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>>> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO "AMANPOUR AND COMPANY."
HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.
>>> WITH THE MIDDLE EAST WAR SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL, WE HEAR FROM IRAN'S VICE PRESIDENT, AND I SPEAK TO SPAIN'S PRIME MINISTER, PEDRO SANCHEZ, ABOUT WHETHER WESTERN LEADERS CAN ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS WIDENING CONFLICT.
THEN -- AS THE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY URGES SUPPORT FOR HIS VICTORY PLAN, GERMANY'S FOREIGN MINISTER JOINS ME FOR A CANDID CONVERSATION ON UKRAINE AND THE WIDER MIDDLE EAST.
ALSO AHEAD -- >> HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH A RESIDENT WHO HAD LOST 70, 80-PLUS FAMILY MEMBERS AND TELL THEM, REGARDLESS WHAT YOU LOST, THE CHOICE IS BETWEEN TWO, AND YOU MUST CAST YOUR BALLOT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
>> ABDULLAH HAMMOUD SITS DOWN WITH MICHEL MARTIN ABOUT THE GROWING DISSATISFACTION AMONG ARAB AND MUSLIM VOTERS HERE.
♪♪♪ >>> "AMANPOUR AND COMPANY" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT.
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THANK YOU.
>>> WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE, I'M CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR AT THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK, WHERE WORLD LEADERS CONTINUE TO GATHER AND CALL FOR PEACE.
AFTER A NEW ROUND OF ESCALATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH.
ISRAEL SAYS IT INTERCEPTED THIS MISSILE AS IT APPROACHES TEL AVIV.
THIS IS HEZBOLLAH'S DEEPEST STRIKE EVER INTO ISRAEL.
THE IRANIAN-BACKED GROUP SAYS IT WAS TARGETING THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, MOSSAD.
NOW ISRAEL IS CALLING UP RESERVE BRIGADES IN THE SUREST SIGN YET OF THE POTENTIAL GROUND INVASION.
AND WITH MORE THAN 90,000 PEOPLE DISPLACED IN LEBANON, THERE ARE GROWING FEARS THE CONFLICT COULD WIDEN INTO A REGIONAL WAR.
IRAN'S CURRENT VICE PRESIDENT FOR STRATEGIC AFFAIRS IS JAVAD ZARIF.
SOME MAY REMEMBER HIM AS THE FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER THAT NEGOTIATED THE NUCLEAR DEAL WITH THE WEST, AND I ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS GROWING CONFLICT.
TELL ME, IS IRAN GOING TO GET DRAGGED INTO THE CURRENT HEZBOLLAH AND ISRAEL FIGHT?
>> WELL, AS YOU HAVE NOTICED, OVER THE PAST 11 MONTHS, THE ISRAELIS HAVE TRIED REALLY HARD TO DRAG OTHERS INTO THE WAR, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WAS AN END TO THE ISRAELI CLAIM, OR ILLUSION OF -- AND THEY THOUGHT THAT BY EITHER INCREASING THE VIOLENCE, ATROCITIES, WAR CRIMES, WHATEVER, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, THEY COULD RESTORE THAT AURA OF INVINCIBILITY BY ISRAEL.
AND BY DRAGGING OTHERS INTO THE CONFLICT, THEY COULD EXPAND THE WAR, PROBABLY BRING THE UNITED STATES IN, AND CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF THE SITUATION.
EVERYBODY IN THE REGION UNDERSTOOD THAT, AND HAS TRIED, WHILE SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE IN GAZA, WHO HAVE BEEN UNDER BASICALLY THE MOST INHUMANE SYSTEM OF WARFARE MANKIND HAS EVER SEEN, THE -- TO AVOID FALLING INTO THE TRAP OF THE ISRAELIS.
AND HEZBOLLAH HAS DONE A GREAT DEAL OF SELF-RESTRAINT OVER THE PAST 11 MONTHS.
BUT NOW, THE ISRAELIS ARE CROSSING THE LINE, IN MY VIEW, AND THERE IS EVERY PROSPECT OF THE WAR GETTING MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTAIN, AND I THINK THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS TO DO WHATEVER IT CAN, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IN ORDER TO END THIS MOST RECENT ESCALATION BY ISRAEL.
>> SOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NOT ONLY ISRAEL, BUT THE UNITED STATES AND OTHERS SAY, WELL, YEAH, BUT ALSO, IRAN IS BACKING HEZBOLLAH AND IRAN HAS ITS OWN RESPONSIBILITY TO DE-ESCALATE.
SO, YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANT TO FALL INTO ANY ISRAELI TRAP -- BUT THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE.
COULD YOU -- IS THERE A RED LINE THAT WOULD BRING IRAN INTO THIS WAR?
>> IRAN HAS EXERCISED RESTRAPT RESTRAINT WHEN ISRAEL CONDUCTED MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST IRAN, CONDUCTED TERRORIST OPERATIONS, KILLING THE LEADER OF HAMAS, WHO WAS ATTENDING THE INAUGURATION OF OUR PRESIDENT, OF ALL THINGS.
AND WE EXERCISED RESTRAINT.
WE BELIEVE THAT HEZBOLLAH IS CAPABLE OF DEFENDING ITSELF.
IT HAS BEEN EXERCISING RESTRAINT IN NOT DOING SO.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO COME IN BEFORE HEZBOLLAH HAS TO TAKE ITS DEFENSE INTO ITS OWN HANDS, AND MAYBE THE SITUATION WILL GET OUT OF HAND AT THAT TIME.
>> AND AS THE VICE PRESIDENT NOTED, THINGS ARE, IN FACT, GETTING WORSE.
AND WITH HOPES FOR A CEASE-FIRE ALL BUT FADED, OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
INCLUDING SPAIN, WHICH THIS YEAR RECOGNIZED THE STATE OF PALESTINE, AND JUST LAST WEEK, THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS WAS WELCOMED IN MADRID BY THE SPANISH PRIME MINISTER, PEDRO SANCHEZ, WHO IS JOINING ME NOW.
WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
>> THIS MUST BE TAKING UP A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN WORLD LEADERS.
>> INDEED.
>> HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU THAT NOW HEZBOLLAH HAS RESPONDED, ISRAEL SAYS IT INTERCEPTED A MISSILE THAT WAS AIMED AT TEL AVIV, WHICH IS A RED LINE.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS IS HEADED?
>> WELL, I THINK THERE'S A HUGE RISK OF ESCALATION.
I THINK THAT TODAY, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PUT ALL OUR EFFORTS IN ASKING FOR A CEASE-FIRE TO STOP THIS CYCLE OF VIOLENCE, AND TRY TO OPEN THE PATH OF DIPLOMACY.
AND THIS IS WHAT SPAIN STANDS FOR.
>> AND DO YOU THINK THAT ACTUALLY EITHER SPAIN OR EUROPE OR EVEN THE UNITED STATES CAN CHANGE THE DYNAMIC?
BECAUSE SO FAR, NONE OF THE ENTREATIES HAVE WORKED.
ISRAEL HAS ITS OWN LOGIC OF SO-CALLED DETERRENCE AND SELF-DEFENSE.
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE ARE SOME U.N.
RESOLUTIONS FROM THE SECURITY COUNCIL THAT ARE MANDATORY FOR ISRAEL, AND THEY HAVE TO FULFILL THIS U.N.
RESOLUTION.
STOP THE WAR, ALLOW THE ENTRANCE OF HUMANITARIAN AID, AND, OF COURSE, WHAT WE ARE ADVOCATING FROM SPAIN AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND EUROPE, IS TO CONVENE AN INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONFERENCE IN ORDER TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION, WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY TO FIND A PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE AND SECURITY BETWEEN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE.
>> WALK ME THROUGH THE RESULTS OF WHAT YOU DID.
YOU TOOK A POLITICALLY COURAGEOUS AND SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PATH THAN MANY OF THE OTHER NATIONS IN RECOGNIZING PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD.
PALESTINE AS A NATION.
>> YEAH.
>> IRELAND DID IT AND NORWAY DID IT.
>> NORWAY, YES.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY MORE -- >> SLOVENIA.
>> SLOVENIA.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESULT OF THAT?
WHERE DO YOU THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY LEADING?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, TO ME, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT STEP, AND AVOIDING THIS CRITICISM THAT SOME COUNTRIES ARE BLAMING WESTERN COUNTRIES OF DOUBLE STANDARDS.
BECAUSE WE STAND FOR INTERNATIONAL -- RESPECT OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN UKRAINE, AND ALSO IN GAZA.
WE STAND FOR THE SAME POSITION.
WHICH IS A WORLD OF INTERNATIONAL ORDER BASED RULES.
SECOND, THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT ACTORS, ALSO IN ISRAEL, THAT WANT TO KILL THE IDEA OF TWO-STATE SOLUTION.
