Transcripts For KQED PBS 20240703

Their views on language, safety, and what is considered free speech, amid protests against the war in gaza. Geoff and a closer look at the move by the federal judge overseeing former president Donald Trumps classified documents case to indefinitely postpone the start of his trial. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by consumer cellular, this is sam. How may i help you . This is a pocket dial . I thought i would that you know that with consumer cellular, you get nationwide coverage with no contract. That is kind of our thing. Have a nice day. A successful Business Owner sells his company and restores his fathers historic jazz club with his son, a raymondjames Financial Advisor gets to know you, your passions, and how you bring people together. Life well planned. The covid foundation, upholding freedom by strengthening democracies at home and abroad. Certified Financial Planner professionals are proud to support pbs newshour. Professionals arecommitted to acting in their clients best interests. More information at letsmake aplan. Org. Protecting water during Climate Change so people in nature can thrive together. Supported by the macarthur foundation, committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. More information at macfound. Org. And with the ongoing support of these institutions. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Geoff welcome to the newshour. The Biden Administration suspended delivery of thousands of bombs to israel, a rare move. Israel seized the rafa Border Crossing into egypt on monday and said it would invade rafa city if hamas did not release the hostages it holds by weeks end. Amna criticism of the suspension from many republicans and some democrats was swift. Speaker mike johnson and Senate Minority leader Mitch Mcconnell cosigned a letter to the president denouncing the delay. Divide and white house also delayed delivery to capitol hill of a congressionally mandated report on whether or not the Israeli Military is adhering to International Humanitarian law. The secretary of defense, lloyd austin, defended the weapons policy in a Senate Hearing this morning before being interrupted by propalestinian protesters. Are going to continue to do what is necessary to ensure that israel has the means to defend itself. With that said, we are currently reviewing some nearterm Security Assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in rafah. Some of the Security Assistance we are providing genocide. Free palestine. Amna following all of this is our Nick Schifrin who joins me at the desk tonight. Great to see you. Lets start with exactly what the administration has suspended here. Nick a shipment of 3500 american bombs to israel. These are weapons that were already congressionally approved, specifically 1800 to 2000 bombs which israel has used mostly in northern gaza. They targeted hamas tunnels deep underground but these are the bonds that have caused the most civilian casualties because of their size and because they are unguided. A senior official says we are especially focused on the end use of the 2000 pound bombs and the impact they could have intense urban settings. That is a reference to rafa, where palestinians have fled and israel is threatening to assault, as you were saying, especially rafa city. Israel has more than enough weapons be able to assault route 5 so this is not about readiness. This is about what one official tells me is a message being sent also because the u. S. Is saying if israel does not going to rafa, then there will not be further frozen shipments. Not only those 3500 bombs that we talked about already but a separate shipment of joint direct attack emissions which turn unguided munitions into precisionuided missions that israel is also asking for. The u. S. Is not blocking any defensive weapons and that includes Missile Defense nor is it blocking recent appropriated financial foreign financial money for israeli weapons. In total, the u. S. Has sent israel billions of dollars since october 7 but it is a major step for President Biden who has criticized this idea in the past. The fact is that this is the largest leverage that the u. S. Has over israel, the weapons. Amna a major step so what has been the response here and overseas . Nick the democrats hailed this idea about republicans criticize it. The chairs of the Armed Services Committee Said they were appalled by the decisn and says it weakens deterrence against iran and hezbollah. A source briefed on the details tells me israeli officials expressed deep frustration at the delay of the shipment and the u. S. Briefings to the media on the matter are raising concerns that the move may jeopardize the hostage deal negotiations at a critical moment and that is what makes this moment so critical. The cia director ball bearings, is in the middle of trying to convince the israelis to accept a hostage deal as israel threatens this week to go into route 5 there is no hostage deal and the