Withjohn simpson. Hello and welcome to our new season. What is Benyamin Netanyahu planning in gaza now and why . What is Benyamin Netanyahu planning in gaza now and why . Netanyahu would sa the onl in gaza now and why . Netanyahu would say the only way in gaza now and why . Netanyahu would say the only way to in gaza now and why . Netanyahu would say the only way to have in gaza now and why . Netanyahu would say the only way to have pieces in gaza now and why . Netanyahu would say the only way to have pieces for say the only way to have pieces for israel to have security. The only way for israel to have security is for the palestinians to be kept on very tight rein. For the palestinians to be kept on very tight rein for the palestinians to be kept on very tight rein. More than a touch of uloom very tight rein. More than a touch of gloom in very tight rein. More than a touch of gloom in ukraine very tight rein. More than a touch of gloom in ukraine as very tight rein. More than a touch of gloom in ukraine as its very tight rein. More than a touch of gloom in ukraine as its people | of gloom in ukraine as its people face unpalatable realities. Ukraine is not able to face unpalatable realities. Ukraine is not able to retake face unpalatable realities. Ukraine is not able to retake all is not able to retake all territories, including the crimea. And 30 territories, including the crimea. And 30 years after the glory days of Nelson Mandelas arrival in power, south africa marks the anniversary With Disillusion and anger. The oor, With Disillusion and anger. The poor, Disenfranchised Black Majority that suffered poor, Disenfranchised Black Majority that suffered during poor, Disenfranchised Black Majority that suffered during apartheid that suffered during apartheid expected that suffered during apartheid expected that that suffered during apartheid expected that they that suffered during apartheid expected that they also that suffered during apartheid expected that they also would that suffered during apartheid expected that they also would have been economic expected that they also would have been Economic Freedom expected that they also would have been Economic Freedom to been Economic Freedom to follow political been Economic Freedom to follow political freedoms. Political freedoms. Hamas political freedoms. Hamas and political freedoms. Hamas and the political freedoms. I hamas and the israeli political freedoms. Hamas and the Israeli Government are engaged in a complexjewel at present, with hamas, slightly to the surprise of the us and other western countries, accepting considerable number of israels demands for a cease and fire. Israel insists that while tacro hasnt gone far enough. Benjamin netanyahu, israels Prime Minister has decided to push into the southern town of rafah, greatly against american wishes. The un warns of serious danger to the civilians who have been forced out of their homes. A great deal of israels strategy in gaza is dictated by internal politics as mr netanyahu tries to keep enough support from his far right associates in government. I asked jeremy bowen, the bbc� S International editor, who has had years of Experience Reporting from israel to explain how the decision by hamas to accept some former ceasefire has changed things . You can argue that their decision to sign up to a version of a peace deal was a good piece of politics. It has put the pressure on netanyahu and the pressure is coming at him now from all sides. First of all, from inside his own cabinet. The two ultranationalists, highly ultra nationalists, highly religionist figures ultranationalists, highly religionist figures who are in there, they are people who have said very clearly, that hamas offensive needs to be complete, as complete as anything else in gaza and israel needs to occupy the city and any kind of deal with hamas they dont like would be a surrender. And if he doesnt do as they want, they will bring down the government, which they could do. On the other side of things in israel, there are the Hostage Families who sayjust bring our people back, dont do a deal. I have spoken to lots of the families who say, if we have to release every palestinian prisoner, release them and then do what you want in gaza, but bring our people back. As well as that, there is israels Western Allies led by the united states. This whole business of supporting israel is starting to hurt in an election year. The campuses are ablaze and he is clearly losing votes in some crucial areas. He would like to get this thing over with. So The Americans would like very much for, first of all, before we go anywhere else with diplomacy, a ceasefire. D0 we go anywhere else with diplomacy, a ceasefire. ,. , ~. , a ceasefire. Do you think if he can ersuade a ceasefire. Do you think if he can persuade netanyahu a ceasefire. Do you think if he can persuade netanyahu to a ceasefire. Do you think if he can persuade netanyahu to accept a ceasefire. Do you think if he can persuade netanyahu to accept a l persuade netanyahu to accept a ceasefire, will that helpjoe bidens position . Ceasefire, will that help joe bidens position . Ceasefire, will that help joe bidens position . Anything that sto s the bidens position . Anything that stops the killing bidens position . Anything that stops the killing in bidens position . Anything that stops the killing in girls bidens position . Anything that stops the killing in girls that. Bidens position . Anything that| stops the killing in girls that will help biden because mac position. It will help everybody, to be honest. But first of all if they do a ceasefire deal, will it last . 