS FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE SOVEREIGNTY AND INTEGRITY OF QATAR.

ALL PARTIES MUST WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING A PERMANENT CEASEFIRE, NOT DESTROYING IT.

>> BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP THAT HAS A LOT AT STAKE HERE?

WE WANT TO BRING IN LONG-TIME PALESTINIAN POLITICIAN AND FORMER PEACE NEGOTIATOR MUSTAFA BARGHOUTI.

HE JOINS US FROM RAMALLAH IN THE WEST BANK.

IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU AND PARSE WHAT HAPPENED.

INDICATE TO US WHAT YOU BELIEVE THE REACTION IN THE REGION WILL BE.

>> THANK YOU, PAULA, AND I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT WE'VE HAD SO MANY LIES BY YOUR ISRAELI GUEST MOMENTS AGO.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, I THINK THIS OPERATION MEANS TWO THINGS VERY CLEARLY.

FIRST, ISRAEL ATTACKED THE NEGOTIATING TEAM OF HAMAS WHILE THEY WERE SITTING, DISCUSSING THE PALESTINIAN RESPONSE TO THE AMERICAN PROPOSAL.

HOW COULD ISRAEL SAY THAT THEY WERE DOING THAT TO ACHIEVE AN AGREEMENT WHEN THEY KILLED OR TRIED TO KILL THOSE WHO ARE NEGOTIATINGS WITH THEM?

SECOND, THIS ATTACK HAPPENED IN QATAR.

THE MOST PEACEFUL COUNTRY PROBABLY IN THE REGION, A COUNTRY THAT NEVER HAD A CONFLICT WITH ANYBODY, AND A COUNTRY THAT HAVE PLAYED THE ROLE OF THE MAIN MEDIATOR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS AND BETWEEN ISRAEL AND OTHER PALESTINIAN GROUPS.

AND IF IT WASN'T FOR QATAR, ISRAEL WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN ALL THESE ISRAELI PRISONERS WHO HAVE BEEN RELEASED SO FAR.

SO IN MY OPINION, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE QATARI ESTIMATION.

WHAT HAPPENED IS AN ACT TO UNDERMINE THE POSSIBILITY OF REACHING A CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT, AND WHAT PROVES THAT IS THE ESCALATION OF THE ISRAELI MILITARY ATTACKS ON GAZA CITY AND THE ISRAELI ORDER TO EVACUATE, NO LESS THAN 1.

1 MILLION PEOPLE BY FORCE, BY BOMBARDMENT, BY KILLING PEOPLE.

AND IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT ISRAEL NEVER GIVE UP ITS PLAN OF TOTAL ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE POPULATION OF GAZA.

THIS OPERATION SHOWS ALSO THAT THE ISRAELI ESTABLISHMENT AND THIS LIZ FASCIST GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE ISRAELI PRISONERS OR CAPTIVES.

IF THEY CARED ABOUT THEM.

THAT WOULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY AS THE MOTHER OF ONE OF THESE CAPTIVES SAID.

THIS IS LIKE AN EXECUTION ORDER AGAINST THESE PRISONERS.

AND BY THE WAY, I AM REALLY --I AM REALLY UNHAPPY ABOUT THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY SPEAKS ONLY ABOUT THE 50 ISRAELI PRISONERS AND NOBODY SPEAKS ABOUT THE 14,000 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS, INCLUDING 400 CHILDREN WHO ARE KEPT AS HOSTAGES IN ISRAELI PRISONS.

ANYHOW, THE MOST SHOCKING THING IS THE AMERICAN COMPLICITY IN THIS MATTER.

HOW COULD THE UNITED STATES ALLOW SUCH AN OPERATION TO TAKE PLACE?

IF PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTED TO STOP THE -- >> IS THAT NOT THE DEBATE, THOUGH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME?

DO YOU BELIEVE, DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE UNITED STATES ALLOWED THIS?

THAT THEY KNEW AHEAD OF TIME AND TURNED A BLIND EYE TO THIS?

>> WELL, WE HAVE REPORTS FROM THE ISRAELI SIDE AND FROM THE AMERICAN SIDE, BOTH ADMITTING THAT ISRAEL INFORMED THE UNITED STATES BEFORE THE OPERATION WAS DONE.

AND WE REMEMBER HOW THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND PRESIDENT TRUMP STOPPED THE ISRAELI PLANES WHEN THEY WERE HALF THE WAY ON THEIR WAY TO IRAN TO BOMBARD IT AT THE END OF THE WAR THEN.

SO IF HE WANTED, HE COULD HAVE STOPPED IT.

AND THAT MAKES ALL OF US BELIEVE THAT TRUMP'S PROPOSAL WAS NOTHING BUT A PLOY, WAS NOTHING BUT A TRAP ESTABLISHED EXACTLY TO ALLOW ISRAEL TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL OF ASSASSINATING THE PEOPLE THEY WERE TARGETING.

BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, AND YOU ASK ME ABOUT THE REACTION OF THE COUNTRIES IN THIS REGION, IS THAT NOW THE MESSAGE, AS THE HEAD OF THE ISRAELI PARLIAMENT SAID THE MESSAGE IS NOW SENT AND RECEIVED BY ALL MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

DOES THAT MEAN THAT ISRAEL IS BEHAVING AS AN IMPERIALIST STATE IN CONTROL OVER THE MIDDLE EAST IN THEIR ATTACKING LEBANON, ATTACKING SYRIA, ATTACKING YEMEN, ATTACKING IRAN, AND NOW ATTACKING EVEN QATAR, THE PEACEFUL QATAR?