president is faced with this major decision of whether to withhold weapons. All of these three nature points are intertwined and they have major ramifications not only for the war but the future of the u. S. Israel relationship. Amna Nick Schifrin, i think u. S. Always for your reporting. Geoff we are going to hear perspectives on this from two members of congress. First, a democrat from maryland, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and i spoke with him earlier today. Senator van hollen, welcome to the newshour. Sen. Van hollen its good to be with you. Thank you for having me. Geoff you have for months been urging President Biden to do more, to use the administrations leverage to pressure israel to change the way its prosecuting the war in gaza to limit civilian suffering. What, then, do you make of this move now to pause a shipment of some 3500 bombs to israel over concerns that those weapons might be used in rafah . Sen. Van hollen i think this is exactly the right kind of move. Weve had months of a pattern where President Biden, asks, Prime Minister netanyahu to meet certain american concerns, only to be mostly ignored. And so its very important, the United States now make clear that our support is not a blank check. Its not anything goes. And the president established a red line. He said he did not want to see an invasion of rafah. By all accounts, the netanyahu government is proceeding. So this is exactly the right step for President Biden to take. Geoff there is this concern, though, that pausing the shipment or even conditioning future aid only emboldens iran and iran backed group. The Senate Republican leader, Mitch Mcconnell, said this move, in his words, creates daylight between america and a close ally. What about that . Are you concerned about the message this could potentially send to israels enemies in the region, and the degree to which this could undermine, in some ways, Israel Security . Sen. Van hollen i know im not worried about that. We have made very clear that there should be no limit on the transfer of defensive systems. Like iron dome, like the kinds of systems that intercepted, iranian, drones and missiles, a number of weeks ago. But we made equally clear that when were talking about american taxpayer dollars, its important that they be aligned with our interests and values. That includes reducing the number of civilian casualties. And we have now seen a huge number of civilian casualties in the war of gaza. 34,000 people killed, two thirds of them women and children. And of course, the humanitarian disaster. So its absolutely appropriate, that President Biden say that when were going to be sending american weapons, we we want them to be used in a manner thats consistent with our values and our interests and the red lines that the president has drawn. Geoff is there, in your view, a potential consequence of tying israels hands at this precise moment as its trying to root out hamas . Sen. Van hollen this is not about tying israels hands. This is about making sure that the war in gaza is conducted in a way that prevents these huge levels of civilian casualties, and make sure that that humanitarian assistance can get to starving people. I mean, weve seen 25 people, including kids, already starved to death. So its perfectly reasonable. In fact, i would say its an imperative for the United States to make clear that our support is not in the form of a blank check. The president has made very reasonable requests of the netanyahu government, only to be repeatedly rebuffed. And so i do believe its important that the United States use all the tools at its disposal not to tie israels hands, but to make sure that our assistance is used in accordance with our values and our objectives. Geoff the Biden Administration is expected this week to issue its opinion on whether israel is violating international or u. S. Law in gaza. This is a policy known as nsm 20, which you advocated for. You, as i understand it, have said that you dont expect to get an honest answer. Tell me more about that. Why . Sen. Van hollen actually, i have not said that i dont expect to. I have said, however, that this will be a test of the Biden Administrations credibility. And i said i was concerned, based on reports that came out of the state department as part of an earlier review, that the agencies within the department most knowledgeable about delivering humanitarian assistance, most knowledgeable about implementing international law, had been effectively ignored or certainly not adequately listened to at an earlier stage. So, look, the jury is still out, on the report thats coming to congress. This was a very important piece of National Security memorandum number 20. And its very important that this include the unvarnished facts and truth about whats happened in gaza. And i will say that anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear, derstands that the this the humanitarian situation in gaza is unacceptable. And its been very clear, that the