WEBVTT - Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer Talks Cease-Fire

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<v Speaker 1>Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news.

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<v Speaker 2>Yea, let's get to the latest on the Middle East.

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<v Speaker 2>This morning, the Justice Department charging six senior Hamas leaders

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<v Speaker 2>with terrorism and conspiracy to kill Americans, days after six

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<v Speaker 2>hostages were killed in Gaza. The charges including counseling to

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<v Speaker 2>the groups October seventh sold on Israel, as well as

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<v Speaker 2>a string of other attacks going back more than a decade.

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<v Speaker 2>The Attorney General Merrick Garland, citing the death of a

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<v Speaker 2>twenty three year old it's re any American in his statement,

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<v Speaker 2>joining us now to discuss the state of this war

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<v Speaker 2>and the future. Is Ron Dermer, Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs, Minister,

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<v Speaker 2>welcome back to the program Sir. I think we're all

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<v Speaker 2>very very focused on where we are in truce talks,

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<v Speaker 2>and we'd like to start the conversation there if we can.

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<v Speaker 2>This came out from the Times of Israel just reporting

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<v Speaker 2>just moments ago that the Prime Minister Netanya, who sent

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<v Speaker 2>the moss At chief to Dohart to inform the Katari

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<v Speaker 2>PM that Israel is still prepared to fully withdraw from

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<v Speaker 2>the corridor between Egypt and guard in a deal with

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<v Speaker 2>second phase. Could you confirm this morning, Forest Minister, whether

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<v Speaker 2>that reporting is accurate or not.

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<v Speaker 1>No, I think just to explain to your viewers what

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<v Speaker 1>we're talking about, because there's been so much misreporting and

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<v Speaker 1>half reporting. Understand that Israel currently occupies this corridor which

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<v Speaker 1>is between Egypt and Gaza, and that corridor, when it

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<v Speaker 1>was left open and when Israeli forces were not there,

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<v Speaker 1>was used as a supply route for all of the

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<v Speaker 1>arms coming into Gaza. That's how they got armed. Their

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<v Speaker 1>other borders actually are with Israel, and so the arms

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<v Speaker 1>did not come from Israel. They came through that border,

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<v Speaker 1>and Israel took over the Philadelphia Corrider in the last

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<v Speaker 1>two or three months and also the rough crossing, and

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<v Speaker 1>that has blocked all the arms and weapons from going

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<v Speaker 1>into Hamas the deal that is proposed on the table

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<v Speaker 1>phase one of that deal. Israel has made clear, and

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<v Speaker 1>the Prime Minister made clear in a televised press conference

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of days ago, and I'm sure he'll speak

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<v Speaker 1>to the foreign press as soon as well, that Israel's

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<v Speaker 1>not going to withdraw from that line. We won't withdraw

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<v Speaker 1>off that quarter because if we do that, then you're

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<v Speaker 1>going to see those weapons come back phase one of

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<v Speaker 1>this steal. What it calls for, Jonathan is to have

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<v Speaker 1>negotiations over the conditions over a permanent cease fire. And

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<v Speaker 1>once you've concluded those negotiations while you're in a cspire

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<v Speaker 1>for phase one in order to get to phase two

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<v Speaker 1>and a permanent cease fire, that's when you can discuss

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<v Speaker 1>long term security arrangements on the Philadelphia quarters. So I

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<v Speaker 1>think that report is a little bit misleading, thinking that

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<v Speaker 1>in a few weeks Israel's going to leave. But it

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<v Speaker 1>is true that Israel's committed to actually negotiating this steal.

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<v Speaker 1>We've been committed from the beginning. When the President put

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<v Speaker 1>forward a proposal based on a May twenty seven document,

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<v Speaker 1>he put forward a proposal on a speech at the

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<v Speaker 1>end of May. Israel said yes, Kamas said no. Then

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<v Speaker 1>the US put forward a final bridging proposal, which they

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<v Speaker 1>called it a final bridging proposal. In the middle of August,

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<v Speaker 1>we said yes, Kamas said no. Kamas has not been

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<v Speaker 1>interested in moving ahead to close the deal. They were interested,

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<v Speaker 1>frankly a Jonathan for the last several weeks an escalation

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<v Speaker 1>in the region. They wanted Hisbola to attack Israel. They

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<v Speaker 1>wanted Iran to attack Israel, and I think now they're

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<v Speaker 1>hoping that somehow Israel's government will make compromise that it

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't prepared to make it before. And I can assure you, Jonathan,

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<v Speaker 1>in the wake of the horrific execution of six hostages,

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<v Speaker 1>including an American Hirsch Goolbert Poland, Israel is not going

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<v Speaker 1>to make concessions in the wake of that. We are

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<v Speaker 1>committed to a deal. We set people to sit with

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<v Speaker 1>negotiators to try to get that deal done, and I

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<v Speaker 1>hope we can do it. We're working with the US

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<v Speaker 1>administration to try to push that deal forward the Minister.