SO, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT SOME CAPITALS AND COUNTRIES, THAT WE WERE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS OF THIS PEACE BACK IN THE '90s, NORWAY, OSLO AGREEMENT, ALSO THE MADRID CONFERENCE.
WE TAKE THE DECISION IN ORDER TO FLAG THE IDEA OF THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION, AND REMEMBER ALL -- FOR ALL THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE ACTORS INVOLVED IN THE REGION, THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO FIND A PEACEFUL AND LASTING SOLUTION FOR THE ISRAELI PEOPLE AND FOR THE PALESTINE PEOPLE.
>> SO, WE'VE GOT THE NEARLY ONE YEAR SINCE THE HAMAS ATROCITIES COMMITTED IN ISRAEL, WHICH LED TO THE WAR AGAINST HAMAS, AND ACTUALLY THE PEOPLE OF GAZA.
WE'VE GOT A WAR REALLY STARTING IN THE WEST BANK, A LOT OF FIGHTING AND DEATHS THERE, AND NOW, THIS NORTHERN FRONT, THIS SECOND MAJOR FRONT.
YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING, I GUESS HERE, WITH VARIOUS REGIONAL LEADERS, WORLD LEADERS.
WHAT HAVE YOU -- WHO HAVE YOU BEEN SPEAKING TO, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE AND ASCERTAIN?
>> SO, THE MOOD IS VERY PESSIMISTIC, AND I HAVE TO SHARE THAT PESSIMISTIC APPROACH AND VISION, BECAUSE SO FAR, WHAT I SEE FROM PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU IS A CLEAR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE THE WAR.
NOT ONLY IN GAZA, THE OCCUPATION OF THE WEST BANK, AND ALSO NOW WE ARE SEEING WHAT IS HAPPENING IN LEBANON.
SO, I'M GOING TO MEET THE PRIME MINISTER OF LEBANON, I MET SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE U.N., TALK ABOUT THE SITUATION IN LEBANON, BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT ONLY THE U.N. MISSION IN LEBANON, IT'S LED BY A SPANISH COMMANDER, BUT WE HAVE ALSO CLOSE TO 700 SOLDIERS, SPANISH SOLDIERS ALSO UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THIS U.N. MISSION.
AND TALKING WITH ALL THE LEADERS, WHAT I SEE IS THAT -- VERY PESSIMISTIC VISION ON WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND THAT IS WHY I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT HERE IN THE U.N.
ASSEMBLY, WE CALL FOR A CEASE-FIRE.
THE END OF THIS CYCLE OF VIOLENCE AND LOOK FOR DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THIS CONFLICT.
>> SO, IS THE U.N.
STILL FIT FOR PURPOSE?
I MEAN, WE HEARD A VERY ROBUST CALL FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN YESTERDAY, ALONG THE SAME LINES YOU'RE SAYING, HE SAID, IT IS TIME, IN THIS CASE, FOR THESE TWO PARTIES TO, YOU KNOW, END THIS WAR, AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE, THE U.S., HAVE PROPOSED CEASE-FIRE DEALS, BRIDGING PLANS, ALL THE THINGS THAT THE U.S. HAS DONE ALONG WITH ITS OTHER ALLIES.
AND YET, HE CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED THE SECURITY COUNCIL, THE PERMANENT FIVE, AS NEEDING REFORM AND BEING ABLE, THEREFORE, TO GET BACK TO THE U.N. ROLE OF ACTUALLY PROMOTING PEACE.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS THAT ANYBODY WITH -- WHO DOESN'T WANT TO, WHETHER IT'S RUSSIA OVER UKRAINE, WHETHER IT'S ACTUALLY THE U.S. OVER ISRAEL, THEY EXERCISE THEIR VETO POWER.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT THERE'S -- THIS IS THE MOMENTUM TO OPEN A PROFOUND DEBATE ABOUT OUR MULTILATERAL SYSTEM.
WE HAVE A MULTIPOLAR WORLD.
THIS IS A FACT.
BUT THE CHOICE IS IF WE WANT A MULTILATERAL SYSTEM, EFFECTIVE MULTILATERAL SYSTEM.
AND THAT MEANS THE COUNTRIES SEATED AROUND THE TABLE OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL MUST BE IN GAZA, IN UKRAINE, STANDING FOR THE SAME PRESENCE PLS, AND FOR THE INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW.
SECOND, I THINK THAT WE NEED A REFORM, AND WE NEED TO ENLARGE THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL, BUT NOT ONLY THAT, ALSO AVOID THE USE OF VETO, WHICH, AT THE END OF THE DAY -- >> PARALYSIS.
>> EXACTLY.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, RESPONSIBILITY, BECAUSE THOSE COUNTRIES MUST ALIGN ALL OUR POLICIES TOWARDS OUR COMMON GOALS, WHICH ARE THE AGENDA 2030, THE CLIMATE CHANGE GOALS, AND ALL THE AGREEMENTS THAT WE REACH IN DIFFERENT CONVENTIONS AND SUMMIT AT MULTI LATERAL LEVEL.
>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT UKRAINE.
BECAUSE TODAY, THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE SPOKE, AND AGAIN, HE SAID, DON'T FORGET US, DO NOT WEARY ON US, WE NEED MORE WEAPONS, WE NEED, YOU KNOW, THE RESTRICTIONS ON WEAPONS REMOVED FROM US, AND WE ALSO, TODAY, FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE HEARD, SAID THAT THEY HAVE INTELLIGENCE THAT SHOWS RUSSIA MAY BE POISED TO ATTACK THEIR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AT ZAPORIZHZHIA, AND THEREFORE, PRESUMABLY CAUSE THE WORST NUCLEAR DISASTER SINCE CHERNOBYL.
DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT?
>> I HAVE TO COMMEND ZELENSKYY, NOT ONLY BY THE GROUND, BUT ALSO TO SEEK A PEACE FORMULA THAT COULD END WITH THIS WAR.
WE WERE CONVENED IN SWITZERLAND THIS YEAR, I THINK THAT WE SETTLED THE PILLARS, THE FRAMEWORK FOR A POTENTIAL PEACE FORMULA THAT COULD END THE WAR WITH RUSSIA.
AND SECOND, I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT RUSSIA AND ESPECIALLY PUTIN REMINDS THAT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE EUROPEAN UNION, WESTERN COUNTRIES, WE ARE GOING TO SUPPORT UKRAINE AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
>> DO YOU THINK RUSSIA WILL TURN UP, SHOULD IT TURN UP?
BECAUSE ZELENSKYY HAS INVITED RUSSIA TO THE SECOND SO-CALLED PEACE SUMMIT, THE ONE YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
DO YOU SEE ANY EVIDENCE THAT RUSSIA HAS BEEN PRESSURED ENOUGH YET TO ACTUALLY COME TO A NEGOTIATING TABLE?
>> PUTIN MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS NO WAY -- NO WAY TO SIT AROUND THE TABLE WITH INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND ACCEPT THAT WE NEED TO FIND THE WAY TOWARDS DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THIS WAR.
AND FROM OUR SIDE, FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION SIDE, WHAT WE HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR IS TO ENGAGE A LOT OF ECONOMIC RESOURCES OVER 118 BILLION EUROS, 42.5 BILLION EUROS WERE DEVOTED TO MILITARY CAPABILITIES, AND THE NEEDS FOR THE BATTLEGROUND.
AND THE OTHER FOR, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF UKRAINE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP THAT UNITY.
>> YEAH.
>> THAT UNITY AMONG THE WESTERN COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY THE EUROPEAN UNION, TOGETHER WITH OUR ALLIES FROM THE U.S. AND CANADA.
AND THESE I HOPE THAT IT COULD STILL BE THE IDEA AND THE POLICY AFTER THE U.S. ELECTION.
>> NO MATTER WHO WINS.
>> NO MATTER WHO WINS.
>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT VENEZUELA.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU HAVE PLAYED A VERY SIGNIFICANT ROLE.
YOU HAVE GRANTED ASYLUM TO THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION WHOSE CONSIDERED TO HAVE WON THE ELECTION, HE IS EDMUNDO GONZALEZ, IN YOUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
IN ADDITION, YOUR CONGRESS HAS VOTED TO RECOGNIZE THE OPPOSITION AS THE WINNERS OF THE ELECTION, BUT YOU, AS A NATION, AS A STATE -- >> GOVERNMENT, YES.
>> GOVERNMENT HAVE NOT DONE THAT.
>> SO, THE POINT IS THAT WE STAND FOR DEMOCRACY.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR VENEZUELANS, THE PEOPLE FROM VENEZUELA, TO FIND THE AGREEMENT THAT COULD END WITH THIS CRISIS.
SO, WE STAND FOR DEMOCRACY, WE STAND FOR THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE.
WE GRANTED PROTECTION OVER THE LAST YEARS TO 120,000 PEOPLE FROM VENEZUELA, AND, OF COURSE, EDMUNDO GONZALEZ IS ONE OF THEM.