0ne imponderable, is that within israel there is a widespread assumption, notjust among netanyahus critics, that he would like to lengthen the war . Why . Because he wants to put off the moment of reckoning when there will be an inquiry and then he will have to bear some responsibility for the policies he followed, notjust four responsibility for the policies he followed, not just four weeks, responsibility for the policies he followed, notjust fourweeks, but for many years towards gaza, which its critics in israel said help create the situation that led to the 7th Of October attack. Netanyahu would say the only way to have pieces for israel to have security. The only way for israel to have security is for the palestinians to be kept on very tight rein, not to have independence, not to have self determination, not to have freedom. Because they are intractable enemies of the israelis. That is more or less his point of view. There is the other, much more widespread view that many countries have, which is there is only one way of getting peace and security for both israelis and palestinians and thatis both israelis and palestinians and that is to have the two state solution. ,. , solution. Independent palestine alon. Side solution. Independent palestine alongside israel. Solution. Independent palestine alongside israel. Thats solution. Independent palestine alongside israel. Thats of solution. Independent palestinel alongside israel. Thats of course the biden line . Alongside israel. Thats of course the biden line . Biden have revised this idea, biden the biden line . Biden have revised this idea, biden and the biden line . Biden have revised this idea, biden and blinken. The biden line . Biden have revised i this idea, biden and blinken. People have paid lip service to it and i have paid lip service to it and i have had to say repeatedly, it has become a slogan, it was empty. Now, since the 7th Of October, i think The Americans are serious about it again. The americans are serious about it aaain. , ~ ,. , again. One of the key elements of this whole war again. One of the key elements of this whole war on again. One of the key elements of this whole war on netanyahus again. One of the key elements of i this whole war on netanyahus part, it was really effectively to destroy hamas root and branch. They have done a lot of damage to hamas, but that hasnt happened, has it . It hasnt, they are doing a great deal to destroy gaza, the infrastructure, the buildings. Apart from the fact it is very hard to knock out every last weapon, it is also an idea that is very embedded in the palestinian political consciousness, the idea of a sort of religious nationalism. So he has failed . The a sort of religious nationalism. So he has failed . The state a sort of religious nationalism. So he has failed . The state of a sort of religious nationalism. So he has failed . The state of war. A sort of religious nationalism. So i he has failed . The state of war aims was as as follows, he has failed . The state of war aims was as as follows, eradicate he has failed . The state of war aimsj was as as follows, eradicate hamas, wipe them off the face of the earth. They havent done that, clearly. The other one was get the hostages back and as we speak, that hasnt happened. Hostages have come out, but that was as a result of the brief truce they had back in november of negotiation. The position of the Israeli Government is the only way to get the Hostages Backis is the only way to get the hostages back is to use force. The one thing he has achieved, on the first day he made a speech saying, well to this effect, mighty vengeance against these perpetrators. I think we can certainly sate that has happened. You know, gaza is in ruins, more than 34,000 you know, gaza is in ruins, more than 3a,000 people killed, majority of whom are civilians, women and children. So he has the vengeance, he hasnt got the other things. In ukraine slow but seemingly relentless russian advance grinds on. The aim now seems to be to grab New Territory in the east. A russian Summer Offensive is taking shape and how bitterly ukraine must regret it Summer Offensive last year wasnt more successful. We may soon be hearing a lot more about the donetsk city which could well block the russians way to ukraine because macro second city to kharkiv. If Vladimir Putin can threaten kharkiv, ukraines position will be very bad. We have this report for the bbc Ukrainian Service from kyiv. It is the riaht Ukrainian Service from kyiv. It is the right time Ukrainian Service from kyiv. It is the right time to Ukrainian Service from kyiv. It 3 the right time to acknowledge to meet delays in the supplies of western weapons. 