>> NOW LISTEN TO FULL EPISODES OF MEET THE PRESS WHEREVER YOU OF MEET THE PRESS WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS. GET YOUR PODCASTS. >> WE ARE BACK WITH THE LATEST >> WE ARE BACK WITH THE LATEST FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.
SEVERAL FROM THE MIDDLE EAST. SEVERAL LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE ARAB AND LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC WORLD ARE SET TO HOLD AN ISLAMIC WORLD ARE SET TO HOLD AN EMERGENCY SUMMIT IN SAUDI ARABIA EMERGENCY SUMMIT IN SAUDI ARABIA TODAY. AT ISSUE HOW TO END THE TODAY.
AT ISSUE HOW TO END THE VIOLENCE IN GAZA AND IN LEBANON. VIOLENCE IN GAZA AND IN LEBANON. >> ONE KEY NATION WHO WILL BE >> ONE KEY NATION WHO WILL BE PRESENT IS QATAR.
THIS MEETING PRESENT IS QATAR. THIS MEETING COMES JUST DAYS AFTER THAT COMES JUST DAYS AFTER THAT COUNTRY SUSPENDED ITS ROLE AS COUNTRY SUSPENDED ITS ROLE AS MEDIATOR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND MEDIATOR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS, ACCUSING BOTH SIDES OF HAMAS, ACCUSING BOTH SIDES OF NOT NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH. NOT NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH.
THIS COMES AS ISRAEL CONTINUES THIS COMES AS ISRAEL CONTINUES TO RAMP UP ITS ATTACKS IN THE TO RAMP UP ITS ATTACKS IN THE REGION, WITH ISRAELI STRIKES REGION, WITH ISRAELI STRIKES KILLING DOZENS IN GAZA AND KILLING DOZENS IN GAZA AND NORTHERN LEBANON OVER THE NORTHERN LEBANON OVER THE WEEKEND. WEEKEND. >> NBC NEWS CHIEF INTERNATIONAL >> NBC NEWS CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT KEIR SIMMONS IS CORRESPONDENT KEIR SIMMONS IS LIVE IN RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA.
LIVE IN RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA. KEIR GOOD MORNING. SO JUST WHAT KEIR GOOD MORNING.
SO JUST WHAT KIND OF EXPECTATIONS ARE THERE KIND OF EXPECTATIONS ARE THERE FOR THIS SUMMIT AND WHICH FOR THIS SUMMIT AND WHICH COUNTRIES ARE GOING TO BE THERE? COUNTRIES ARE GOING TO BE THERE? >> WELL, IT'S A IT'S A DISPLAY >> WELL, IT'S A IT'S A DISPLAY OF UNITY REALLY BY 80 COUNTRIES OF UNITY REALLY BY 80 COUNTRIES FROM THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC WORLD.
FROM THE ARAB AND ISLAMIC WORLD. AND, AND IT REALLY IS JUST AND, AND IT REALLY IS JUST TRYING TO SEND A MESSAGE OF TRYING TO SEND A MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FOR GAZA AND FOR SUPPORT FOR GAZA AND FOR LEBANON. WE JUST HEARD FROM THE LEBANON.
WE JUST HEARD FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ARAB SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ARAB LEAGUE, WHO SAYS IN A IN A LEAGUE, WHO SAYS IN A IN A STATEMENT TODAY'S SUMMIT CARRIES STATEMENT TODAY'S SUMMIT CARRIES A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THE WORLD A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THE WORLD CANNOT BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF CANNOT BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF TURNING ITS BACK ON THIS ONGOING TURNING ITS BACK ON THIS ONGOING MASSACRE, AND THEN GOES ON TO MASSACRE, AND THEN GOES ON TO SAY ISRAEL MAY NEED AMONG ITS SAY ISRAEL MAY NEED AMONG ITS REMAINING FRIENDS SOMEONE TO REMAINING FRIENDS SOMEONE TO SAVE IT FROM ITSELF. AND ITS SAVE IT FROM ITSELF. AND ITS ACTIONS.
SO THE MESSAGE IS, IS ACTIONS. SO THE MESSAGE IS, IS CLEAR. I THINK IT'S ALSO A CLEAR.