netanyahu government has not done everything it can to facilitate that assistance. And i said, god help us if we say that whats happened in gaza is an Acceptable International standard, that would be bad news for the world. Geoff that is democratic senator chris van hollen, thanks again for your time this evening. N. Van hollen good to be with you, geoff. Amna and for an opposing perspective, a short time ago, i spoke with republican representative mike lawler of new york; he serves on the House Foreign Affairs committee. Welcome back to the newshour. You disagreed with the decision to pause some weapons shipments to israel. You said israel has the right to defend itself. The bigger question here, based on the Biden Administrations decisions, are you comfortable with israels war conduct in gaza . Rep. Lawler yes, i am. Hamas is a terrorist organization who indiscriminately slaughtered innocent women, children, babies, on october 7, and uses their own Palestinian Civilians as human shields. Israel has a right to defend itself. Nobody would tell the United States after 9 11 or during the war on terror not to go after al qaeda or isis, so i think the approach by the administration is wrong. Congress passed the aid to israel along with ukraine and taiwan weeks ago, so it is incumbent upon the administration to fulfill the legislation that was passed by congress and get these high payload munitions to israel as quickly as possible. The fact that they are delaying it and having not informed congress but rather tried to hide their decision is wrong. I believe very strongly that they need to move quickly to get the munitions to israel. Amna theres some 34,000 civilians that have been killed in gaza so far. Mostly women and children. The head of the World Food Program said recently that is now fullblown famine in the north. The senator said just before you and i spoke that god help us, he said, if this is now the standard come acceptable standard for war. Do you believe the u. S. Has any role in trying to prevent mass civilian casualties in gaza . Rep. Lawler first of all, these numbers are based upon the gaza health ministry. They do not differentiate between terrorists killed. Obviously, we want to avoid innocent casualties in any war. But there is a reality of war and so i think israel has done its very best to limit the casualties but again, when hamas is using innocent civilians as human shields, setting up operations in hospitals, in schools, i think israel is conducting the war as best they can, adhering to international law, and making sure that they are rooting out terrorists who are responsible for what happened on october 7. Amna the u. S. Has said this is not about israel continuing to protect itself. They have the means to do so. The u. S. Has sent tens of thousands of bombs to israel since the attacks of october 7 and official say now if they wanted to move ahead with an operation, they have the means to do so in rafah. This is focused on those heavy bombs in particular, 2000 pound bombs which we know israel has used intense urban settings, leading to mass civilian casualties. President biden has called that industry men in the past. Are you saying you disagree with that . Rep. Lawler i do. And i think the president s concern here is more centered on michigan than minnesota and the politics of the Democratic Party today than it is on the war, and i frankly think it is wrong. Israel is under threat and attack and again, hamas is a terrorist organization and so, they have a right to defend themselves. They have a right to prosecute this war, and i think the president should be supporting the state of israel as they conduct this war. Amna as we have not reached, i know you said theres questions around the civilian casualty number 34,000. The consensus seems to be they are mostly civilians, mostly women and children. I wonder as you say, you believe israel is prosecuting the war fairly and not indiscriminately. Is there a civilian casualty number that is too high for you . Rep. Lawler i think any civilian loss is tragic and anybody, the United States, israel, and any time you are in war, tried to limit that as best you can. But you are dealing with a terrorist organization that is using civilians, innocent civilians, as human shields. Look, i want the Palestinian People to be free from their oppressor. Their oppressor is hamas. And so the objective of everyone should be to eliminate hamas as the governing body of gaza and make sure that the Palestinian People are free and ultimately, the fastest way for a ceasefire to occur and for the avoidance of any civilian casualties is for hamas to surrender and release the hostages. That should be what everyone including those on College Campuses is demanding. The fact that you have some folks identifying with hamas here in america is deeply disturbing. And it does nothing to actually help protect innocent civilian life in gaza. Amna that is Michael Lawler of new york joining us tonight. Congressman, thank