SECOND, WE ARE VERY ENGAGED IN LEADING REGIONAL INITIATIVES, IN ORDER TO PUT PRESSURE TO THE POLITICAL ACTORS, IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, FIND A WAY, AND A SOLUTION TO THIS CRISIS.
AND OF COURSE, WE WANT TO KEEP THE UNITY AMONG MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, IN ORDER TO PUT THAT PRESSURE -- >> WHO HAVE ALREADY ALSO NOT RECOGNIZED -- >> NOT RECOGNIZED, BECAUSE WHAT WE DO IS -- TO US, FIRST OF ALL, FOR TRANSPARENCY.
TO -- >> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> TO ASK FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE VOTING RECORDS -- >> FOR THE MADURO GOVERNMENT TO PUBLISH THEM?
>> NO, NO, FOR THE MADURO GOVERNMENT, FOR INTERNATIONAL -- >> BUT DO YOU THINK THAT'S EVEN REASONABLE?
TO ASK YOU?
>> NO, NO, WE HAVE TO -- NOT ASK.
>> IT'S A MUST.
>> OKAY.
>> IT'S A MUST, BECAUSE WHAT WE NEED IS TO -- TO SEE WHAT WERE THE REAL RESULTS.
>> YEAH, BUT HE HAS NO INTEREST IN DOING THAT.
>> I KNOW.
AND OF COURSE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CRITICIZE.
THAT IS WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, ALL THESE REGIONAL INITIATIVES FROM PRESIDENT LULA AND PRESIDENT PETRO FROM BRAZIL AND COLOMBIA, THE REGIONAL INITIATIVES THAT WE LAUNCHED FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION, AND THE DECLARATION IN SANTO DOMINGO LAST AUGUST, REMEMBERING THAT TRANSPARENCY AND DEMOCRACY GOAL TOGETHER.
>> YEAH.
>> AND THAT IS WHY IT IS A MUST TO HAVE THE PUBLICATION OF ALL THESE VOTING RECORDS.
>> IT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> TO HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION.
>> BUT THAT'S FOR A COUNTRY THAT ACTUALLY RECOGNIZES AND PLAYS BY DEMOCRATIC RULES, WHICH THE MADURO GOVERNMENT DOES NOT.
THIS IS THE INTERVIEW THAT I DID, SHE MADE A PLEA WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
>> WE'RE ASKING THEM, FIRST OF ALL, TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE DID.
RECOGNIZE THE TRUTH.
MAKE POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY BE RESPECTED, AND THEREFORE RECOGNIZE EDMUNDO GONZALEZ AS PRESIDENT-ELECT.
>> I AGREE.
I THINK WHAT IS IMPORTANT NOW IS TO ASK THE VENEZUELAN INSTITUTIONS, THE PUBLICATION OF THESE VOTING RECORDS, IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS INTERNATIONAL VERIFICATION.
WHAT WE HAVE IS A CLEAR STATEMENT BY THE U.N., SAYING THAT THERE WAS NO CLEAR CELEBRATION OF THE ELECTIONS IN -- IN VENEZUELA.
AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATIONS SUCH AS THE CARTER FOUNDATION, SO WHAT WE NEED NOW IS TO PUT THE PRESSURE IN THE VENEZUELAN INSTITUTIONS IN ORDER TO HAVE THE PUBLICATION -- >> JUST VERY FINELY, THE U.S.
THOUGHT IT PUT PRESSURE ON, IT DID SANCTIONS, PROMISED CERTAIN SANCTIONS WE LEAF.
>> AND WE DID IT FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION.
>> AND IT WENT NOWHERE.
THEY THOUGHT MADURO MIGHT ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION, AND HE DIDN'T.
>> YEAH.
THAT IS WHY I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, ALWAYS TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A SOLUTION THAT PEOPLE FROM VENEZUELA MUST BUILD UP FROM THERE, FROM VENEZUELA.
AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO FROM SPAIN AND EUROPEAN UNION AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT SOLUTION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU.
PLEASURE BEING HERE WITH YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> NOW, ADDRESSING THE U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY TODAY, AS WE SAID, THE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY WARNED OF NEW INTELLIGENCE SUGGESTING RUSSIA IS PLANNING TO ATTACK HIS COUNTRY'S NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.
TAKE A LISTEN.
>> RECENTLY, I RECEIVED YET ANOTHER ALARMING REPORT FROM OUR INTELLIGENCE.
NOW PUTIN DOES SEEM TO BE PLANNING ATTACKS ON OUR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AIMING TO DISCONNECT THE PLANTS FROM THE POWER GRID.
WITH THE HELP, BY THE WAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BY THE WAY, OF OTHER COUNTRIES.
RUSSIA IS GETTING IMAGES AND DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.
>> SO, A DIRE WARNING INDEED, AND SOMEBODY LISTENING CLOSELY TO THAT SPEECH TODAY IS THE GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ANNALENA BAERBOCK, WHO IS JOINING ME NOW.
WELCOME BACK TO OUR PROGRAM.
THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE WAS THIS TIME LAST YEAR, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOUR HOPES ARE HIGHER OR LOWER ABOUT THE WORLD'S SITUATION THAT WE SEE NOW.
LET'S JUST TAKE UKRAINE.
DID YOU EXPECT US TO BE IN THIS DIRE SITUATION A YEAR LATER?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AGAIN ON YOUR SHOW.
IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE.
YEAH, IF THE GLASS IS HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY, THE WORLD HAS NOT BECOME A SAFER PLACE.
THE MIDDLE EAST, BUT ALSO IN UKRAINE.
AND AS WE HAVE HEARD THE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY, RUSSIA IS LEADING ITS BRUTAL WAR OF AGGRESSION IN A DIMENSION OF NOW DESTROYING BY PURPOSE AND REASON CHILDREN HOSPITAL, BUT ALSO ENERGY POWER PLANT, AND TWO-THIRDS OF THE ENERGY POWER PLANTS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED, MEANING, BEFORE WINTERTIME, THAT PEOPLE WOULD FREEZE TO DEATH, AND THIS IS JUST A HORROR.
AND THIS IS WHY WE ARE SO STRONGLY CALLING HERE ON PUTIN TO STOP THIS TERROR, TO STOP THIS WAR OF AGGRESSION.
>> JUST -- YOU ARE THE HEAD OF THE GREEN PARTY, AND KIND OF UNDERSTAND ABOUT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, AND I WAS TOLD BY THE HEAD OF THE IAEA THAT ONE OF THE RESULTS OF ATTACKING UKRAINIAN ELECTRIC GRIDS IS THAT IT IS STOPPING POWER TO ZAPORIZHZHIA, AND THAT COULD STOP THE WATER THAT COOLS -- STOP THE COOLING TOWER PROCESS, AND THAT COULD BE A MELTDOWN.
>> YES.
AND SPEAKING ABOUT MY PARTY THIS IS WHY WE ALWAYS WANT, IN GENERAL, A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT THAT TERRORISTS, BUT ALSO, IN THESE TIMES OF WAR, THEY COULD BE TARGETS FOR ACTORS LIKE IN THIS CASE, THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, WHO DO NOT SHY AWAY FROM ANY HUMAN, OBVIOUSLY NORMAL BEHAVIOR ANYMORE.
WE HAD DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST ABOUT ZAPORIZHZHIA, YOU'LL REMEMBER ABOUT THAT, THEY TRIED THE SUPPORT OF GERMANY AND FRANCE TO SAY HEAVY WEAPONS AWAY FROM ZAPORIZHZHIA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.
AND NOW, THE DIRECT THREAT THAT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS COULD BE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY TARGETED, I MEAN, WOULD BE A DISASTER, OBVIOUSLY, FOR UKRAINE, BUT ALSO FOR RUSSIA.
I MEAN, RUSSIA IS THE NEIGHBORING STATE, WHICH SHOWS, AGAIN, THAT OBVIOUSLY THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT DOESN'T KNOW ANY LIMITS AND ANY BORDERS ANYMORE.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO CRYSTAL CLEAR HERE IN NEW YORK, YESTERDAY AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL, TO ALL OF THEM WHO ARE SAYING, BOTH SIDES SHOULD TAKE A STEP BACK.
IF UKRAINE WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO DEFEND ITSELF, IF WE WOULD NOT SUPPORT, NOT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT UKRAINE'S DEFENSE, I MEAN, THEN THESE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, THESE ENERGY GRIDS, WOULD BE TOTALLY LOST HERE.
AND THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THE WHOLE WORLD IS CALLING ON PUTIN TO STOP THIS WAR OF AGGRESSION, TO STOP THIS TERRORIZING OF CIVILIANS, CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE IN UKRAINE.
>> AND, OF COURSE, ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE HUGE INTERNATIONAL ISSUE IS THAT PUTIN HAS VIOLATED INTERNATIONAL LAW WHEN IT COMES TO BORDERS, RIGHT?
