Transcripts For BBCNEWS Verified 20240704 : vimarsana.com

Lets start with Us Senate Majority leader, Chuck Schumer, has called for new elections in israel, saying the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is a major obstacle to peace and risked making israel a pariah. Senator schumer said it was a Grave Mistake for israel to reject a Two State Solution. The fourth major obstacle to peace is israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has all too frequently bowed to the demands of extremists like ministers smotrich and ben gvir and the settlers in the west bank. I have known Prime Minister netanyahu for a very long time. While we have vehemently disagreed on many occasions, i will always respect his extraordinary bravery for israel on the battlefield as a younger man. I believe in his heart he has his highest priority is the security of israel. However, i also believe Prime Minister netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of israel. Prime minister netanyahus party has responded to Chuck Schumer saying israel is not a Banana Republic but a proud democracy that elected its Prime Minister. The statement said a senator should respect israels elected government and not undermine it, even more so in war time. Lets speak to North America correspondent tom bateman. Take you through the certificates first of all of Chuck Schumer� s comments and in the response from israel. Its schumers comments and in the response from israel. Schumers comments and in the response from israel. Its no secret that Chuck Response from israel. Its no secret that Chuck Schumer response from israel. Its no secret that Chuck Schumer is response from israel. Its no secret that Chuck Schumer is a response from israel. Its no secret that Chuck Schumer is a critic that Chuck Schumer is a critic and an one that Chuck Schumer is a critic and an one of that Chuck Schumer is a critic and an one of the current Israeli Coalition an one of the current Israeli Coalition. This was a far more significant coalition. This was a far more significant intervention and we have heard significant intervention and we have heard from significant intervention and we have heard from him so far, and given his position heard from him so far, and given his position as heard from him so far, and given his position as the leader of the majority, position as the leader of the majority, the democrats, in the us senate, majority, the democrats, in the us senate, describing himself as the highest senate, describing himself as the highest ranking jewish Elected Official highest ranking jewish Elected Official in american history, he then official in american history, he then went official in american history, he then went on to Really Excoriate Deep then went on to Really Excoriate Deep israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Now during this very long speech, netanyahu. Now during this very long speech, he netanyahu. Now during this very long speech, he was up there 45 minutes, he started speech, he was up there 45 minutes, he started by saying people should understand as far as he was concerned that hamas bore responsibility for unleashing the current responsibility for unleashing the current war but then he spoke about the impact current war but then he spoke about the impact of what he called the israeti the impact of what he called the israeli war machine in terms of the scale israeli war machine in terms of the scale of israeli war machine in terms of the scale of civilian suffering in gaza. It scale of civilian suffering in gaza. It then scale of civilian suffering in gaza. It then moved on really to the longer term outlook, and he made it very clear longer term outlook, and he made it very clear that the only way through all this very clear that the only way through all this in very clear that the only way through all this in his view was a Two State Solution all this in his view was a Two State Solution. Israel side by side with independent but a demilitarised palestinian state. He then listed what palestinian state. He then listed what he palestinian state. He then listed what he said were the four obstacles to this what he said were the four obstacles to this outcome. He listed hamas, he listed to this outcome. He listed hamas, he listed Extremist Members of the israeti listed Extremist Members of the Israeli Government, he listed the Palestinian Authority leadership and he also Palestinian Authority leadership and he also listed the israeli Prime Minister he also listed the israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and repeatedly said these were the four optical repeatedly said these were the four optical to repeatedly said these were the four optical to peace. He said if the current optical to peace. He said if the current Israeli Coalition continued along current Israeli Coalition continued along its current Israeli Coalition continued along its current course, what you said was along its current course, what you said was effectively an outlook to take all said was effectively an outlook to take all of said was effectively an outlook to take all of the land that israel would have control over all of the land where would have control over all of the land where israeli and palestinians live, he land where israeli and palestinians live, he said that would lead to International Support for israel declining International Support for israel declining further. And he said it would declining further. And he said it would become a pariah state. This was extremely outspoken. He called for elections in israel and that is something that will rile and has already something that will rile and has already riled as we heard from that statement already riled as we heard from that statement you mentioned, the current israeti statement you mentioned, the current Israeli Government. And he said that is the Israeli Government. And he said that is the way Israeli Government. And he said that is the way to have this sort of moment is the way to have this sort of moment as the war wound down, he said, moment as the war wound down, he said. Of moment as the war wound down, he said, of debate and discussion of the way said, of debate and discussion of the way through. He said he thought that israet the way through. He said he thought that israel had lost its way or the israeti that israel had lost its way or the Israeli Government had lost its way in terms Israeli Government had lost its way in terms of Israeli Government had lost its way in terms of its current course and called in terms of its current course and called for in terms of its current course and called for elections and is effectively calling for the replacement of Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister. Just replacement of Benamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister. Prime minister. Just worth restating the importance Prime Minister. Just worth restating the importance of Prime Minister. Just worth restating the importance of the Prime Minister. Just worth restating the importance of the relationship l the importance of the relationship between the us and israel in terms of the us as an ally of israel, for the strength of these comments from such a senior politician cannot be ignored. And obviously have not been ignored. And obviously have not been ignored because we have heard the reaction from israel. Reaction from israel. Thats right. I mean, israel, reaction from israel. Thats right. I mean, israel, the reaction from israel. Thats right. I mean, israel, the united reaction from israel. Thats right. I mean, israel, the United States| reaction from israel. Thats right. L i mean, israel, the United States is israets i mean, israel, the United States is israets key i mean, israel, the United States is israels key backer and notjust in political israels key backer and notjust in political and diplomatic support but in terms political and diplomatic support but in terms of Military Support. Certainty in terms of Military Support. Certainly the United States gives about certainly the United States gives about 3. 