I THINK IT'S ALSO A MESSAGE OF HOW MUCH THE WORLD, MESSAGE OF HOW MUCH THE WORLD, OR AT LEAST THIS REGION, HAS OR AT LEAST THIS REGION, HAS SHIFTED IN THE LAST YEAR WITH SHIFTED IN THE LAST YEAR WITH THE EVENTS OF THE LAST YEAR. THE EVENTS OF THE LAST YEAR. >> JOE AND KEIR, THE US, AS I >> JOE AND KEIR, THE US, AS I JUST MENTIONED, ASKED QATAR TO JUST MENTIONED, ASKED QATAR TO KICK HAMAS REPRESENTATIVES OUT KICK HAMAS REPRESENTATIVES OUT OF DOHA.
THAT WAS ABOUT TWO OF DOHA. THAT WAS ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, WHICH HAS EFFECTIVELY WEEKS AGO, WHICH HAS EFFECTIVELY STALLED ANY NEGOTIATIONS. WHY STALLED ANY NEGOTIATIONS.
WHY DID U. S. OFFICIALS REQUEST THAT?
DID U. S. OFFICIALS REQUEST THAT?
AND IS THERE A SENSE THAT AND IS THERE A SENSE THAT NEITHER SIDE IS LOOKING TO MAKE NEITHER SIDE IS LOOKING TO MAKE ANY PROGRESS TOWARDS A DEAL? ANY PROGRESS TOWARDS A DEAL? >> WELL, DIPLOMATS WITH >> WELL, DIPLOMATS WITH KNOWLEDGE OF EVENTS THAT I SPOKE KNOWLEDGE OF EVENTS THAT I SPOKE TO THROUGH THE WEEKEND SAY THAT TO THROUGH THE WEEKEND SAY THAT QATAR MADE THE DECISION TO END QATAR MADE THE DECISION TO END ITS MEDIATING ROLE, OR AT LEAST ITS MEDIATING ROLE, OR AT LEAST PAUSE IT FOR NOW, AND THEN PAUSE IT FOR NOW, AND THEN INFORMED ISRAEL, HAMAS AND THE INFORMED ISRAEL, HAMAS AND THE UNITED STATES.
SO WE HAVE A US UNITED STATES. SO WE HAVE A US OFFICIAL SAYING THAT THEY ASKED OFFICIAL SAYING THAT THEY ASKED QATAR TO DO IT. THEN WE HAVE A QATAR TO DO IT.
THEN WE HAVE A DIPLOMAT WITH KNOWLEDGE DIPLOMAT WITH KNOWLEDGE SUGGESTING THAT EFFECTIVELY IT SUGGESTING THAT EFFECTIVELY IT WAS A BIT MORE OF AN INDEPENDENT WAS A BIT MORE OF AN INDEPENDENT DECISION BY QATAR. BUT WHAT IT DECISION BY QATAR. BUT WHAT IT IS, WHAT THAT DIPLOMAT DOES SAY IS, WHAT THAT DIPLOMAT DOES SAY IS THAT THIS IS ABOUT THE IS THAT THIS IS ABOUT THE FAILURE, HE SAYS, OF ISRAEL AND FAILURE, HE SAYS, OF ISRAEL AND OF HAMAS TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD OF HAMAS TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH.
AND THERE IS A SUGGESTION FAITH. AND THERE IS A SUGGESTION FROM AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM FROM AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE QATARIS THAT THAT THEY WILL THE QATARIS THAT THAT THEY WILL REINSTATE THE NEGOTIATIONS KIND REINSTATE THE NEGOTIATIONS KIND OF IF THERE IS ANY IF THERE'S OF IF THERE IS ANY IF THERE'S ANY POINT, IF THERE'S A CHANCE ANY POINT, IF THERE'S A CHANCE OF MAKING SOME SOME PROGRESS OF MAKING SOME SOME PROGRESS HERE, WE ALSO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HERE, WE ALSO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
>> PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP GETTING >> PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP GETTING READY TO RETURN TO THE WHITE READY TO RETURN TO THE WHITE HOUSE. REPUBLICANS WILL HAVE HOUSE. REPUBLICANS WILL HAVE CONTROL OVER FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
CONTROL OVER FOREIGN AFFAIRS. HOW ARE LEADERS IN THE MIDDLE HOW ARE LEADERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND ISRAEL RESPONDING TO EAST AND ISRAEL RESPONDING TO THAT? WHAT KIND OF SIGNAL THAT?