THAT MEANS WE ARE DEALING HERE WITH A COUNTRY THAT BEHAVES AS AN IMPERIALIST COUNTRY TARGETING ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY, AND WE'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH --SUCH BEHAVIOR BY ANY COUNTRY PROBABLY IN MODERN HISTORY SINCE NAZI GERMANY, WHICH WAS ATTACKING ITS NEIGHBORS AND ATTACKING EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> OKAY, BUT MUSTAFA, THEN, WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?

WHETHER IT'S THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL INITIATIVE, WHETHER IT'S JORDAN, WHETHER IT'S QATAR, WHETHER IT'S SAUDI ARABIA?

PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU AND HIS DEFENSE MINISTER MR. KATZ HAD SAID THAT THEY WERE FULLY JUSTIFIED BECAUSE OF MONDAY'S SHOOTING IN JERUSALEM.

ISRAEL, OF COURSE, CONTINUES TO SAY THAT WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS DEFENDING THEMSELVES.

YOU JUST HEARD GENERAL YADLIN SAYING HAMAS HAD THIS COMING.

SO WHAT DO YOU DO RIGHT NOW?

BECAUSE ARE YOU EXPECTING THAT PERHAPS THE ISRAELI RESPONSE WILL BECOME EVEN MORE FEROCIOUS IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS TO COME?

>> ISRAEL IS NOT DEFENDING ITSELF.

ISRAEL IS AGGRESSIVELY ATTACKING OTHERS.

THEY'VE KILLED 65,000 PALESTINIANS UP TO NOW, INCLUDING 20,000 CHILDREN.

AND EVERY DAY THEY KILL HUNDRED MORE IN GAZA.

EVERY DAY THEY KILL 25 PALESTINIAN MORE CHILDREN.

EVERY DAY THEY ARE CAUSING SO MUCH DAMAGE TO THE LEVEL THAT OVER 90% OF ALL HOMES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED IN GAZA.

WHO NEEDS SECURITY MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE?

THE PALESTINIANS.

WE ARE ATTACKED EVEN IN THE WEST BANK, CONTINUOUSLY BY SETTLER TERRORIST ATTACKS, CONTINUOUSLY.

BUT THE END OF THE TIME, THE END OF THE STORY, THE QUESTION IS WHY THESE LEADERS OF ISRAEL.

IN MY OPINION, WHO BEHAVE AS FASCISTS DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT ISRAEL IS BECOMING A PARIAH STATE WORLDWIDE.

DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE PEOPLE OF SPAIN, THE PEOPLE OF COLOMBIA, THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO, AND EVEN THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES ARE STARTING TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THEM AND CONDEMN THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR.

THEY DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THAT THEY ARE DRAGGING EVEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO A SITUATION OF ISOLATION BECAUSE OF THESE AGGRESSIVE POLICIES, BECAUSE THEY CONTINUE TO OCCUPY OTHER PEOPLE AND OPPRESS OTHER PEOPLE AND CONDUCT APARTHEID AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

THAT IS THE REAL QUESTION.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

I BELIEVE NOW WE'LL SEE EVEN A MUCH BIGGER RISE OF COUNTRIES WHO DEMAND IMPOSING SANCTIONS ON ISRAEL.

AND I THINK THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO RESTRAIN THIS COUNTRY.

I DON'T CALL FOR OTHER COUNTRIES TO ATTACK ISRAEL, BUT I'M CALLING FOR TOTAL AND COMPLETE EMBARGO IN ISRAEL, ESPECIALLY MILITARY EMBARGO, BOYCOTT DIVESTMENT SANCTIONS TO MAKE THESE LEADERS UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CANNOT CONTINUE LIKE THIS, BECAUSE THEY ARE HARMING THE FUTURE OF PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS.

THEY'RE KILLING ANY POTENTIAL FOR PEACE.

AND BELIEVE ME, I DON'T THINK THE ARAB AND MUSLIM COUNTRIES WILL CONTINUE TO BEHAVE IN THE SAME MANNER AS BEFORE, BECAUSE NOW THEY HAVE DISCOVERED THAT EVEN IF YOU ARE AN ALLIANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES, WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT ISRAEL WANTS TO DO, NOBODY IS PROTECTED.

THIS WILL HAVE A VERY SERIOUS IMPACT ON SO MANY COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY THE GULF COUNTRIES IN THE ARAB WORLD.

>> MR. BARGHOUTI, WE WILL LEAVE IT THERE.

REALLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR INSIGHTS.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU, PAULA.

> >> THE BLAST IN THE CAPITAL CERTAINLY SHOCKED ITS RESIDENTS, INCLUDING GUEST ANDREW POTTER WHO SHARED WHAT HE SAW.

>> EXPLOSIONS LOUD ENOUGH TO RATTLE THE WINDOWS OF MY APARTMENT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THREE MILES AWAY FROM WHERE THE BLAST TOOK PLACE.

I'M MUCH CLOSER NOW, AND WE KNOW THE EXPLOSIONS TOOK PLACE NEAR THE WEST BAY LAGOON AREA.

IT'S NOT DOWNTOWN DOHA.

HOME TO MANY FAMILIES, MANY EXPAT EX-EXPATRIATE FAMILIES.

THAT BUILDING SITS VERY CLOSE TO A LARGE GAS STATION.

IT'S ALMOST NEXT DOOR.

AND FROM WHAT WE CAN SEE, THE ENTRANCE TO THAT HAMAS BUILDING APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BLACKENED BY THIS ATTACK.

THE U. S. EMBASSY IN QATAR HAS ISSUED A SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER FOR ALL ITS FACILITIES IN QATAR, SAYING IT HAS SEEN REPORTS OF A MISSILE STRIKE OCCURRING IN DOHA, AND ADVISING ALL U. S. CITIZENS TO SHELTER IN PLACE.

>> AND TO WHETHER THIS LATEST TARGETED ATTACK BY ISRAEL COMES A SURPRISE, HERE IS WHAT THE FORMER PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION BRENT McGUIRK HAD TO SAY.