CROSSING BORDERS BY FORCE.
DO YOU SUPPORT THE -- I GUESS PROOF OF PURPOSE THAT UKRAINE SHOWED WHEN IT WENT INTO TO THE KURSK REGION AND SHOWED ALL OF YOU ALLIES WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN LOSING HOPE IN THEIR ABILITY TO DEFEND THEMSELVES THAT, ACTUALLY, WE CAN DO A THING OR TWO.
YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP DEFENDING US.
DID YOU SUPPORT THAT INCURSION?
>> WELL, THE DECISIONS LIE IN THE HAND OF UKRAINE.
WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CRYSTAL CLEAR, UKRAINE AND ALSO WE, BY OUR SUPPORT, ARE DEFENDING THE SOVEREIGN RIGHTS OF EVERY STATE TO DEFINE THEIR OWN FUTURE.
AND ALWAYS IN THE LIMITS OF THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS.
UKRAINE IS ALSO DEFENDING THE CHARTER OF THE UNITED NATIONS, AND THIS IS WHY WE HAVE MADE CLEAR THAT SELF-DEFENSE IS LIMITED BY INTERNATIONAL LAW, BY INTERNATIONAL HMANITARIAN LAW, BUT SELF-DEFENSE INCLUDING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE ROCKET HITS YOUR CITY LIKE KHARKIV, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IS BEING DESTROYED, BUT SELF-DEFENSE MEANS THAT YOU PREVENT IT, THAT YOU CAN STOP IT.
AND STOPPING A DIRECT ATTACK.
AND OBVIOUSLY, CITIES LIKE KHARKIV, WHICH ARE DIRECTLY AT THE BORDER, AND I'VE BEEN THERE MYSELF.
YEAH, YOU HAVE TO COUNT UNTIL 45 AND WHEN THE ALARM GOES OFF, AND IF YOU ARE STILL COUNTING, YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY AREN'T HIT.
SO, ALSO, THE BEST AIR DEFENSE CANNOT PREVENT THESE ROCKETS TO HIT THE CITIES CLOSE TO THE BORDER.
AND THIS IS WHY, IN THE PAST, WE HAVE TAKEN THIS DECISION TO SAY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE ROCKET FLIES OVER THE BORDER, BUT THE LIMIT IS THE INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND WE HAVE MADE THAT CLEAR IN THE PAST, AND THIS IS ALSO WHAT WE STAND FOR TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.
>> SO, YOU ARE BASICALLY SUPPORTING WHAT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, THE PRESIDENT, SAYS, THAT WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE THE RIGHT AND THE ABILITY TO ATTACK MILITARY TARGETS INSIDE RUSSIA THAT THREATEN US AND OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CIVILIANS AND OUR POWER PLANTS.
BUT YOU HAVEN'T EVEN SENT LONG-RANGE WEAPONS, RIGHT?
THE GERMANS ARE STILL RESISTING LONG-RANGE WEAPONS TO UKRAINE.
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK I'VE MADE CLEAR THE LEGAL POSITION OF MY COUNTRY.
>> YES.
>> OF MY GOVERNMENT -- >> IN THAT REGARD.
>> ON THAT REGARD.
I BELIEVE, AND OBVIOUSLY COUNTRIES SEE IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT I AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S NOT THE SMARTEST THING TO DISCUSS TACTICS OF HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF, AND ESPECIALLY THE QUESTION OF MILITARY SUPPORT GOING TO UKRAINE, WHERE TO USE, HOW TO USE, IN PUBLIC.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE IS THAT UKRAINE CAN DEFEND ITSELF IN THE BEST MATTER, SO, IF WE DISCUSS OPENLY, WHAT IS THE BEST STRATEGY, I MEAN, THIS ONLY BENEFITS ONE PERSON, AND THIS IS VLADIMIR PUTIN, AND, YES, WITH REGARD TO LONG-RANGE MISSILES, LONG-RANGE WEAPONS, WE HAVE DELIVERED CERTAIN SYSTEMS.
THERE IS THE ISSUE OF TOWERS, WHERE WE, AS AS GERMAN GOVERNMENT, DID NOT TAKE THIS STEP.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON THAT ONE, THIS IS PUBLICLY KNOWN.
BUT THIS IS WHY FOR ME THAT WE ARE NOT STARTING FINGER-POINTING AT EACH OTHER, BUT EVERYBODY SHOULD DO THE SUPPORT THEY CAN DO IN ORDER TO DEFEND AND HELP DEFEND UKRAINE AND BY THAT ALSO, OUR EUROPEAN PEACE ORDER.
>> SO, DO YOU BELIEVE, AS PRESIDENT BIDEN URGED EVERYBODY YESTERDAY, WE CANNOT BE WEARY AND WE CANNOT WALK AWAY.
WILL GERMANY, EUROPEANS, STILL BE THERE, AS LONG AS UKRAINE NEEDS IT?
BECAUSE EVEN YOUR OWN GOVERNMENT, YOUR OWN COUNTRY HAS TALKED ABOUT REDUCING THE AMOUNT IT'S ABLE TO GIVE, WHETHER IT'S IN FINANCE, WHETHER IT'S IN MILITARY SUPPORT.
>> NO.
WE DIDN'T DO THAT.
TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR.
>> OKAY.
>> BECAUSE THE CHANCELLOR HAS SAID HERE, CRYSTAL CLEAR, I SAID IT YESTERDAY IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL, WE STAND WITH UKRAINE.
AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
BECAUSE UKRAINE IS DEFENDING OUR EUROPEAN PEACE ORDER.
IF WE WOULD SAY, THIS IS TOO HEAVY ON OUR SHOULDERS, FINANCIALLY, OUR SUPPORT, I MEAN, WE LOOK AT MOLDOVA, I'VE BEEN THERE, JUST LAST WEEK.
THEY MADE CRYSTAL CLEAR, IF UKRAINE CANNOT STAND THIS WAR OF AGGRESSION, WE ARE NEXT.
SO, WE SHOULD HAVE THE IMAGINATION THAT IF ONE WOULD GIVE IN ON UKRAINE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE PEACE.
IF UKRAINE IS NOT DEFENDING ITSELF ANYMORE, UKRAINE IS OVER, AND THE NEXT COUNTRY WOULD FOLLOW IT.
NOT ONLY ABOUT MOLDOVA.
COLLEAGUES HERE FROM EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, THEY'VE MADE CLEAR HOW MANY BREACHES OF THEIR OWN TERRITORY BORDERS, WHICH ARE NATO BORDERS, HOW MANY BREACHES WE HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST MONTHS.
THERE HAS BEEN AN ATTACK ON A SHIP IN ROMANIAN WATERS, FROM RUSSIA SIDE, SO, WE CAN SEE ALREADY THE NEEDLE STITCHES AT OTHERS.
SO, THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT, AND THIS IS WHAT WE ARE CALLING HERE ALSO FOR OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, THAT IF WE WANT TO ACHIEVE PEACE AGAIN, WHICH WE WANT, AND WE WORK FOR THAT EVERY DAY, FOR UKRAINE, AND IN EUROPE, PUTIN HAS TO STOP, IF THE AGGRESSOR WINS, NO SMALLER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD COULD SLEEP IN SILENCE IN THE FUTURE.
>> LET'S MOVE TO THE MIDDLE EAST, AS YOU'VE ALL BEEN HERE, IT HAS RACHETED UP A MAJOR LEVEL, AND I WONDER HOW YOU ARE CONSIDERING ANY POSSIBILITY THAT YOU CAN ALL HAVE ANY INFLUENCE ON DE-ESCALATING RIGHT NOW WHAT'S HAPPENING BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH, FOR INSTANCE.
WHERE DO YOU THAT STANDS?
ARE RED LINES BEING CROSSED?
DO YOU DISCUSS IN THERE OF A WIDER WAR OPENING NOW?
>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE DISCUSSING ABOUT THAT DANGER, AND THIS IS -- I MEAN, SOMETIMES A BIT BIZARRE, YOU RUN TO ONE MEETING, YOU RUN TO ONE EVENT, GIVING SPEECHES, BUT IN EVERY SECOND AND MINUTE IN BETWEEN, YEAH, WE ARE WORKING WITH PARTNERS, ESPECIALLY WITH PARTNERS IN THE REGION, WE HAVE WORKED CLOSELY OVER THE LAST ALMOST -- THE YEAR NOW, WITH OUR AMERICAN FRIENDS, WITH THE CORE GROUP OF ARAB COUNTRIES, ON DE-ESCALATION.
THE WORST CASE SCENARIO NOW WOULD BE THAT WE BOWL HAVE A FULL-FLEDGED WAR AROUND THE BORDER BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON.
AND THIS IS WHY I HAVE CALLED, G-7 HAS CALLED SO STRONGLY ON DE-ESCALATION.