you. Rep. Lawler thank you. Amna late today, President Biden made it explicit on cnn that he would not send bombs to israel if it launches a major ground assault into rafa city. He also said he would restrict the shipment of artillery shells if israel takes that step. Geoff in the days other headlines, the house of representatives voted overwhelmingly tonight to keep House Speaker mike in his job. Marjorie Taylor Greene had moved to oust him for pushing ukraine aid and other actions that she and other far right republicans opposed. Bypassing the democrats agenda and handcuffing republicans ability to influence legislation, our elected republican speaker, mike johnson, has aided and abetted the democrats and the Biden Administration in destroying our country. Democrats joined the overwhelming majority of republicans in supporting johnson. A Georgia State Appeals Court will consider former president Donald Trumps bid to ousted the District Attorney in his election interference trial. That decision today could mean the trial gets delayed past the november election. Mr. Trump is appealing the trial judge plus ruling that let d. A. Stay on the case. A special prosecutor that she name stepped aside after acknowledging they had had a romant relationship. Parts of the midwest surveyed the damage today after a night of extreme weather that spawned tornadoes. Three twisters struck in michigan including in the town of cordage with reports of others in indiana and ohio as well as west virginia. One of the michigan storms obliterated a Mobile Home Park and several businesses and it also tore the roof off a fedex facility. No serious injuries were reported but in tennessee, Officials Say a man was killed when high winds blew a tree into the vehicle he was in. In ukraine, russia unleashed a barrage of more than 50 missiles and drones overnight, ending a recent lowell in attacks. Ukrainian Officials Say nearly a dozen Energy Facilities were hit, causing serious damage and blackouts. Several homes in the kyiv and kharkiv regions were also struck. Nistry said the war could endgn soon, under one condition. What is needed for deescalation . The European Unions Foreign Policy chief, Josep Borrell already said it. He said that if you stop supplying weapons to the kyiv regime, everything will be over in two weeks. That is the true formula for peace, voiced by the westerners themselves. Geoff the e. U. s borrell did say this month that ukraine would lose the war if it wasnt supplied with more weapons, but that he did not want that outcome. Also today, e. U. Nations reached a tentative deal to let ukraine use the proceeds from frozen russian assets to buy weapons. An Appeals Court in hong kong has agreed to let officials ban a popular protest song, glory to hong kong. Todays decision overturned an earlier ruling. The song was frequently sung during massive antigovernment demonstrations in 2019. Chinas Foreign Ministry said today said the ban will maintain national dignity. This is not a diplomatic question. I would like to stress that stopping anyone from using or spreading the song in an attempt to incite division and insult the National Anthem is a legitimate and necessary measure. Geoff banning the protest song is the latest step in beijings crackdown on Civil Liberties in hong kong. Here at home, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pleaded guilty today to bank tax fraud, in the theft of 17 million. Federal prosecutors say Ippei Mizuhara used the money to cover galing debts. He could face more than 30 years in prison. Concert promoter live nation has settled nearly all of the wrongful death lawsuits involving the 2021 astroworld festival in houston. 10 people were killed when fans surged toward the stage as rap star travis scott performed. A lawyer for live nation said today, only one of the resulting suits is still active. The bankrupt Cryptocurrency Exchange ftx now says it will distribute at least 14. 5 billion to creditors. In a court filing late tuesday, the Company Announced it has the assets tcover what it owes and a little more. Ftx collapsed in november 2022. Earlier this year, former ceo and founder Sam Bankmanfried was sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud. On wall street, stocks mostly drifted for a second day. The Dow Jones Industrial average gained 172 points to close at 39,056. The nasdaq fell 29 points. The s p 500 was down a fraction. And theres something new in statuary hall at the u. S. Capitol, where each state displays its own prominent, historical figures. Today, arkansas unveiled a statue depicting civil rights leader and journalist daisy bates. She played a key role in hools. Egating the states public the state is also adding a statue of Country Music great johnny cash. Theyll replace figures with confederate and white supremacist backgrounds. Still to come on the newshour, Congress Grills leaders of some of the nations Largest School districts about the rise in antisemitism in their schools. And ukrainians whove lost limbs