>> ON THE ONE HAND, IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT EVERY LEADER OF HAMAS HAS BEEN A DEAD MAN WALKING SINCE OCTOBER 7th OF 2023.

SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

HOWEVER, THIS IS SHOCK, I'LL SAY FOR A FEW REASONS.

NUMBER ONE, THE FACT THAT ISRAEL CAME OUT IMMEDIATELY AND IS TAKING CREDIT FOR THIS, THAT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL YOU.

MIGHT RECALL IN THE SUMMER OF LAST YEAR, ISMAIL HANIYEH, WHO WAS THE POLITICAL LEADER OF HAMAS, WAS KILLED IN TEHRAN.

ISRAEL DID NOT TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT ATTACK.

THEY DIDN'T EVEN MENTION IT REALLY UNTIL DECEMBER, ALMOST FIVE MONTHS LATER.

HERE THE ISRAELIS ARE COMING RIGHT OUT, TAKING FULL RESPONSIBILITY.

THE PRIME MINISTER AS A STATEMENT SAYING IT WAS THEIR INDEPENDENT OPERATION.

THAT IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL.

I SAY A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.

FIRST, A TARGET HERE I THINK ARE KHALID MESHAAL.

MESHAAL HAS A DOJ WARRANT OUT FOR HIS ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST AMERICANS.

SO REALLY NO SYMPATHY FOR THESE TERRORISTS WHO MAY HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES HERE IN THIS ATTACK.

BUT THE DIPLOMATIC RAMIFICATIONS ARE GOING TO PLAY OUT.

I THINK A KEY QUESTION IS A LEVEL OF COORDINATION WITH THE UNITED STATES.

AND IF I KIND OF PEACE THE PUZZLE TOGETHER OVER THE LAST 72 HOURS, THAT STATEMENT FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO SAYING YOUR LAST CHANCE, HAMAS, TO TAKE A DEAL, AND THE DEAL THAT WAS PUT ON THE TABLE WAS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS, I HELP LEAD THEM EARLY FOR 18 MONTHS, LED TO TWO CEASEFIRE DEALS.

WHAT THE U. S. PUT ON THE TABLE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO IS SOMETHING HAMAS WAS NOT GOING TO ACCEPT.

IT REQUIRED ALL HODGE STAGES ON DAY ONE OF THE DEAL.

WE CAN HOPE HAMAS DOES THAT.

CLEARLY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT DEAL THERE IS A QUESTION HERE WITH THE COORDINATION WITH THE UNITED STATES.

I'M THINKING BACK TO THE 12-DAY WAR WITH IRAN WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF STATEMENTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYING I'LL DECIDE IN TWO WEEKS AS HE WAS PLANNING THE STRIKE IN TEHRAN.

THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN MORE COORDINATED AS WE SUSPECT, AND I THINK WE'LL LEARN THAT HERE COMING OVER THE HOURS AND DAYS.

>> NOW THE U. S. HAS A CLOSE SECURITY RELATIONSHIP, AS WE'VE JUST BEEN DISCUSSING WITH BOTH ISRAEL AND QATAR, AND DOHA IS OF COURSE HOME TO THE AL WEED AIR BASE, THE LARGEST AMERICAN FACILITY IN THE REGION.

U. S. OFFICIALS SAY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAS IN FACT NOTIFIED AHEAD OF THE STRIKES.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH NOTIFICATION HE ACTUALLY RECEIVED.

JORDAN HAS JOINED THE GROWING CHORUS OF CONDEMNATION, EVEN GOING AS FAR AS SAYING THEY WILL STAND WITH QATAR IF IT CHOOSES TO RESPOND TO THE VIOLENCE.

FORMER JORDANIAN FORMER MINISTER JOINS ME FROM AMAN ALONGSIDE FORMER MIDDLE EAST PEACE NEGOTIATOR FOR THE U. S. STATE DEPARTMENT AARON DAVID MILLER.

HE IS IN WASHINGTON, D. C. I AM GOING TO BEGIN, CERTAINLY, IN JORDAN WITH REGIONAL REACTION.

YOU JUST HEARD MUSTAFA THERE.

TALKING ABOUT THERE WILL BE DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR IN THE REGION.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

BECAUSE, AGAIN, HAMAS IS NOT A FRIEND TO PEOPLE IN THE REGIONS.

MANY IN THE MUSLIM AND ARAB WORLD SAY THEY HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE THERE.

DO YOU BELIEVE THEY WILL ACT WITH MORE PURPOSE NOW IN ORDER TO TRY AND STOP ISRAEL FROM THESE KINDS OF UDACIOUS STRIKES?

>> THE REGION IS NOT NOW THINKING ABOUT HAMAS AND WHAT IS HAPPENING TO HAMAS ONLY.

THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT PEACE IN GENERAL.

YOU HEARD CONDEMNATIONS FROM THE SAUDIS, FROM THE EMIRATIS, FROM THE VERY PEOPLE THAT WERE TRYING TO FORGE A REGION OF PEACE WITH ISRAEL.

WHAT DOES THAT ACCORD MEAN NOW AFTER TODAY WHEN ISRAEL FEELS IT CAN VIOLATE THE SOVEREIGNTY OF ANY COUNTRY IT CHOOSES.

IT CANNOT JOKE ABOUT REGION OF PEACE.

WHAT I'M AFRAID OF IS THAT ISRAEL TODAY, IF IT HAS FAILED TO KILL HAMAS LEADERS, IT HAS CERTAINLY SUCCEEDED IN KILLING ANY PROSPECTS FOR A HOSTAGE DEAL.

BUT IT'S KILLING ANY PROSPECTS AS WELL FOR A REGION OF PEACE.

THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE ARAB WORLD COMING TO PEACE WITH ISRAEL IS NOT GOING THE MATERIALIZE WHEN ISRAEL FEELS FREE TO BOMB SYRIA, BOMB LEBANON, NOW BOMB QATAR, WHICH IS A U. S. ALLY.

AND ALL THE WHILE NEGOTIATING A PEACE DEAL THAT WOULD HAVE RELEASED ALL THE ISRAELI HOSTAGES.

FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY CONCLUSION ONE CAN HAVE FROM SUCH ISRAELI ACTION SERIES THAT THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN HOSTAGE.

THEY ARE INTERESTED IN PROLONGING THE WAR, FOR A VERY GOOD REASON IS ISRAEL'S COALITION SUPPORTERS AND THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DON'T WANT THE HOSTAGE DEAL, DON'T WANT TO END THE WAR.

AND IT APPEARS THAT APPEASING THEM.

IT'S THE ONLY CONCLUSION BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO KILL THE PEOPLE YOU ARE NEGOTIATING WITH.

>> AARON DAVID MILLER, YOU AND I HAVE CONTINUED A CONVERSATION NOW THAT HAS GONE ON FOR MONTHS, UNFORTUNATELY, AND YOU HAVE BEEN QUITE PESSIMISTIC SINCE THE LAST CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT.

AGAIN, WE NOW HAVE THIS ESCALATION.

I MEAN, HOW DO YOU SEE IT?

BECAUSE WE'VE CERTAINLY HAD THE TWO SIDES LAID OUT HERE, AND NOW QATAR, THOUGHT TO BE AN HONEST BROKER, WHAT DO YOU DO AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO TRY AND BRING A RESOLUTION HERE?

.

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, PAULA, THANKS.

IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE WITH MARWAN, IF HE IS STILL ON.

A FRIEND AND A COLLEAGUE.

>> I AM.

>> LOOK, MY PESSIMISM, REALISM, CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT, IS GROUNDED IN THE REALITY THAT YOU HAVE TWO COMBATANTS, A GOVERNMENT HEADED BY BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, THE MOST RIGHT-WING GOVERNMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF GOVERNMENT.

YOU HAVE A PRIME MINISTER ON TRIAL FOR BRIBERY AND BREACH OF TRUST IN A JERUSALEM DISTRICT COURT FOUR YEARS RUNNING, WHICH IMPOSES A CERTAIN SET OF UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS ON NETANYAHU'S PART.

AND YOU HAVE HAMAS, WHICH IS DESPERATE FOR SURVIVAL.

IT MAY HAVE BEEN A MILITARY ORGANIZATION.

IT EXISTS NOW AS AN INSURGENCY.

FOUR ISRAELIS WERE KILLED YESTERDAY ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF GAZA, AND THE ISRAELIS ARE NOW THREATENING A MAJOR GROUND OP IN GAZA THAT WILL PROBABLY THREATEN THE LIVES OF THE HOSTAGES.

AND CERTAINLY THE ATTACKS TODAY MAY WELL PUSH HAMAS TO KILL SOME OF THE HOSTAGES.

I HOPE THAT GOD FORBID THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE.

SO YOU'VE GOT TWO COMBAT ABOUT THES WHO SHARE MUTUALLY IMPLACABLE END GAMES.

AND THERE IS NO EXTERNAL MEDIATOR.

NOT THE EUROPEANS, NOT THE KEY ARAB STATES, ISRAEL'S TREATY PARTNERS OR THE ABRAHAM ACARD COUNTRY --ACCORD COUNTRIES.

NOW THE MAIN PART THERE IS BENJAMIN NETANYAHU.

MARWAN IS RIGHT.

NOT REDEEMING THE LIVING, THE HOSTAGES IS IN FACT THE WAY BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAS APPROACHED BOTH THE TACTICS AND STRATEGY IN GAZA.

IT SUITS HIS POLITICAL INTERESTS THAT THE WAR CONTINUE AT SOME LEVEL.

SO I THINK YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY THAT THIS, WITHOUT SOME EXTERNAL INTERVENTION, THAT THIS WAR IS GOING TO CONTINUE, NOT JUST BEYOND THE TWO- YEAR MARK OCTOBER 7.

HARD TO BELIEVE.

BUT PROBABLY INTO NEXT YEAR.

AND THE ONE MISSING INGREDIENT, PAULA, IS THE ABSENCE OF LEADERSHIP.

THERE IS NO LEADERSHIP IN ISRAEL.

THERE'S NO EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP FOR THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT CENTRALIZED LEGITIMATE LEADERS.

HAMAS, NO, ABBAS, NO.

AND IN WASHINGTON, DONALD TRUMP CONTINUES TO ACQUIESCE, IF NOT ENABLE ISRAEL'S STRATEGY ON THE WEST BANK AND IN GAZA.

WE'LL SEE.

THERE IS GOING TO BE A PRESS CONFERENCE SOON.

MAYBE IT'S OCCURRING NOW.

WE'LL SEE WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION'S REACTION IS.

BUT ONE LAST POINT.

IT STRAINS THE CREDULITY TO THE BREAKING POINT THAT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU DID THIS, EVEN THOUGH HE CLAIMS IT WAS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE SIX ISRAELIS WHO WERE KILLED.

THE ISRAELIS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ISRAEL KATZ, THE DEFENSE MINISTER, CHIEF OF STAFF OF TRYING TO GET ALL OF HAMAS LEADERS ABROAD.

WE'LL SEE HOW THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NOW RESPONDS.

>> MARWAN, IF I CAN GET YOU TO PICK UP THERE.

BECAUSE AS OF AARON WAS JUST SAYING, THIS IS REALLY AVENGING THE DEATHS THAT HAD HAPPENED, NOT REDEEMING THE CASE OF THE LIVING RIGHT NOW.

AND YET, AND YET YOU JUST HEARD GENERAL YADLIN SAY TO US AS WELL THAT THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE PEACE AT ANY PRICE.