WE CANNOT ENTER ANOTHER PHASE OF TIT FOR TAT.
WE HAVE SEEN SO MANY DEAD CIVILIANS, I MUST SAY, AND WOULD LIKE TO SAY, WE HAVE MOURNING ALSO ABOUT TWO FEMALE UNHCR STAFF MEMBERS, AND ONE OF -- A BABY FROM ONE OF THESE WOMEN, AND THIS IS WHY THIS HAS TO STOP.
WE NEED DE-ESCALATION NOW.
IT'S THE MOMENT FOR DIPLOMACY, AND WE ALL HAVE TO USE IT, AND THIS IS WHY WE ARE WORKING CONSTANTLY TOGETHER WITH THE CLOSEST PARTNERS IN THE REGION ON EXACTLY THAT.
>> CLOSER TO HOME, EVERYBODY'S BEEN LOOKING AT, IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES, INCLUDING YOURS, THE RISE OF RIGHT WING EXTREMISM.
THE AFD, THE EXTREME RIGHT IN YOUR COUNTRY, MADE SOME BIG SUCCESSES DURING REGIONAL ELECTIONS.
THE LATEST ONE, IT DIDN'T WIN, IN FACT, THE GOVERNING COALITION WON, RIGHT, CHANCELLOR SCHOLZ'S PARTY, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YEAH.
THEIR PARTY, BUT NOT THE WHOLE -- >> YOUR PARTY DID BADLY.
>> YEAH, MAYBE I CAN EXPLAIN.
>> BUT IN A BIG PICTURE, BEFORE YOU -- HOW MUCH OF A THREAT IS IT?
BECAUSE YOU'VE EVEN, YOU KNOW, CLOSED BORDERS, YOU CALLED FOR THE CLOSING OF YOUR, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ALL THE REST OF IT, FOR THE MOMENT.
IT'S BAD, ISN'T IT?
>> WELL, THE SITUATION IS NOT GOOD AT ALL, TO SAY, BUT VERY DIPLOMATIC.
WE HAVE TO FACE IT.
DEMOCRACIES IN EUROPE ARE BEING CHALLENGED FROM OUTSIDE, RUSSIA'S WAR, AUTOCRACIES, DICTATORS AROUND THE WORLD, AND ACT TOMORRORS FROM INSIDE.
WE HAD ISLAMIC TERROR ATTACKS IN GERMANY, WE HAVE THE EXTREME RIGHT CHALLENGING OUR LIBERAL DEMOCRACY.
AND THEY ARE BEING SUPPORTED, OBVIOUSLY, FROM THOSE OUTSIDE WHO DO NOT ONLY WANT TO CHALLENGE OUR DEMOCRACIES, BUT WANT TO WEAKEN OUR DEMOCRACIES.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SEEN THAT ALSO WITH REGARD TO THE ELECTIONS, YOU WERE MENTIONING, AND WE HAD ELECTION IN THREE STATES OF EASTERN GERMANY.
AND THE EXTREME RIGHT PARTY AND ANOTHER NEW VERY EXTREME LEFT PARTY, FORMER COMMUNISTS, THEY HAVE, UNFORTUNATELY, TOGETHER, ALMOST 40%, CLOSE TO 50%, AND THEY ARE PASSING THE SAME MESSAGE WITH REGARD TO RUSSIA, THAT ACTUALLY NOT RUSSIA IS THE AGGRESSOR HERE, BUT THAT NATO AND THE SUPPORT OF UKRAINE IS RESPONSIBLE, THAT WE ARE NOT LIVING IN PEACE.
AND OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS THE BIG CHALLENGE, AND MAYBE COMING BACK TO THE QUESTION BEFORE, ON THAT ONE, THIS IS WHY, IN THIS VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION, THE QUESTION OF HOW MUCH MONEY YOU CAN MOBILIZE IN A DEMOCRACY FOR THE SUPPORT, IT'S HEAVY ON ALL OF BUDGET, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE AN OPEN DEBATE ABOUT IT, THAT THE SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE IS THE SUPPORT FOR OUR OWN SECURITY, AND WHY DEMOCRACIES ALL ACROSS THE ATLANTIC HAVE TO STAND TOGETHER.
BECAUSE THIS IS NOT ONLY A WAR OF AGGRESSION AGAINST UKRAINE, THIS IS ALSO AN AGGRESSION AGAINST LIBERAL DEMOCRACIES.
>> REALLY INTERESTING, YOU'RE RIGHT IN THE THICK OF IT.
ANNALENA BAERBOCK, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>> NOW, FEARS OF A WIDER WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE BEING FELT ALSO IN THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING BY LEBANESE AMERICAN MAYOR ABDULLAH HAMMOUD OF DEARBORN, MICHIGAN.
A STATE THAT'S HOME TO THE NATION'S LARGEST ARAB AMERICAN POPULATION, AND HAMMOUD TELLS MICHEL MARTIN ABOUT THE GROWING VOTER DISAFFECTION IN HIS COMMUNITY, AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO RESTORE THEIR TRUST IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
>> THANK YOU, CHRISTIANE.
MAYOR ABDULLAH HAMMOUD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
>> YOU ARE THE FIRST PERSON OF ARAB DESCENT TO BE ELECTED MAYOR OF DEARBORN, WHICH I THINK MIGHT BE SURPRISING TO SOME PEOPLE, GIVEN THAT DEARBORN IS A MAJORITY, YOU KNOW, ARAB MUSLIM CITY.
YOU WERE IN THE STATE HOUSE BEFORE YOU BECAME MAYOR.
I WAS WONDERING ABOUT WHAT MADE YOU RUN?
>> THIS IS THE PLACE THAT MY PARENTS FIRST IMMIGRATED TO, FINDING FINANCIAL AND SOCIAL OPPORTUNITY, AND DEARBORN IS A PLACE IN WHICH I'M RAISING MY OWN FAMILY.
AND I BELIEVE DEARBORN TO BE THE GREATEST AMERICAN CITY THERE IS, COAST TO COAST.
AND FOR ME, RUNNING FOR MAYOR WAS ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, AND WE NEVER RAN TO BE THE FIRST ANYTHING.
IN FACT, OUR MANTRA WAS, RUNNING TO BE THE BEST.
TO DEMONSTRATE REGARDLESS OF WHICH I PRAY, WHICH I LEAD, IS A STRONG DIRECTION AND A DIRECTION IN WHICH CAN UPLIFT ALL THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY -- ACROSS THE CITY OF DEARBORN.
AND THAT'S WHY WE DID IT.
>> AS WE ARE SPEAKING NOW, IT'S BEEN A YEAR SINCE THE OCTOBER 7th HAMAS ATTACK ON SOUTHERN ISRAEL, AND ALL THAT HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE THEN, AS WE ARE SPEAKING NOW, THERE IS AN AGGRESSIVE MILITARY CAMPAIGN GOING ON IN LEBANON, WHERE YOUR PARENTS ARE FROM.
I JUST WONDERED IF YOU WOULD JUST SHARE A FEW VIGNETTES, IF YOU WOULD, FROM WHAT THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN LIKE.
>> YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS, WHEN I RAN FOR MAYOR, YOU KNOW, I RAN ON THE IDEA THAT I WAS GOING TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS' GARBAGE WAS PICKED UP ON TIME, AND YET, HERE I AM TALKING ABOUT THE CRISES THAT ARE UNFOLDING THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY.
BUT WHAT I OFTEN TELL FOLKS IS, WHEN THERE'S AN ISSUE UNFOLDING THAT IMPACTS MY RESIDENTS DIRECTLY, I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THE PLATFORM THAT HAS BEEN PRIVILEGED TO ME BY THE RESIDENTS TO SPEAK UP AND TO ENSURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO TO THE BEST OF OUR ACT OVER THE LAST YEAR.
I CAN'T SAY THAT I'VE DONE IT PERFECTLY, BUT I'M DOING THE BEST I CAN TO ELEVATE THE VOICES IN THIS TIME OF DEEP PAIN FOR THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS THAT HAVE CALLED ME, CONTACTED ME, THAT HAVE COME TO OUR COUNCIL CHAMBERS, TALKING ABOUT THE SHEER DEATH AND DESTRUCTION THAT THEY SEE EACH AND EVERY SINGLE DAY.
FOR MANY AMERICANS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, WHEN THEY SEE THE IMAGES ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA, TO THEM, IT'S JUST IMAGES OF STRANGERS.
FOR US, HERE IN THE CITY OF DEARBORN, THESE ARE IMAGES OF CLOSE FAMILY AND FRIENDS, WHICH MAKES THAT PAIN ALL THE CLOSER TO US.
AND SO, THAT'S WHY I THINK I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK UP AND USE THE PLATFORM I HAVE TO HOPEFULLY PUSH FOR A CHANGE AND COURSE ON WHAT HAS BEEN UNFOLDING ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ALIVE.