WHAT KIND OF SIGNAL SIGNALS ARE THEY SENDING? SIGNALS ARE THEY SENDING? >> WELL, I THINK THE >> WELL, I THINK THE CONVERSATIONS HERE AND AROUND CONVERSATIONS HERE AND AROUND THE REGION HAVE NO QUESTION IN THE REGION HAVE NO QUESTION IN THEM, FRANKLY, THAT THE ELECTION THEM, FRANKLY, THAT THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP IS OF PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP IS GOING TO CHANGE THINGS GOING TO CHANGE THINGS DRAMATICALLY.
AND THERE ARE DRAMATICALLY. AND THERE ARE INTERESTING QUESTIONS, MANY INTERESTING QUESTIONS, MANY THINGS WE HONESTLY DON'T KNOW THINGS WE HONESTLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. AS AN EXAMPLE, WE ABOUT THAT.
AS AN EXAMPLE, WE HAVE PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU OF HAVE PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU OF ISRAEL SAYING THAT HE HAS SPOKEN ISRAEL SAYING THAT HE HAS SPOKEN TO PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP THREE TO PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP THREE TIMES, BUT THE PRESIDENT ELECT TIMES, BUT THE PRESIDENT ELECT HAS ALSO SPOKEN TO THE CROWN HAS ALSO SPOKEN TO THE CROWN PRINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA HERE, PRINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA HERE, MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN. SO WHICH OF MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN. SO WHICH OF THOSE TWO LEADERS, BOTH OF WHOM THOSE TWO LEADERS, BOTH OF WHOM DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS FRIENDS DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS FRIENDS OF THE PRESIDENT ELECT, WHICH OF OF THE PRESIDENT ELECT, WHICH OF THOSE WILL PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP THOSE WILL PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP ACTUALLY LISTEN TO?
AND AGAIN, ACTUALLY LISTEN TO? AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED YOU KNOW, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED SO MUCH. JUST THINK ABOUT THIS.
SO MUCH. JUST THINK ABOUT THIS. DURING PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP'S DURING PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP'S FIRST ADMINISTRATION, SAUDI FIRST ADMINISTRATION, SAUDI ARABIA AND THE UNITED ARAB ARABIA AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES WERE IN A WAR IN YEMEN EMIRATES WERE IN A WAR IN YEMEN WITH THE HOUTHIS.
AND THROUGH WITH THE HOUTHIS. AND THROUGH THAT WAR, WE'RE EFFECTIVELY IN THAT WAR, WE'RE EFFECTIVELY IN KIND OF ADVERSARIES OF IRAN. KIND OF ADVERSARIES OF IRAN.
WELL, NOW, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF WELL, NOW, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF IRAN IS HERE AT THIS SUMMIT. THE IRAN IS HERE AT THIS SUMMIT. THE CROWN PRINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA CROWN PRINCE OF SAUDI ARABIA SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT OF IRAN, SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT OF IRAN, PEZESHKIAN, JUST YESTERDAY.
SO PEZESHKIAN, JUST YESTERDAY. SO THE ALLIANCES HAVE SHIFTED. THE THE ALLIANCES HAVE SHIFTED.
THE PARTNERSHIPS HAVE SHIFTED. SAUDI PARTNERSHIPS HAVE SHIFTED. SAUDI ARABIA TRYING TO PLAY A MORE ARABIA TRYING TO PLAY A MORE DIPLOMATIC ROLE IN RELATION TO DIPLOMATIC ROLE IN RELATION TO IRAN.
ON THE OTHER HAND, OF IRAN. ON THE OTHER HAND, OF COURSE, PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP COURSE, PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP HAS MADE HIS FEELINGS ABOUT IRAN HAS MADE HIS FEELINGS ABOUT IRAN CLEAR. AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE CLEAR.
AND OF COURSE, THERE ARE THOSE REPORTS THAT THERE WAS AN THOSE REPORTS THAT THERE WAS AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST HIM BY THE IRANIANS. AND WE KNOW HIM BY THE IRANIANS. AND WE KNOW WHAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU OF WHAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU OF ISRAEL THINKS ABOUT IRAN.
SO, ISRAEL THINKS ABOUT IRAN. SO, SO, SO THERE ARE STRONG FORCES SO, SO THERE ARE STRONG FORCES IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. AND THE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