8 billion worth of military assistance, thats weapons, defensive systems, to israel every year~ defensive systems, to israel every year. Cumulatively israel is the biggest year. Cumulatively israel is the biggest recipient of us military aid historically, so its a key relationship. What you have had increasingly is a sense of pressure, including increasingly is a sense of pressure, including from key elements of president bidens democrat base, about president bidens democrat base, about why president bidens democrat base, about why if the us is saying for some about why if the us is saying for some of about why if the us is saying for some of the israelis are not allowing some of the israelis are not allowing enough humanitarian aid in gaza and allowing enough humanitarian aid in gaza and that is triggering what we have heard us a quarter of the population on the brink of famine, people population on the brink of famine, people Ask Population on the brink of famine, people ask why that support for israet. People ask why that support for israel, Military Support for israel not leveraged by the us to try and drive not leveraged by the us to try and drive them not leveraged by the us to try and drive them towards the Policy Outcomes that the us wants. That is becoming outcomes that the us wants. That is becoming an increasing question, a question becoming an increasing question, a question thats been asked increasingly in briefings. The Administration Says that it will always Administration Says that it will always have and will always support and give always have and will always support and give israel what it needs to defend and give israel what it needs to defend itself from the fact this question is being raised more and more question is being raised more and more is question is being raised more and more is interesting. It was alluded to by more is interesting. It was alluded to by chuck more is interesting. It was alluded to by Chuck Schumer in his speech where to by Chuck Schumer in his speech where he to by Chuck Schumer in his speech where he said that if the extremists in the where he said that if the extremists in the government of israel continues in the course of policy, effectively continues in the course of policy, effectively that relationship when to start effectively that relationship when to start to be looked at. So i think that question being asked as i say more that question being asked as i say more. , a,. ,. ,. , more. 0k, tom bateman in washington, thank ou. The Israeli Military said it plans to move nearly 1. 5 million displaced palestinians in rafah to what it described as humanitarian islands in the middle of the gaza strip. The white house says it cant confirm whether israel will go ahead with the plan, and aid agencies have insisted that safely moving such a large number of people in a war zone would be almost impossible and an assault on rafah could prove disastrous. Merlyn thomas from verify has been looking at where israel might try to move the people from rafah. The israeli army has said it plans to move palestinians out of the city of rafah in Southern Gaza to what it described as humanitarian islands. It comes ahead of a planned Military Offensive in rafah, and rafah is at the southern border with egypt. Over a million displaced palestinians are currently sheltering there after being forced to leave their homes because of the Israeli Offensive elsewhere. And this is the Satellite Image from before, in december. Look at this road and this area. And this is one from late february. And you can see just how many people are there. Tents are everywhere, even on roads. So where will people go from rafah . We dont know. The israeli statement doesnt specify exactly where, but there are already questions of where in the rest of gaza has the infrastructure and buildings still intact to shelter people coming from rafah. Take a look at this map. This is the gaza strip. And this is a map of all of the areas that have been damaged. Thats the red patches that you can see. Those are areas that have been damaged or destroyed since the beginning of the war. After all, the people who came to rafah came because they were fleeing much more intense bombing in the rest of gaza. Now, one of the most heavily affected areas is khan younis. Its a city in Southern Gaza some seven kilometres north of rafah. This is a Satellite Image from december. And this is from february. And you can see how some of those neighbourhoods have been completely flattened there. And again, this is in central gaza. Again, this is from october. And this is from march. And you can see just how extensive that damage is. And getting anywhere in gaza is a huge challenge. Theres only one main road from the south to the north thats fully operational right now, and thats being used to transport aid. Its the coastal road here, this orange one called al rasheed road. So in order to move over a Million People out of rafah, safe routes will likely have to be created. Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari has said this planned evacuation of palestinians to so called humanitarian islands would be carried out in coordination with international actors. But last night, us secretary of state Antony Blinken has said hes not seen any details of an Evacuation Plan and any evacuation of over a Million People will take time. But the plans for how exactly that will happen is unclear. Speaking via video link to a pro Israeli Lobby Group in the us, Benjamin Netanyahu outlined his plan for the Civilian Population in rafah. ~ ,. , rafah. We will finish the 0b in rafah. We will finish the 0b in rafahwhnefi rafah. We will finish the 0b in rafah while enabling h rafah. We will finish the 0b in rafah while enabling theh rafah. We will finish the job in i rafah while enabling the Civilian Population rafah while enabling the Civilian Population to rafah while enabling the Civilian Population to get rafah while enabling the Civilian Population to get out rafah while enabling the Civilian Population to get out of rafah while enabling the Civilian Population to get out of harmsl rafah while enabling the Civilian Population to get out of harms way. We have population to get out of harms way. We have taken population to get out of harms way. We have taken meas