>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STORIES THAT YOUR RESIDENTS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE TOLD YOU, JUST ONE OR TWO OR THREE, EVEN FROM YOUR OWN FAMILY.
>> JUST YESTERDAY, I CALL A CALL FROM A COUSIN WHO INFORMED ME THAT HIS SISTER-IN-LAW WAS JUST OBLITERATED TO PIECES.
SHE WAS TRYING TO ESCAPE HER HOME IN LEBANON, AS SHE WAS WALKING OUT WITH HER CHILDREN, HE WAS ADVANCING TO A CAR WHEN A BOMB WAS DROPPED ON THE CAR AND KILLED HER IN FRONT OF HER CHILDREN.
WE HAD AN INSTANCE WHERE RIGHT NOW MY STEP-SISTER IS TRAPPED IN LEBANON, AND SHE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A FLIGHT TO COME BACK TO AMERICA, WHERE SHE LIVES, WITH HER HUSBAND, AND WITH HER CHILDREN.
I'VE HAD RESIDENTS COME WHEN WE FIRST PUSHED THE FIRST CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION FOR WHAT'S UNFOLDING ACROSS GAZA, TO SPEAK TO THE CALAMITY THAT HAS STRUCK THEIR FAMILY, ONE RESIDENT SPOKE TO LOSING OVER 70 OR 80 FAMILY AND LOVED ONES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NOBODY CAN FATHOM, AND THE PAIN IS SO DEEP THAT THERE'S JUST A NUMBNESS TO IT.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, AS I DESCRIBED MONTHS AGO, MANY IN THE CITY OF DEARBORN DON'T SLEEP.
WHEN MY WIFE FIRST WOKE UP THIS MORNING AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING HEADING OUT TO WORK, HER FIRST QUESTION TO ME WAS, WHAT HAPPENED SINCE WE SLEPT AND WHEN WE WOKE UP THAT'S UNFOLDED OVERSEAS IN THESE LAST FIVE, SIX HOURS?
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT IS TOP OF MIND FOR SO MANY RESIDENTS, NOT ONLY IN DEARBORN, ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE.
>> SO, YOU'RE DESCRIBING A SENSE OF EXHAUSTION, A SENSE OF KIND OF HELPLESSNESS.
ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK PEOPLE KNOW YOU, EVEN IF THEY DON'T LIVE IN OR NEAR DEARBORN, YOU WROTE AN OP-ED FOR "THE NEW YORK TIMES" BACK IN FEBRUARY WHEN YOU DESCRIBED THIS SENSE OF BETRAYAL.
AS BRIEFLY AS YOU CAN, SAY MORE ABOUT THAT, WHAT IS THAT BETRAYAL?
>> MANY OF US HERE IN THE CITY SUPPORTED PRESIDENT BIDEN AND HIS ELECTION AFTER VERSUS AGAINST DONALD TRUMP, ON THE HOPE THAT HE WOULD BRING MORALITY AND DECENCY BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
BUT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN UNFOLD IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS, THE NUMEROUS WAR CRIMES THAT HAVE BEEN COMMITTED, WE HAVE SEEN A PRESIDENT WHO HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM THE WAR CRIMINAL BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AND HIS WAR CABINET.
AND THAT'S WHY WE FEEL SO BETRAYED, THAT OUR PRESIDENT RATHER SIDE WITH BENJAMIN NETANYAHU OVER THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FEELING THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE COME AS IMMIGRANTS, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY COME FROM PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO OR ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC LIFE.
AND THEN THEY COME HERE AND THEN THEY'RE TOLD TO PARTICIPATE.
AND THEN THEY START FEELING LIKE, NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO, NO MATTER HOW MANY PHONE CALLS THEY MAKE, NO MATTER HOW MANY PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS THEY PARTICIPATE IN, NO MATTER HOW MANY PETITIONS THEY WRITE, THAT IT SORT OF DOESN'T MATTER.
DOES IT STILL FEEL THAT WAY, YOU'RE NOT BEING LISTENED TO?
HAS ANY OF THAT CHANGED?
>> WE'RE AT THE CUSP OF A REGIONAL WAR UNFOLDING ACROSS THE ENTIRETY OF THE MIDDLE EAST, SO, WE MOST CERTAINLY STILL FEEL THAT WAY.
I WOULD TELL YOU, OVER 60% OF AMERICANS SUPPORT AN ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, YET WE HAVE A PRESIDENT THAT'S NOT MOVED ON THIS ISSUE.
IT'S JUST BEEN UNVEILED THAT U.S. AID AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAVE PROVIDED THE REPORT TO THE WHITE HOUSE ADMINISTRATION THAT ISRAEL, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DID BLOCK HUMANITARIAN AID, WHICH WOULD PERMIT NOW THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT FROM WITHHOLDING WEAPONS DISTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, WHICH IT HAS NOD DONE.
SECRETARY BLINKEN SAID ANYTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
SO, FOR US, WE DO, AT TIMES, FEEL AS IF ALL THE PROTESTING, ALL THE YELLING AND SCREAMING, TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT THE ATROCITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING AND UNFOLDING ARE LEADING US TO NOWHERE.
I THINK WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS THE CENTER OF AMERICA HAS MOVED ON THE ISSUE OF ISRAEL AND PALESTINE.
AND WHAT WE'D LOVE TO SEE NOW IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO MOVE, AS WELL.
>> ONE OF THE REASONS YOU ALSO CAME TO PUBLIC ATTENTION BACK IN FEBRUARY IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A MOVEMENT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES, TO VOTE UNCOMMITTED, AS AN EXPRESSION OF THEIR DISAGREEMENT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, OVER ITS STANCE TOWARD ISRAEL AND THE GAZA WAR, OKAY?
SO, THAT WAS THE PRIMARIES.
AND THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN AND MICHIGAN, BOTH IMPORTANT BATTLEGROUND STATES, THAT DID CHOOSE TO VOTE SORT OF UNCOMMITTED.
WHAT ABOUT NOW?
WHAT -- WHAT IS THE FEELING NOW ABOUT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION?
>> THIS IS HOTLY DEBATED ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER BE IT THE ARAB COMMUNITY, THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY, THE ANTI-WAR COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
THE COMMUNITY IS NOT A MONOLITH.
I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO FEEL THAT NOT VOTING AT ALL, BECAUSE OF THE APATHY THEY FEEL, THE DEMONSTRATION THAT ALL THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 11 MONTHS HAS LED TO NOTHING, I THINK THAT IS THE MOST CATASTROPHIC THING COME NOVEMBER.
I HAD MANY A FOLK COME FORWARD AND SAY THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARDS A THIRD PARTY.
YOU HAVE MANY FOLKS WHO ARE STILL IN VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS' CAMP.
BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE FINDING IS THE COALITION THAT WAS BUILT BY JOE BIDEN TO DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP FOUR YEARS AGO IS NOT TIGHTLY KNIT TOGETHER, IT'S BEEN FRACTURED BECAUSE OF THE COURSE THEY'VE TAKEN ON THE ISSUE OF GAZA AND ACROSS PALESTINE AND LEBANON TODAY.
>> TO THE POINT OF THE THIRD PARTIES THAT YOU MENTIONED, A RECENT REUTERS POLL SHOWED THAT 40% OF ARAB AND MUSLIM VOTERS IN MICHIGAN ARE NOW BACKING THE GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE JILL STEIN, AND MICHIGAN WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO JOE BIDEN'S VICTORY IN 2020.
I MEAN, MICHIGAN IS ONE OF THOSE STATES THAT WENT TO TRUMP IN 2016, THE FACT THAT BIDEN WAS ABLE TO WIN MICHIGAN BY -- WELL, YOU KNOW, 150,000 VOTES, NOT HUGE, GIVEN YOU TALK ABOUT MILLIONS OF VOTERS.
WAS PART OF THE REASON THAT HE IS PRESIDENT NOW.
BUT THE FACT IS, MR. MAYOR, JILL STEIN IS NOT GOING TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, SO, IS THIS MOVE TOWARD JILL STEIN -- IS THAT A POLITICAL STRATEGY?
OR IS THAT MORE A STATEMENT OF ANGER?
WHAT IS THAT?
>> I AGREE.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT COME NOVEMBER, YOU REALLY HAVE ONE OF TWO CHOICES OVER WHO IS GOING TO WIN THIS ELECTION.
BE IT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS OR FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.
I 100% UNDERSTAND ELECTORAL POLITICS THAT WE HAVE AT PLAY.
FROM THE INDIVIDUALS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO THAT ARE SUPPORTING A THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE, THEY ARE TRYING TO VOTE WITH THEIR MORALS AT THE FOREFRONT.