IT SEEMS ISRAEL HAS DECIDED THAT NOW.

>> I THINK ISRAEL HAS DECIDED THIS A LONG TIME AGO, FRANKLY.

THE DAYS WHEN WE HAD HOPES THAT WE COULD ACHIEVE PEACE WITH ISRAEL, THAT ISRAEL WOULD END THE OCCUPATION OF PALESTINIAN LAND, THAT IT WOULD HELP ESTABLISH A TWO-STATE SOLUTION, THOSE DAYS ARE OVER.

TODAY PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU CALLED A TWO-STATE SOLUTION A WORD FOR TERRORISM.

TODAY WANTS TO ANNEX 82% OF THE WEST BANK AND DRIVE THE PALESTINIANS OUT OF THE WEST BANK, LET ALONE GAZA.

SO ISRAEL HAS DECIDED, IT SEEMS, SOME TIME AGO THAT IT'S NOT INTERESTED IN PEACE.

IT'S INTERESTED IN GRABBING THE LAND AND GRABBING THE PALESTINIANS OUT OF IT.

AGAIN, I SEE NO OTHER CONCLUSION THAN THIS, BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING IS MADNESS.

AND THE UNITED STATES -- >> WHAT DO YOU ASK GLOBAL ALLIES TO DO, THEN?

WE HAVE HAD CERTAINLY COUNTRIES SAY THAT HERE IN NEW YORK IN THE COMING WEEKS, THEY WILL RECOGNIZE A PALESTINIAN STATE.

HOW DO THEY NEED TO BACK THAT UP IN ORDER TOE CHANGE THE DYNAMIC RIGHT NOW.

BOTH OF YOU SPEAK ON.

MARWAN?

>> RECOGNIZING A PALESTINIAN STATE BY ITSELF IS A POSITIVE MOVE, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

IT WILL REMAIN A SYMBOLIC MOVE IF IT IS NOT COVERED WITH SANCTIONS AGAINST ISRAEL.

WE HAVE SEEN THIS, THIS TYPE OF SANCTIONS HAPPEN WHEN RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE.

IN FACT, IN THE FIRST WEEK AFTER RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE, WE'VE SEEN SANCTIONS APPLIED.

IF THE MOVE IS TO BE SERIOUS, IT HAS TO BE COUPLED WITH ACTIONS AGAINST ISRAEL.

OTHERWISE IT WILL REMAIN BLICK, AND ISRAEL CAN GO AHEAD, ANNEX THE LAND WITHOUT ANY ACCOUNTABILITY WHATSOEVER.

>> AARON, I DO WANT TO GET TO THE ISSUE THAT YOU TALK ABOUT, WHICH IS THERE IS NO LEADERSHIP.

GENERALLY YOU WOULD TURN TO THE UNITED STATES IN THIS SITUATION.

THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF, BEYOND WHAT HE SAID, HE ALSO POSTED CATEGORICALLY ON TRUTH SOCIAL SAYING, "A WARNING TO HAMAS.

THIS IS MY LAST WARNING.

THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER ONE. "

SAYING THAT HAMAS MUST ACCEPT THIS LATEST DEAL THAT HE SAYS WAS ON THE TABLE.

SO AARON, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT DOES NOT GIVE THE UNITED STATES PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY, THAT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, THE UNITED STATES KNEW ABOUT THIS AND WAS WILLING TO GIVE ISRAEL ITS TACIT APPROVAL?

THE MINUTE AFTER THIS ATTACK TOOK PLACE, THE PRIME MINISTER WENT TO THE U. S. EMBASSY IN ORDER TO GIVE HIS SPEECH.

>> LOOK, I THINK THAT THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT, THE STATEMENT THAT WAS ISSUED GIVES THE ADMINISTRATION, IF IT WANTS TO TAKE IT, PLAUSIBLE DENIABILITY.

THE ISRAELIS IMMEDIATELY SAID THIS IS OUR OPERATION.

WE DID IT.

WE ASSUMED FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.

THE ONLY REACTION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN A PIECE OF REPORTING BY BARACK RAVINE IN WHICH AN UNNAMED U. S. OFFICIAL SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WAS GIVEN A HEADS UP SHORTLY BEFORE THE ATTACKS BEGAN.

WHETHER OR NOT THE PRECISION STRIKES WERE IN TRAIN IS UNCLEAR.

BUT IF THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO PLAY THIS GAME THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW AND WE'RE REALLY UPSET ABOUT THIS, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO IMPOSE ANY COSTS OR CONSEQUENCES ON THE CURRENT ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO THAT.

LOOK, PAULA, I THINK, AND MARWAN KNOWS THIS AS WELL.

IF THIS WERE A NEGOTIATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND EGYPT, OR ISRAEL AND JORDAN, AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT WOULD HAVE A MARGIN FOR PRESSURING BOTH SIDES THAT WOULD BE PRETTY EXPANSIVE.

BUT IT'S A NEGOTIATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND AN ORGANIZATION BY AMERICAN LONG STATUTE THAT IS A TERROR ORGANIZATION, AN ORGANIZATION THAT DID WHAT IT DID ON OCTOBER 7.

AND THAT LAST AUGUST MURDERED AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.

AMERICAN PRESIDENTS, EVEN THIS ONE, AND AGAIN, I WORKED AND VOTED FOR REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.

DONALD TRUMP IS PURSUING A POLICY IN MANY RESPECTS WITH THIS REGION TETHERED TO A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY, NOT TO THE REALITIES BACK HERE ON PLANET EARTH.

EVEN THIS PRESIDENT IS LIMITED POLITICALLY IN HIS CAPACITY TO PRESSURE ISRAEL OR TO APPEAR TO GIVE HAMAS ANY SORT OF BREAK BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF ISRAEL'S NEGOTIATING PARTNER.