0ne meet delays in the supplies of western weapons. One of the biggest problems for ukraine since the very beginning of the war. I think the Ukrainian Forces are training for any big offensive operations in 2024. ~ ,. ,. , 2024. The western leaders are seen now to be quite 2024. The western leaders are seen now to be quite open 2024. The western leaders are seen now to be quite open to 2024. The western leaders are seen now to be quite open to the 2024. The western leaders are seen now to be quite open to the idea now to be quite open to the idea that ukraine should carry out attacks deep inside russia. Will that change the course of the war . Ukrainian forces, especially Ukrainian Forces, especially ukrainian intelligence, they have already carried out some Military Operations on rushing round. The question is whether they used or didnt use the weapons provided by the west. In order to be able to continue this for, to defend the ukrainian territories, it is necessary to target Russian Military, military and critical infrastructure. Russia succeeded in bypassing certain sanctions imposed on its industries. If its not possible to stop the production of missiles which are regularly launched against ukrainian cities, not only the front line, one of the military answers to this problem is the use of the long range missiles which can be launched against Russian Military production. I know you have spent quite a lot of time on the front line and you have to talk to ordinary soldiers right up to the commanders, tell me, what is your own personal opinion about this, is ukraine losing the war . The first thing, they dont feel that ukraine is winning the war now. Its not about the defeat for them for now, the other thing that is really, really important is they all speak about the lack of people. There are simply not enough fighters, not enough military on the front line and ukraine is now trying to boost its conscription but its hard because the most motivated people, those that volunteered to serve in the army and defend ukraine they signed up to the army service at the beginning of the vote. At the beginning of the vote. At the beginning of the vote. At the beginning of the vote the Ukrainian Military supported the conscription. They had to handle the keenness of people willing to serve in the army and now they have to handle the emptiness, they have to handle the situation where very few people. There is also a very widespread understanding that by military measures, by military means, ukraine is not able to retake all territories, including the crimea. So other means like diplomatic talks will be needed in the future to restore the territorial integrity of ukraine. The chinese have now bought this entire mountain. Chinas growing reach around the world extends to several continents. I filmed in chinese owned mines in peru, zambia in Southern Africa and in Assembly Plants in different parts of asia, and just about every case the pattern is that the same, the plant is a little version of china with as much chinese labour as the plant can bring in and as few links with the countries surrounding it as possible. A bbc investigation has found that Chinese Companies now control an estimated third of lithium projects in an area of chile, argentina and bolivia known as a lithium triangle, which holds most of the worlds reserves. Lithium is the chemical elements the world needs in particularfor its mobile phones. The research was overseen by the editor of the bbc global china unit. Tote overseen by the editor of the bbc global china unit. Global china unit. We set out lookin global china unit. We set out looking through global china unit. We set out looking through open global china unit. We set out looking through open source | global china unit. We set out looking through open source data are chinese mines operating all across the world and we found over 60 mines that are designed to extract these nails. What is more interesting that we found is that we can look over the course of the last ten years, for example, and see how china has been making rapid strategic gains in terms of its investments to these projects. That was especially clear in the lithium triangle. Ten years ago a Chinese Company made its First Investment in the triangle. Ten years on what we can now say is that 33 of the lithium on the ground of these projects either already producing with those already under construction are now controlled by Chinese Companies. I construction are now controlled by Chinese Companies. Chinese companies. I always associate Chinese Companies. I always Associate LithiumChinese Companies. I always Associate Lithium with Chinese Companies. I always| Associate Lithium with mobile phones, but there are many, many more ways of using it, arent there . Absolutely. These minerals are critical to slowing down climate change, used in electric vehicles, the Lithium Ion Factories that are needed for those vehicles. If we are to meet net zero targets for 2050 we will have to use six times more of these Critical Minerals by 2040 to get there. We these Critical Minerals by 2040 to net there. ~ ,. , � these Critical Minerals by 2040 to netthere. ,. , �. , get there. We shouldnt criticise china for wanting get there. We shouldnt criticise china for wanting to get there. We shouldnt criticise china for wanting to go get there. We shouldnt criticise china for wanting to go green, l get there. We shouldnt criticise | china for wanting to go green, it get there. We shouldnt criticise i china for wanting to go green, it is something that is an everybody� s interests . Something that is an everybodys interests . ~ ,. , something that is an everybodys interests . ~ ,. ,. , interests . Absolutely. What china has done and interests . Absolutely. What china has done and what interests . Absolutely. What china has done and what it interests . Absolutely. What china has done and what it will interests . Absolutely. What china has done and what it will say interests . Absolutely. What china has done and what it will say it. Interests . Absolutely. What china | has done and what it will say it has done, that it is making these Green Technologies more accessible, more cheaply available, more readily availabl