THEY WANT A PRESIDENT THAT ADVOCATES FOR AN ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN HERE IN THE STATES, BUT ENSURES WE DON'T HAVE CABINET MEMBERS OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT PASSING OUT ASSAULT WEAPONS TO RADICAL SETTLERS KILL ING PALESTINIANS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE HAVE TO END MASS SHOOTING AT SCHOOLS, BUT HOLDS ACCOUNTABLE A GOVERNMENT THAT DECIMATED EVERY UNIVERSITY ACROSS GAZA.
WE CARE ABOUT UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN GAZA.
NEW FUTURE AND WHAT'S UNFOLDING IN YEMEN.
WE CARE ABOUT WORKER'S RIGHTS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S UNFOLDING IN YEMEN.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE THAT TAKES THESE VALUES AND APPLIES THEM GLOBALLY.
AND SO, I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TOWARDS A THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE, BE IT STEIN OR SOMEONE ELSE.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT THEY WANT.
PEOPLE WANT TO BE INSPIRED TO VOTE FOR SOMETHING.
THEY DON'T WANT THE SIMPLE MESSAGE THAT DONALD TRUMP IS AWFUL, WHICH HE IS, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HE REPRESENTS.
THE MUSLIM BAN, THE ANNEXATION OF THE GOLAN HEIGHTS, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE REPRESENTS, AND WHAT HE WOULD BRING IN A SECOND TERM.
BUT THE FEAR TACTIC IS NOT GOING TO WORK.
PEOPLE WANT AN INSPIRATIONAL REASON TO COME OUT TO THE BALLOT, COME NOVEMBER.
>> THERE'S A GROUP CALLED THE UNCOMMITTED NATIONAL MOVEMENT, WHICH IS A COALITION OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF VOTING UNCOMMITTED IN THE PRIMARIES.
THE GROUP CLAIMS TO HAVE 700,000 PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT IT.
AND LAST WEEK, THE MOVEMENT ANNOUNCED IT WON'T ENDORSE KAMALA HARRIS, BUT THEY DID URGE SUPPORTERS TO VOTE AGAINST TRUMP AND AVOID THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES.
SO, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
I UNDERSTAND YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR THIS GROUP, BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>> YEAH, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT WENT INTO THE MESSAGING BEHIND THE UNCOMMITTED NATIONAL MOVEMENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, THOUGH, IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE CONVERSATIONS AT THE DOORSTEPS WITH RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF DEARBORN, WHERE MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN BELIEF.
AGAIN, YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO VERY MUCH DO SUPPORT THE VICE PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE FOLKS WHO VERY MUCH ARE SUPPORTING A THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE.
BUT I THINK THE LARGEST VOTING BLOC IS -- ARE THOSE WHO ARE NOT CONSIDERING COMING OUT TO VOTE AT ALL.
AND IF WE RECALL THE 2016 ELECTION, IT WASN'T THAT DONALD TRUMP BEAT HILLARY CLINTON BY ROUGHLY 11,000 VOTES IN MICHIGAN IN 2016, IT WAS THE FACT THAT 80,000 VOTERS WENT OUT AND SKIPPED THE PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION IN TOTAL.
AND SO, I THINK THAT IS THE THING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO COURSE CORRECT FOR.
THE MESSAGE I HAVE IS, I ENDORSE YOU VOTING COME NOVEMBER.
AT THE VERY MINIMUM, YOU MUST COME OUT AND YOU MUST CAST YOUR BALLOT.
BECAUSE STANDING ON THE SIDELINE IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
AND IT'S NOT GOING TO GET US ANYWHERE.
SO, WE HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE OUR POWER, OUR POWER THROUGH OUR VOICE AND THROUGH OUR VOTE.
>> YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT YOURSELF, BUT YOUR POSITION NOW IS OFFICIALLY AS MAYOR IS A NONPARTISAN POSITION, IF I HAVE THAT RIGHT, RIGHT?
SO, THAT'S -- YOU CERTAINLY HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE, I THINK, OF HAVING TO ASK PEOPLE TO SUPPORT YOU EVEN IF THEY DON'T AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT EVERYTHING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE TALKED TO THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN ABOUT THIS OR IF THEY'VE REACHED OUT TO YOU, BUT HOW WOULD YOU -- HOW WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT THEY TALK TO VOTERS ABOUT THAT?
>> IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.
I MEAN, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH A RESIDENT THAT LOST 70, 80 FAMILIES, AND TELL THEM, THE CHOICE IS BETWEEN TWO AND YOU MUST STILL CAST YOUR BALLOT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER?
THAT'S NOT AN EASY CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS OF MY LIFE, ARAB AMERICANS, MUSLIM AMERICANS HAVE MADE SECONDARY THE ISSUES OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT BETWEEN BUSH, OBAMA, TRUMP, OR BIDEN THAT WE HAVE HAD ALIGNMENT OR AGREEMENT ON THEIR GLOBAL POLICIES.
THAT'S NOT BEEN THE CASE.
WHAT YOU'RE HEARING NOW IN THIS ELECTION THAT'S DIFFERENT IS, I HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TO SAY, AND I PUT SO IN MY OP-ED, THE TRANSFORMATIVE POLICIES OF PRESIDENT BIDEN ARE LIKENED TO THOSE OF LYNDON B. JOHNSON OR FDR.
BUT A GENOCIDE OUTWEIGHS ALL OF THIS.
THE CONFLICT WE'RE SPEAKING TO IS UNPRECEDENTED.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 2.2 MILLION PEOPLE WHERE 100% ARE DISPLACED.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE PUBLICATIONS, THE DEATHS ARE BETWEEN 40,000 AND 180,000.
THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
AND 90% OF CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN DECIMATED.
THE U.N.
ESTIMATES SAY IT WILL TAKE A DECADE TO ELIMINATE THE RUBBLE AND MULTIPLE DECADES TO REBUILD.
WE SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WEST BANK, WHERE THE AL JAZEERA OFFICES HAVE BEEN SHUTTERED FOR THE NEXT 45 DAYS.
WE SEE THE EXPANSION OF THE WAR THROUGHOUT LEBANON.
AND, AGAIN, I'M GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM CLOSE, IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS SAYING THEY'RE TRAPPED, OR THEY HAVE BEEN KILLED, OR THEY HAVE BEEN INJURED, AND WE'RE EXPECTED TO SAY, THESE ISSUES ARE TO FALL SECONDARY.
SO, I THINK THE GRACE THAT HAS TO BE AWARDED TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND THIS POINT OF TIME, IS THAT THIS ISSUE IS AS -- IT HAS TO BE AS PRIORITIZED AS THOSE THAT I SPOKE TO DOMESTICALLY.
>> HAS THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN REACHED OUT TO YOU, OR HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO THEM?
>> THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE FIRST STARTED WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, LEADING INTO -- WITH HARRIS CAMPAIGN INDIVIDUALS.
AND WE'VE EXPRESSED THESE POINTS TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS COMMUNITY HERE, THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, AT THIS POINT, IT'S BEYOND A CEASE-FIRE.
WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AND HIS CABINET ARE NOT LOOKING TO END THIS CONFLICT.
HE'S LOOKING TO RETAIN HIS POLITICAL POSITION WITHIN HIS GOVERNMENT.
AND HE'S DOING ALL HE CAN TO AVOID A HOSTAGE DEAL TO BRING ALL THE HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS HOME AND TO ALLOW UNFETTERED ACCESS TO HUMANITARIAN AID.
YOU CAN'T KEEP GIVING THIS -- THIS TYRANT ACCESS TO ALL THE WEAPONS AND BOMBS THAT WE MANUFACTURE.
AN ARMS EMBARGO NEEDS TO BE IMPOSED IN ORDER FOR US TO BRING HIM TO THE TABLE TO PUT RESOLUTION TO THIS CONFLICT THAT'S UNFOLDING AND HOPEFULLY PUT FORWARD A JUST SOLUTION IN ESTABLISHING A PALESTINIAN STATE TO END THIS CONFLICT ONCE AND FOR ALL.
>> THE FORMER PRESIDENT, THE CURRENT CANDIDATE, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, IS NOT AN UNTESTED QUANTITY.
IT'S NOT A HYPOTHETICAL.
HE'S MADE IT CLEAR WHERE HE STANDS.
HERE'S A PERSON WHO USED PALESTINIAN ALMOST AS A SLUR.
I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IT'S A KNOWN QUANTITY WHO'S MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT HE STANDS SOLIDLY WITH ISRAEL.
I KNOW THAT HE'S PROMISED, AND HE HAS ASSERTED THAT HE WILL BRING MIDDLE EAST PEACE.
HE HAS ASSERTED THIS, I KNOW HE'S ASSERTED THIS TO CONSTITUENTS OF YOURS IN VARIOUS WAYS.
BUT HIS METHOD OF DOING SO, I FIND, WOULD NOT -- I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY WOULD NOT BE PLEASING TO MOST OF YOUR CON STITCH WENTS.
AND SO, THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES, WHAT IF MR. TRUMP WINS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE SUPPORTED AND WORKED FOR AND CARE ABOUT ARE UNDONE?