BUT I WILL SAY THIS.

I'LL MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.

DURING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, WASHINGTON HAS NOT IMPOSED A SINGLE COST OR CONSEQUENCE ON THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT THAT NORMAL HUMANS WOULD REGARD AS SERIOUS OR SUSTAINED PRESSURE.

NOT A ONE.

AND I MIGHT ADD THE EUROPEANS, WHATEVER THEIR PURPOSES, DOMESTIC, POLITICAL PRESSURE, THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN GAZA, WHAT THEY'RE DOING HAS NOT AFFECTED ISRAEL IN THE LEAST.

FINALLY, WHAT SURPRISES ME AND MARWAN CAN COMMENT ON THIS IS THAT ISRAEL'S TREATY PARTNERS, ISRAEL, EGYPT AND ABRAHAM AND THE ISRAEL ACARD COUNTRIES, NONE OF THEM IN THE FACE OF THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN DEATHS AND A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE IN GAZA HAVE SOUGHT TO IMPOSE A SINGLE COST OR CONSEQUENCE ON ISRAEL OR THE U. S. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT 15, 20 YEARS AGO WOULD PROBABLY NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE.

IN FACT, ARAB LEADERS CAN'T GET TO WASHINGTON FAST ENOUGH IN ORDER TO EARN THE, WHAT, GOOD GRACES OF DONALD TRUMP.

>> MARWAN, WE'LL LET MARWAN GET IN HERE.

SO PLEASE REACT TO THAT.

WHAT AARON IS SAYING IS COMPLETELY TRUE.

AND I HAD ASKED ALREADY AND CONTINUE TO ASK YOU, HOW DO YOU REACT IN THE REGION?

BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T GET ISRAEL'S ATTENTION, CAN YOU GET THE ATTENTION OF THE U. S. PRESIDENT.

>> YOU KNOW, ARAB STATES HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE U. S. PRESIDENT.

KING ABDULLAH HAS BEEN IN WASHINGTON MORE THAN ONCE TO TALK TO THE U. S. PRESIDENT ABOUT AN ARAB PLAN TO RECONSTRUCT GAZA, BUT ALSO TO OFFER A POLITICAL HORIZON TO THE PALESTINIAN.

NONE OF THAT HAS HAPPENED.

THE FACT, PAULA, THAT THE FIRST CEASEFIRE IN GAZA WAS MADE POSSIBLE ONLY WHEN TRUMP INTERVENED.

IF TRUMP DID NOT INTERVENE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE FIRST CEASEFIRE.

AND UNTIL THE UNITED STATES INTERVENES, I'M AFRAID THAT THE VIOLENCE IS GOING TO CONTINUE, EXCEPT TODAY, WITH NO PROSPECTS FOR A HOSTAGE DEAL, AND, YOU KNOW, THE POSSIBILITY OF ALL HOSTAGES BEING KILLED INSTEAD OF RELEASED.

THE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO ACT AS LONG AS ISRAEL FEELS IT CAN VIOLATE OTHER COUNTRIES' SOVEREIGNTY WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, IT IS GOING TO KEEP DOING SO.

AND WE WILL SEE WHAT THE PRESS CONFERENCE WILL SAY TODAY.

BUT I THINK THE TIME HAS COME FOR THE U. S. PRESIDENT TO INTERVENE AGAIN.

>> I THINK IT'S CLEAR, THOUGH, FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE WARNING THAT HE SENT OUT TO HAMAS THAT HE BELIEVES IT WAS TIME FOR HAMAS TO COME TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE AND ACCEPT THE DEAL THAT WAS ON THE TABLE FOR THEM.

AARON DAVID MILLER, MARWAN MUASHE, THANK YOU BOTH FOR ALL YOUR INSIGHTS ON THIS.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> PAULA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND GREAT TO SEE YOU, MARWAN.

>> THANK YOU.

> >> NOW THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ARE CALLING ISRAEL'S STRIKES IN QATAR, QUOTE, TREACHEROUS AND A FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF QATAR'S SOVEREIGNTY, A SERIOUS ASSAULT ON INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THE U. N. CHARTER, AND AN IRRESPONSIBILITY ESCALATION THAT THREATENS THE AREA'S INTERNATIONAL SECURITY.

WE WANT TO BRING IN THE NATIONAL, THE LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWS OUTLET IN THE UAE.

SHE JOINS US NOW FROM ABU DHABI.

I DO WANT TO GET YOUR REACTIONS FROM THERE IN THE REGION.

I CAN STILL HEAR THE SCREAMS OF TERROR OF PEOPLE IN DOHA WONDERING WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.

IT WAS CERTAINLY NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THIS FLASH POINT OF ACTUAL KINETIC ACTIVITY IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OTHERWISE PEACEFUL CITY.

>> ABSOLUTELY, PAULA.

IT WAS SHOCKING TO SEE THOSE IMAGES EMERGING FROM DOHA.

THE VERY TRANQUIL CITY AND ONE THAT HAS BEEN A PART OF DIPLOMACY AND HAS ALWAYS AVOIDED CONFRONTATIONS.

NOW TO HAVE SEEN IT IN BROAD DAYLIGHT ON A DAY THAT WE WERE EXPECTING MEDIATION AND TALKS TO BE TAKE CENTER STAGE IN DOHA, AND INSTEAD YOU HAVE THESE ATTACKS IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF THE CITY.

THERE IS A SENSE THAT A LINE HAS BEEN CROSSED THAT ISRAEL WITH ATTACK GULF COUNTRY.

THESE COUNTRIES HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO PUSH FOR AGENDAS THAT ARE ABOUT BUILDING BRIDGES, WORKING TOWARDS PEACEFUL MEDIATION, ESPECIALLY, AS I SAID, DOHA'S PLAYED SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE.