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<v Speaker 2>As you know, we're very focused on acuracy here at Bloomberg.

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<v Speaker 2>So you said that rapport with slightly misleading. Can we

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<v Speaker 2>just reconfirm the aspect of it that was misleading and

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<v Speaker 2>you could you confirm whether in a second phase Natangna,

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<v Speaker 2>who has ultimately sent the Mossad chief to Dohat to

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<v Speaker 2>inform the Katari PM the inn second phase, you are

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<v Speaker 2>willing to fully to withdraw from that car of door.

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<v Speaker 1>We don't. I cannot talk about the arrangements in a

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<v Speaker 1>second phase because we haven't even negotiated about it. Who

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<v Speaker 1>is going to be there. How long is it going

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<v Speaker 1>to take until I'll make it very simple for you, Jonathan.

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<v Speaker 1>Until we have an actual practical solution on the ground

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<v Speaker 1>for the Philadelphia Corridor, Israel forces cannot leave, and for

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<v Speaker 1>the last twenty years we haven't had that. We had

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<v Speaker 1>Egyptian presidents and they announced that their policy was to

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<v Speaker 1>stop the smuggling that would go into Gaza. We had

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<v Speaker 1>that in Mubarik, we have that in CC today. What

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<v Speaker 1>happened on the ground was a different matter. When Morcy

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<v Speaker 1>was the president, you remember from the Muslim Brotherhood, was

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<v Speaker 1>the president of Egypt. A highway of weapons came into Gaza.

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<v Speaker 1>So the question is not necessarily Egyptian policy at the

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<v Speaker 1>top levels. It's what's happening on the ground. What are

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<v Speaker 1>you going to do on the ground to prevent that

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<v Speaker 1>border from being a poor supply route for weapons to Comus.

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<v Speaker 2>Because we have minister is an obvious question. If I

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<v Speaker 2>may jump pitser and just interjack because I'd love some

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<v Speaker 2>charity for on this minnester, if I just want to

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<v Speaker 2>squeeze this said that you can complete your thoughts, sir,

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<v Speaker 2>just quickly. If you can trust Egypt to mediate the talks.

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<v Speaker 2>Why can't you trust them to secure the border. Isn't

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<v Speaker 2>that a contradiction that we need to try and reconcile.

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<v Speaker 1>No, I don't think so. By the way, Qatar is

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<v Speaker 1>also a mediator talks, and Qatar has been harboring in

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<v Speaker 1>financing Kamas for a long time and frankly financing the

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<v Speaker 1>Muslim Brotherhood all over the world, and also promoting a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of Famas propaganda, which is anti Semitic, anti American

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<v Speaker 1>through their state controlled television station Al Jazeera. So I

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<v Speaker 1>don't think those two are necessarily go hand in hand.

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<v Speaker 1>The fact is, for the last twenty years since Israel

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<v Speaker 1>left in the Disengagement, a move that was applauded by

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<v Speaker 1>the whole world, we left that quarter called the Philadelphia Quarter,

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<v Speaker 1>we left the border between Egypt and Gaza. We have

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<v Speaker 1>not had a solution on the ground. I'm not questioning

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<v Speaker 1>the intentions of the Egyptians. I'm questioning the results and

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<v Speaker 1>all of Israel saw it. October seventh could not have

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<v Speaker 1>happened without that border being open, and so Israel now

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<v Speaker 1>has closed that and until we have an actual practical

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<v Speaker 1>solution on the ground that is working. After twenty years

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<v Speaker 1>of failure. Israel can't leave that line. Minister.

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<v Speaker 2>I need to follow up on one other aspect of this,

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<v Speaker 2>and that's the division that might be emerging in the

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<v Speaker 2>Israeli government. There was another report and by all means,

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<v Speaker 2>if this didn't have and you can sell me it

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<v Speaker 2>didn't happen. But your Defense Minister tell the Security Cabinet

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<v Speaker 2>the following quote, the fact that we prioritize this corridor

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<v Speaker 2>the cost of lives of the hostages is a moral disgrace.