HOW WILL YOU ANSWER THAT?
>> I AM DOING ALL THAT I CAN TO PREVENT A DONALD TRUMP FROM BEING RE-ELECTED.
AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS USE THE PLATFORM THAT I HAVE IN URGING THE VICE PRESIDENT TO CHART A NEW COURSE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING.
NOT BECAUSE DEARBORN RESIDENTS ARE ASKING FOR IT, NOT BECAUSE ARAB AMERICANS AND MUSLIM AMERICANS ARE ASKING FOR IT, BECAUSE THE CENTER OF THE PARTY THAT SHE REPRESENTS, THE CENTER OF THIS COUNTRY HAS MOVED ON THIS ISSUE.
WHETHER IT'S AN ARMS EMBARGO, PURSUING A CEASE-FIRE, ENDING THE CONFLICTS OVERSEAS, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT EVERYDAY AMERICANS ARE CALLING FOR.
AND SO, IF WE CAN UPHOLD THAT VALUE AND HEED THE CONCERNS OF AMERICANS FROM COAST TO COAST, WE CAN WORK COLLECTIVELY TO REBUILD THE COALITION TO PREVENT THE RE-ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP.
BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT MOVING A CONSTITUENCY THAT IS FEELING DEEP PAIN.
THIS IS ABOUT MOVING A CANDIDATE WHO IS SEEKING THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE GLOBE ON ISSUES OF MORALITY.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN THIS MOMENT OF TIME.
OBVIOUSLY, ELECTIONS START SOON.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE URGING, WITH ALL THE POWER THAT WE HAVE, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A ROLLOUT ON MESSAGING, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT DONALD TRUMP REPRESENTS.
NOBODY HERE IS TO DEBATE THAT.
BY ANY MEANS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT ULTIMATELY, YOU HAVE A BINARY CHOICE COME THIS NOVEMBER.
BUT WHAT IS NOT BINARY IS EITHER -- ARE THE POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN NOW OVERSEAS.
AND WE HAVE TO USHER IN A NEW ERA TO BRING ABOUT JUST SOLUTIONS TO THESE DECADES-LONG CONFLICTS, WITHOUT SO, YOU'RE REALLY LOSING PEOPLE AND LEAVING THEM BEHIND AT THE WAYSIDE.
>> BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, MR. MAYOR, WHAT -- YOU HAVE -- YOU ARE JUGGLING A LOT OF THINGS.
AND A FAMILY, IN ADDITION TO BEING MAYOR, AND IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, COMFORT, SUPPORT, AND ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE.
WHAT IS YOUR WORK IN THESE NEXT WEEKS GOING FORWARD?
>> MY WORK IS CENTERED ON ENSURING THAT THAT NEXT GENERATION HAS FAR GREATER OPPORTUNITY AND FAR LESS DIFFICULTY IN BEING AS AMERICAN AS THEY CAN BE, AND A NAME LIKE MINE IS AS AMERICAN AS ANY OTHER.
AND THE CITY OF DEARBORN IS THE GREATEST AMERICAN CITY, BECAUSE WE ARE SO DIVERSE AND BEAUTIFUL.
THAT'S MY WORK, REALLY CENTERED AROUND MAKING SURE MY RESIDENTS HAVE THE COMFORT AND SUPPORT THEY NEED IN THESE DIRE TIMES AND I TAKE MY LEAD FROM THEM AND I LEAN ON THEM IN THESE MOMENTS OF DIFFICULTY.
>> MAYOR ABDULLAH HAMMOUD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.
I HOPE WE'LL TALK AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> AND A CLEAR EXAMPLE, A PRIME EXAMPLE ABOUT WHY WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS U.N. BUILDING BEHIND ME DIRECTLY AFFECTS PEOPLE LIKE THE MAYOR OF DEARBORN, AND SO MANY OTHERS IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW.
>>> AND FINALLY, ONE OF HOLLYWOOD'S BRIGHTEST STARS HAS BEEN HERE, AS WELL, LENDING HER SPOTLIGHT TO THE PLIGHT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN AFGHANISTAN.
>> TODAY, IN KABUL, A FEMALE CAT HAS MORE FREEDOMS THAN A WOMAN.
A CAT MAY GO SIT ON HER FRONT STOOP AND FEEL THE SUN ON HER FACE.
A BIRD MAY SING IN KABUL.
BUT A GIRL MAY NOT.
AND A WOMAN MAY NOT, IN PUBLIC.
THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY.
THIS IS A SUPPRESSION OF THE NATURAL LAW.
>> THE LEGENDARY ACTRESS MERYL STREEP JOINED AFGHAN POLITICIANS AT THE UNITED NATIONS THIS WEEK, PROMOTING A NEW DOCUMENTARY, WHICH IS CALLED "THE SHARP EDGE OF PEACE."
AND IT FOLLOWS THE DOOMED NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TALIBAN BACK IN 2020, WHICH LED TO THE U.S.
PULLING OUT OF AFGHANISTAN AND THE TALIBAN TAKING OVER.
AND I SAT DOWN WITH ALL THREE OF THESE WOMEN TO DISCUSS HOW MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN.
LOOKING AWAY.
WHAT ABOUT THIS TOUCHES YOU AND MAKES YOU BE INVOLVED?
>> THIS MOST RECENT EDICT THAT PEOPLE CAN'T SPEAK IN PUBLIC, THAT THEY HAVE TO COMPLETELY HIDE THEMSELVES, IT'S LIKE THE ERASURE OF AN ENTIRE GENDER, AND I DON'T THINK IT HAS PRECEDENCE IN HISTORY, EVEN IN -- IN THE NATURAL WORLD.
THAT -- ONE PART OF THE SPECIES ERASES THE PRESENCE OF ANOTHER.
AND I THINK IT'S -- IT'S PARTICULARLY AN ELOQUENT MOMENT TO RAISE WHERE WE ARE IN THE WORLD WITH AFGHAN RIGHTS.
>> CAN I ASK YOU, BECAUSE YOU WERE THE FIRST APPOINTED GOVERNOR, RIGHT AFTER THE FALL OF THE TALIBAN, AFTER DEMOCRACY IN A CERTAIN WAY, AND CERTAINLY MORE LIBERTY FOR WOMEN CAME, AFTER 2001.
THEY TOOK TO YOUR AUTHORITY WITHOUT PROTESTING AGAINST IT.
YOU WERE ACCEPTED AS AN YOU A AUTHORITY FIGURE.
>> DEFINITELY.
AND ALSO, NOT ONLY ACCEPTED, BUT ALSO WELCOMED, AND SO I REMEMBER THE TIME WHEN I WAS APPOINTED AS A GOVERNOR, WHEN I WENT THERE AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE COMING TO WELCOME ME, SO, THIS -- IT WAS A POINT OF HISTORY, AND IN THE HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN.
>> AND YOU'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR A LONG TIME.
YOU'VE BEEN A REALLY PUBLIC SPOKESWOMAN FOR AFGHANISTAN, ESPECIALLY THE WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN, BUT FOR 20 YEARS, YOU HAD FREEDOMS THAT YOU NEVER HAD BEFORE.
YOUR FILM, "THE SHARP EDGE OF PEACE," SHOWS AFGHAN WOMEN AND GIRLS, ACTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
DESCRIBE WHAT IT'S LIKE TODAY.
>> WELL, I THINK THE ONE THING TALIBAN FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AFGHANISTAN HAS TRANSFORMED.
AND THAT TRANSFORMATION IS NOT ONLY LIMITED TO KABUL IN TERMS OF LIBERTY, IN TERMS OF WOMAN RIGHTS, IN TERMS OF PEOPLE BELIEVING IN THE FUTURE OF THEIR DAUGHTERS MORE.
YOU SEE THEM, DESPITE, YOU KNOW, BEING COMPLETELY ERASED FROM ANY KIND OF PUBLIC AND SOCIAL LIFE, THEY STILL PROTEST.
THAT IS -- THAT IS A SIGN OF DIFFERENT AFGHANISTAN THAT THE TALIBAN DON'T GET THAT.
AND I THINK THIS IS THE SAME AFGHANISTAN IN 1996, WHERE SUPPRESSING PEOPLE, AND THEY WERE SILENT.
TODAY, EVERY WOMAN IN AFGHANISTAN IS A JOURNALIST.
EVERY WOMAN IN AFGHANISTAN IS A TV, BY TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE IS.
>> AND YOU CAN CATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW LATER THIS WEEK.
THAT IS IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.
IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT'S UP EVERY NIGHT, JUST LOOK AT OUR NEWSLETTER, IT'S AT PBS.ORG/AMANPOUR.
THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND GOOD-BYE FROM THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK.
>>> "AMANPOUR AND COMPANY" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT.
JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS.
CANDACE KING WEIR.
THE SYLVIA A.
AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.
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.
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AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
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