SO THERE WAS THE SHOCK AMONG PRESIDENTS, ORDINARY PEOPLE.

BUT THERE IS ALSO A POLITICAL SHOCK.

IT FEELS LIKE A POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE HERE IN GULF CITIES THAT ARE SURPRISED THAT SUCH AN ACT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE HEART OF A GULF CAPITAL, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CLOSE RALLIESES ONE, WITH THE UNITED STATES, BUT ALSO THE ROLE THAT THEY'RE PLAYING IN TRYING TO CALM THE SITUATION DOWN RATHER THAN ESCALATE IT.

>> AND AGAIN, WE HAVE TO POINT OUT THIS WAS NOT SOME KIND OF SECRET OPERATION.

EVERYONE KNEW WHERE THE HAMAS LEADERSHIP WAS AND WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, IN FACT.

YOU KNOW, THE WHITE HOUSE IS SAYING THAT, LOOK, THAT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU BELIEVES THAT THIS COULD SERVE AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEACE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP CONTINUES TO BE IN TOUCH WITH ALLIES IN THE REGION, INCLUDING HAVING SPOKEN TO A QATARI OFFICIALS.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE THAT IS NOW PERHAPS BILLING THIS AS SOME NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR PEACE?

>> MORE WAR DOESN'T CREATE PEACE.

AND WE'VE SEEN THAT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OR SO IN THE REGION.

AND TO BE HONEST, THE IDEA THAT THE WHITE HOUSE WOULD THINK THIS COULD BE A PATHWAY TO PEACE IS TROUBLING, BECAUSE THEY ARE BEHIND THE CURRENT DEAL THAT'S ON THE TABLE TO BE NEGOTIATED.

SHOULD HAMAS BE PUT UNDER PRESSURE TO ACCEPT THE DEAL?

YES.

BUT CERTAINLY SO SHOULD THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT THAT HASN'T SHOWN THE REAL INTEREST IN COMING TO A MEDIATED SOLUTION.

THE CONCERN NOW IS NOT ONLY HAS THIS ATTACK HAPPENED AND IT'S VERY CLEAR, THE UAE'S POSITION IS VERY CLEAR, THIS IS AN ATTACK ON THE GULF, THE SAAD POSITION IS ALSO VERY CLEAR AND THE ARAB WORLD VERY, VERY CLEAR THAT THIS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED.

A LINE HAS BEEN CROSSED HERE THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED.

AND THEN YOU ASK WHAT THEN HAPPENS WHEN ACTUALLY THE ATTACK THAT WE ARE HEARING REPORT SEVERAL PEOPLE DID DIE, BUT THE LEADERSHIP OF HAMAS SEEMS TO BE INTACT, HOW DO YOU THEN GET TO THE NEXT STAGE OF ACTUALLY TRYING TO MEDIATE.

FOR THIS TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEACE, PERHAPS IF PRESSURE IS PUT ON ISRAEL, THEN AFTER THIS STEP, THEY HAVE TO SHOW WILLINGNESS TO ACTUALLY COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT ALSO THIS WILL MEAN INCREDIBLE PRESSURE ON HAMAS LEADERSHIP ITSELF WHERE EVEN IN DOHA IT IS NOT GOING TO BE SAFE FROM AN ISRAELI ASSASSINATION.

>> MINA, YOU POINT OUT THE CONDEMNATION IN THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLD HAS BEEN NEAR UNIVERSAL.

AND YET I ASK YOU, WHAT KIND OF LEVERAGE DO THEY POSSIBLY HAVE?

HOW DO THEY PULL THOSE LEVERS WHEN NOTHING SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED SO HARD?

AND AS YOU POINT OUT, THERE IS QUITE A LINE THAT HAS BEEN CROSSED HERE IN TERMS OF AN ESCALATION.

>> THEIR LEVERAGE, DIFFERENT ARAB COUNTRIES HAVE DIFFERENT LEVERAGE.

THE UAE HAS DIFFERENT LEVERAGE BECAUSE OF ITSELF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES, WITH ISRAEL, WITH DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF COORDINATION.

JUST YESTERDAY, WE HEARD FROM THE MINISTER OF THE UAE SAYING THAT THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS, THE DEAL FIVE YEARS AGO BETWEEN THE UAE AND BAHRAIN, ISRAEL AND LATER MOROCCO AND SUDAN TO TRY TO FIND A PATHWAY TO PEACE, THAT IS NOW FULLY THREATENED BY EXTREMISTS.

AND WHEN THE MINISTER SAID BY EXTREMISTS, SHE WASN'T JUST REFERRING TO HAMAS.

SHE SAID EXTREMISTS AMONGST HAMAS LEADERSHIP AND MILITANTS BUT ALSO EXTREMISTS IN ISRAEL.

THE LEVERAGE THEY HAVE IS ONE THE RELATIONSHIPS, BUT TWO, THE UNITED STATES MUST REALIZE THAT PEACE AND PROSPERITY IN THE GULF IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL FOR AMERICAN INTERESTS, BUT ALSO GLOBAL INTERESTS, AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE WILLING TO LET THAT BE THREATENED.

>> HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THE UNITED STATES IS GETTING THAT MESSAGE, LET ALONE ISRAEL?

>> I'M PRETTY SURE THE UNITED STATES WILL GOOD GETTING THAT MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR FROM LEADERSHIP IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD NOW.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE ISRAELIS HAVE SAID THEY INFORMED THE U. S. , BUT THIS WAS NOT A COORDINATED ATTACK WITH THE U. S. SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT COMES OUT FROM WASHINGTON AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS.