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<v Speaker 2>So how do you respond to that, that voice coming

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<v Speaker 2>from the rhym government.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I'm not going to get into private conversations a

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<v Speaker 1>security cabin and I will just tell you that the

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<v Speaker 1>Security cabin of which I am a member, there are

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<v Speaker 1>ten of us in that cabinet. Eight of us voted

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<v Speaker 1>to support the Prime Minister's position, one of us voted

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<v Speaker 1>to obstain, and one voted to oppose. And he made

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<v Speaker 1>a very clear position that Israel was not going to

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<v Speaker 1>leave that quarter. And that is a position, by the way, Jonathan,

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<v Speaker 1>that is in my view, supported by the overwhelming majority

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<v Speaker 1>of the Israeli people. I believe it is wrong to

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<v Speaker 1>say it's either staying in the corridor or saving the hostages.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not true. There are many other aspects to this

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<v Speaker 1>deal that haven't been resolved. The United States is working

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<v Speaker 1>diligently to try to resolve it with the other mediators

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<v Speaker 1>and with us. Hopefully we can get there. But it

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<v Speaker 1>is clear that in Phase one, Israel will stay on

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<v Speaker 1>that line until we have a prack to quote solution

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<v Speaker 1>on the ground that we can convince the people of

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<v Speaker 1>Israel will know that what happened on October seventh will

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<v Speaker 1>not happen again, that Tahamas will not be rearmed. They

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<v Speaker 1>will not have an opportunity to do again and again

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<v Speaker 1>October seventh, which is what they're saying. That's what they're

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<v Speaker 1>saying today, Jonathan, that's what they intend to do. We've

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<v Speaker 1>cut off the supply lines of weapons. We're not going

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<v Speaker 1>to open that supply line without having a solution on

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<v Speaker 1>the ground that works.

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<v Speaker 3>Minister, can we go back to this Phase one agreement?

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<v Speaker 3>A few weeks ago, Secretary Blinken was an Israel and

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<v Speaker 3>he said there was a very constructive meeting he had

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<v Speaker 3>with Net and Yahoo and confirm that Israel supports that

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<v Speaker 3>bridging proposal. Then just this week President Biden said net

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<v Speaker 3>Yahoo was not doing enough. How do you manage what's

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<v Speaker 3>coming out of the United States? What exactly does the

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<v Speaker 3>US want to see from Israel? And why is Israel

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<v Speaker 3>not complying?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, I think that just the facts are emory. As

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<v Speaker 1>I said. There was a proposal put forward in May,

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<v Speaker 1>Is said yes, Hamas wasn't interested in talks. They added

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<v Speaker 1>so many changes, around two dozen changes to that proposal.

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<v Speaker 1>Then there was another bridging proposal in August, which was

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<v Speaker 1>the one that Secretary State Blincoln was referring to. I

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<v Speaker 1>was in his meeting with the Prime Minister and it

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<v Speaker 1>was a very constructive meeting, and Hamas said no to that.

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<v Speaker 1>And the reason why Kamas said no at that time

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<v Speaker 1>to any offer on the table is they wanted Hesbela

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<v Speaker 1>and Iran to attack us and to create a regional war.

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<v Speaker 1>That's what they wanted to do on October seventh, and

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<v Speaker 1>they wanted to do it in the last several weeks.

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<v Speaker 1>My hope would be hopefully that the potential of a

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<v Speaker 1>regional escalation is in our rearview mirror, and we can

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<v Speaker 1>get down and see if we can finish these talks.

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<v Speaker 1>What the last thing that is, what was going to

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<v Speaker 1>do is in the wake of the execution of six hostages,

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<v Speaker 1>is to make concessions that it would not have made before.

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<v Speaker 1>That is not going to happen. In fact, all the

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<v Speaker 1>Israeli security cabinet was united that Hamas is going to

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<v Speaker 1>pay a heavy price for that decision, because if we

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<v Speaker 1>don't do that, not only is it going to be

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<v Speaker 1>dangerous forget to a hostage deal, They're going to start

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<v Speaker 1>killing hostages, thinking that if you kill hostages, you get consessions.