STEVE WITKOFF, MIDDLE EAST ENVOY TO THE U. S. KNOWS THE LEADERSHIPS IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD AND OTHER UAE AND OTHER PARTS, HE WILL BE HEARING DIRECTLY FROM OFFICIALS ABOUT HOW MUCH A LINE HAS BEEN CROSSED, BUT ALSO THAT MOVING FORWARD, THIS CANNOT BE THE MODUS OPERANDI DEALING WITH THE REGION.

SO I THINK THAT MESSAGE WILL BE GIVEN NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF VERY STRONG STATEMENTS PUBLICLY, BUT PRIVATELY ALL THE PHONE LINES WILL BE WORKING NOW TO SAY HOW DO WE GET TO A POINT THAT ONE, SOVEREIGNTY IS PROTECTED, BUT TWO, THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY MOVE INTO SOME SERIOUS MEDIATION RATHER THAN UP UNTIL NOW IT SEEMS TO BE TIME WASTED.

>> WHILE THE WHITE HOUSE AND NETANYAHU MIGHT CLAIM THIS IS A CATALYST, I THINK MANY ARE SKEPTICAL, INCLUDING THE FAMILIES OF THE HOSTAGES RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE TERRIFIED.

AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN GAZA CITY AT THIS HOUR WHO HAVE BEEN TOLD TO LEAVE BUT HAVE NOWHERE TO GO THAT REMAINS SAFE IN GAZA.

SO I ASK YOU, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE THIS STRIKE REVEALS ABOUT WHERE THIS CONFLICT GOES IN THE WEEKS AHEAD WHEN SO MANY IN THE REGION HAVE SO MUCH AT STAKE IN TERMS OF THEIR LIVES AND THE TRAUMA THEY'VE ALREADY SUFFERED.

>> PAULA, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

AT THE HEART OF THIS IS THE CONTINUE SUFFERING.

THE PEOPLE OF GAZA.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FAMINE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LACK OF ANY MEDICAL OR BASIC SUPPLIES GETTING INTO GAZA.

OF COURSE, THERE IS THE CONTINUED ASSAULTS HAPPENING IN THE WEST BANK, AND OF COURSE THE FAMILIES OF THE HOSTAGES.

THE ONLY TIME THE HOSTAGES THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED HAVE BEEN THOSE THAT HAVE COME THROUGH MEDIATION AND TRUTH DEALS.

AND SO YOU THINK OF THE FAMILIES THERE THAT HAVE BEEN OUT ON THE STREETS PROTESTING ISRAEL, SAYING WE NEED TO GET DIPLOMATIC SOLUTIONS, TO GET OUR FAMILIES OUT.

AND THE SAME FOR THE PEOPLE OF GAZA.

THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE THAT HAS HAPPENED, NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, BUT ALSO MALNUTRITION, AMPUTEES AND SO FORTH.

WE HAVE TWO MILLION PEOPLE IN GAZA THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT.

SO HOW DO YOU MOVE ON FROM THAT?

WELL WE HAD THE IMPRESSION FROM THE UNITED STATES IN THE LAST FEW DAYS THAT THIS CEASEFIRE DEAL WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A COMPREHENSIVE DEAL THAT CAN MOVE US OUT OF THE STATE OF WAR.

NOW WILL WASHINGTON TRY TO PUSH IN THAT DIRECTION?

THEY REALLY HOLD A LOT OF THE MAIN CARDS TO BE PLAYED HERE AND HOW MUCH PRESSURE WILL THEY PUT ON ISRAEL, AT LEAST BEHIND DOORS.

PUBLICLY, THE WHITE HOUSE IS FULLY BEHIND THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT.

BUT PRIVATELY, THEY NEED TO NOW BE SAYING WE NEED TO COME TO A CLOSE.

THIS ALSO IS HAPPENING JUST WEEKS BEFORE EVERYBODY CONVENES IN NEW YORK FOR THE U. N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND TALK ABOUT RECOGNITION OF A PALESTINIAN STATE THEN BEING PUSHED BY THE FRENCH AND SAUDI ARABIA AND THE SUPPORT OF THE ARAB WORLD.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT ISRAEL HAS SAID THAT THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY AGAINST, EVEN THOUGH ANY LONG-TERM SOLUTION HAS TO BE BASED ON A TWO- STATE SOLUTION, PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI STATE.

AND IT'S THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE, PALESTINE OF ISRAEL AND THE WIDER REGION.

LET'S NOT FORGET ISRAEL ALSO STRUCK SYRIA OVERNIGHT.

YOU HAD LATAKIA ATTACK AND DIFFERENT ARAB CITIES BEING STRUCK BY ISRAEL.

AND OF COURSE, YEMEN CONTINUES TO BE ABLE TO SEND PROJECTILES OVER TO ISRAEL.

THIS CONTINUED STATE OF WAR DOES NOT SERVE ANYONE IN THE LONG-TERM.

SO HOW CAN WE MOVE FROM THIS POINT OF WAR AND CONTINUE TO GETTING TO A POINT OF PEACE WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY AFTER TODAY.

>> GIVEN THE DIFFICULTY THAT YOU OUTLINE THERE, I ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT.

IF QATAR DOES IN FACT WALK AWAY FROM ANY KIND OF NEGOTIATING, WHO DO THEY TURN TO IN THE REGION NEXT?

IS IT EGYPT?

IS IT JORDAN?

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE CAN BE AN HONEST BROKER HERE IF QATAR DOES WALK AWAY?

>> AND EGYPT HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE MEDIATION.

AND THERE ARE HONEST BROKERS IN THE REGION THAT WANT TO WORK TOWARDS PEACE.

I THINK QATAR FOR THE MOMENT HAS TO THINK OF ITS OWN SOVEREIGNTY AND HOW TO PROTECT ITSELF.

BUT I THINK IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE ENGAGED IN THE LONG-TERM.

>> OKAY.

MINA AL ORAIBI IN ABU DHABI, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

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

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