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<v Speaker 1>We're trying to get as much as we can on

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<v Speaker 1>the same page of the Americans. I think we've been

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<v Speaker 1>there for the last couple months. Hopefully we'll continue, and

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<v Speaker 1>I think when the US and Israel show no daylight

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<v Speaker 1>between that and when all the pressure is directed where

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<v Speaker 1>it should be on FAMAS, I think the chances of

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<v Speaker 1>getting to a deal go way way up, and I

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<v Speaker 1>hope we can get there in the next couple of weeks.

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<v Speaker 3>Is your understanding that right now what the US is

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<v Speaker 3>putting on the table and these discussions, in these conversations

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<v Speaker 3>is quote, take it or leave it.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know. The bridging proposal that was put forward

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<v Speaker 1>on August sixteenth was a final bridging proposal. So I

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<v Speaker 1>don't know if this will be a final, final bridging proposal.

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<v Speaker 1>Then we'll get a final, final, final bridging proposal. It

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<v Speaker 1>might be that they're talking about specifics and details, because

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<v Speaker 1>this is a kind of framework agreement and there's still

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of things to be negotiated. Again, the problem

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<v Speaker 1>in the negotiation is not just the Philadelphia Quartered. There

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<v Speaker 1>are several things, maybe a half dozen things that have

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<v Speaker 1>to be closed in order to get to a deal.

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<v Speaker 1>Right have not seen and I want to repeat this again,

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<v Speaker 1>at no point has Tamas agreed to any deal that's

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<v Speaker 1>on the table. They have rejected everything. We had one

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<v Speaker 1>movement of Thamas, which was in early July, where they

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<v Speaker 1>understood that there's not going to be an end of

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<v Speaker 1>the war as an entry ticket into a deal. There

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<v Speaker 1>will be a temporary cease fire of six weeks, and

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<v Speaker 1>then during that temporary cease fire, we're going to have

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<v Speaker 1>to negotiate what would be the conditions of a permanent

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<v Speaker 1>cease fire. The Philadelphia Porter and how you block weapons

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<v Speaker 1>from going into Gaza is an important part of that.

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<v Speaker 1>We're willing to negotiate all of that, and we're willing

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<v Speaker 1>to get into that first stage of the deal, Tamas

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<v Speaker 1>made that change. I don't know if they still actually

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<v Speaker 1>agree to that. But on the other issues, there are

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<v Speaker 1>still pretty significant gaps that have to be closed, and

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<v Speaker 1>the US is trying to do that. I will tell

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<v Speaker 1>you that the Justice Department's decision yesterday was a very

0:10:51.200 --> 0:10:54.680
<v Speaker 1>good decision to put pressure on Flamas. Hopefully the other

0:10:54.760 --> 0:10:57.760
<v Speaker 1>people internationally and regionally will put as much pressure on

0:10:57.800 --> 0:11:00.240
<v Speaker 1>Flamas as possible because Israel's government wants to get to

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<v Speaker 1>a deal. Believe me, Israel's government wants to get to

0:11:02.920 --> 0:11:04.800
<v Speaker 1>a deal. What we're not willing to do is go

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<v Speaker 1>to a deal that's going to endanger the security of

0:11:07.840 --> 0:11:10.520
<v Speaker 1>ten million Israels. But we were willing to do a deal,

0:11:10.840 --> 0:11:12.680
<v Speaker 1>and we hope we can get there as soon as possible.

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<v Speaker 3>The minister, you're saying you want to get to a deal,

0:11:14.640 --> 0:11:17.440
<v Speaker 3>but just this morning your National Security Minister Ben vere

0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:19.480
<v Speaker 3>came out on Twitter and said, quote, I'm acting to

0:11:19.520 --> 0:11:22.800
<v Speaker 3>halt negotiations with Hamas. So is that not accurate.

0:11:23.800 --> 0:11:26.080
<v Speaker 1>That's not the position of the government of Israel or

0:11:26.080 --> 0:11:28.440
<v Speaker 1>the Prime Minister. As I've told you, we have different

0:11:28.520 --> 0:11:32.400
<v Speaker 1>views of different government ministers were and the Prime Minister

0:11:32.520 --> 0:11:35.200
<v Speaker 1>encourages people to say exactly what they think in all

0:11:35.240 --> 0:11:37.400
<v Speaker 1>these meetings. But then you come to a vote and

0:11:37.440 --> 0:11:40.040
<v Speaker 1>the Prime Minister's position, which is, we're willing to get

0:11:40.080 --> 0:11:41.680
<v Speaker 1>to a deal. We want to get to a deal.

0:11:41.720 --> 0:11:43.360
<v Speaker 1>We have red lines that we have to keep, but

0:11:43.400 --> 0:11:45.720
<v Speaker 1>we want to get to that deal to bring those

0:11:45.760 --> 0:11:50.120
<v Speaker 1>hostages back up. Until this point, we remember on October seventh,

0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:52.160
<v Speaker 1>there were two hundred and fifty hostages that were taken.

0:11:52.520 --> 0:11:55.240
<v Speaker 1>We've succeeded in bringing one hundred and fifty hostages back.

0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:57.800
<v Speaker 1>One hundred and ten of them or so have been alive.

0:11:58.320 --> 0:12:01.120
<v Speaker 1>And I tell you that the murder, the execution of

0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:04.640
<v Speaker 1>these six hostages was gut wrenching for all the people

0:12:04.640 --> 0:12:07.280
<v Speaker 1>of Israel, no matter where they are in the political spectrum.

0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:10.080
<v Speaker 1>And you probably may have had them on the show

0:12:10.440 --> 0:12:14.640
<v Speaker 1>Rachel and John Goldger poland what they have done in

0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:17.480
<v Speaker 1>raising awareness about the plight of the hostages in their

0:12:17.559 --> 0:12:20.880
<v Speaker 1>dignified struggle and heroic struggle really for their release. It

0:12:20.920 --> 0:12:23.760
<v Speaker 1>was a major, major blow and a lot of Israelis

0:12:23.760 --> 0:12:25.680
<v Speaker 1>are angry, and I can understand that. I think that

0:12:25.720 --> 0:12:29.080
<v Speaker 1>the anger has to be directed against Hamas in order

0:12:29.080 --> 0:12:30.560
<v Speaker 1>for us to get to a deal. And yes, there

0:12:30.559 --> 0:12:32.600
<v Speaker 1>will be people who will vote against the deal. I

0:12:32.640 --> 0:12:35.080
<v Speaker 1>believe some of my colleagues in the government will vote

0:12:35.120 --> 0:12:38.640
<v Speaker 1>against the deal, but the overwhelming majority backs of the

0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:41.480
<v Speaker 1>country and also of the government, backs the Prime Minister's

0:12:41.480 --> 0:12:43.200
<v Speaker 1>position and wants to get to a deal.

0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:44.880
<v Speaker 2>I'm going to say you've been very generous with your time.

0:12:44.920 --> 0:12:46.920
<v Speaker 2>Before we let you go, just a quick question. Will

0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:48.520
<v Speaker 2>the Prime minist to be attended in the UN General

0:12:48.559 --> 0:12:50.760
<v Speaker 2>Assembly later this month in New York.

0:12:51.640 --> 0:12:54.200
<v Speaker 1>I believe he will, But you know, with what happens

0:12:54.240 --> 0:12:56.000
<v Speaker 1>in our region in the Middle East, you'd never know.

0:12:56.040 --> 0:12:58.200
<v Speaker 1>I think he intends to go there, and hopefully we

0:12:58.240 --> 0:13:00.280
<v Speaker 1>can make that happen and he'll have a chin. It's

0:13:00.400 --> 0:13:03.720
<v Speaker 1>just as he addressed the American people in the Congress

0:13:04.000 --> 0:13:06.040
<v Speaker 1>a couple of months ago. Have a chance to address

0:13:06.080 --> 0:13:09.200
<v Speaker 1>the world about how we move forward in this region

0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:11.559
<v Speaker 1>and how we can move from this catastrophe that happened

0:13:11.600 --> 0:13:14.840
<v Speaker 1>on October seventh, to move towards a different future for Israelis,

0:13:14.840 --> 0:13:16.680
<v Speaker 1>for Palestinians, and for everyone in the region.

0:13:16.720 --> 0:13:18.200
<v Speaker 2>Place like the Prime Minister and no, we would love

0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:20.640
<v Speaker 2>the opportunity to sit down with him later on this month.

0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:22.960
<v Speaker 2>Sir Minister, thank you very much for your time Runtown

0:13:22.960 --> 0:13:25.720
<v Speaker 2>with Daddy is around. Minister A Strategic Affairs