in the figth with russia receive fight with russia receive prosthetics, and hope for the future as the war wages on. This is the pbs newshour from weta studios in washington and in the west from the Walter Cronkite school of journalism at Arizona State university. Amna the ongoing debate around how colleges and cities are handling College Protests played propalestinian protests played out here in washington, d. C. , today. Early this Morning Hours before , mayor Muriel Bowser was being called to testify on the hill, about this police began clearing , out encampments and gatherings at the campus of georg neary three dozen people were arrested. The hearing was later canceled. Over the past week, newshour producers visited that encampment and other campuses across the country to hear why students are protesting, and about the language being used and the limits of free speech. Stephanie sy has our report. Stephanie more than for nearly two weeks on George Washington universitys campus, more than 100 tents stretched across the lawn, part of a demonstration by students from around the d. C. Area. Gaza, thats why were here. Thats why were doing what were doing. And i think a lot of students, i mean, after october 7, have been just feeling this frustration, and theyve been feeling kind of this disgust with the world around them. Stephanie 20yearold palestinianamerican sophomore selina alshihabi says she has lost family members in the conflict. Shes here because of the high death toll in gaza, now at more than 34,000 according to the gaza health ministry, and u. S. Military support for israel. Selina a lot of us, weve been taught that the freedom of speech, the right to life, the right to liberty, the right to pursuit of happiness, that water, food, are basic rights, that everyone should have. And like seeing the United States endorse this is just actually outrageous. Free, free palestine. Stephanie but the rhetoric that has surrounded the protests has made some students fearful. Sabrina soffer and skyler siedrasky are seniors at George Washington and are both jewish. Over the past week or so, and since this whole war even started, and since october 7, even the day after, i felt that as a jewish student, i have felt unwelcome in my classes and on this campus. Stephanie even before the october 7 terror attacks, antisemitic incidents in the u. S. Were on the rise, increasing by more than 35 in 2022 alone. Skyler my parents are extremely concerned for my safety and wellbeing. My mom was asking me if i could put on a baseball cap and big go on the campus as little as possible. Dont go near the encampment. Stephanie sabrina is israeliamerican and most of skylers extended family lives in israel. Skyler without israel, my family would have been a part of the 6 million that weve lost, that we lost during the holocaust. Without israel, it means that i wouldnt be here today, that my peers wouldnt be here today. Stephanie and they say the signs they see around campus go far beyond protesting a war or the policies of israels Prime Minister benjamin netanyahu, known as bibi. Skyler i think you can absolutely critique israels politics, you can critique bibi and his government, as i do with my friends and my family. And thats not antisemitic. It becomes antisemitic when you start criticizing the state of israels existence. Sabrina the sentiment that antizionism is not antisemitism is far detached from reality, and it is used as it is these socalled moral high ground causes that are far removed from the history of the jewish people. Stephanie zionism, genocide, from the river to the sea, these are among the terms fueling the conflict over the conflict, playing out across the country and most visibly, on College Campuses. How many kids did you kill today . How many kids did you kill today . Kenneth each is in a political moment. Each feels somewhat threatened. And each is staking out a maximalist position. Stephanie these differing viewpoints, though not new, have only intensified in the aftermath of hamass october 7 terror attacks and israels military response, says kenneth stern, the director of the bard center for the study of hate. Kenneth this is such a fraught subject where there are two sort of National Identity stories that are in direct conflict with each other, and people subscribe, you know, to one or the other, and really dont see the nuance. Stephanie many protesters across the country say they are simply protesting an ideology. Omar our fight has been against zionism, has been against an israeli government. It has never been against a religion. Stephanie university of minnesota senior omar aly was at his schools encampment last week. Omar we are calling for a free palestine. So its free of settlers, not free of one religion or the other. We want palestinian muslims, palestinian christians, Palestinian Jews to live in one place. No justice, no peace. Stephanie at George Washington university, jewish student miriam is also antizionist. She asked us not to use her last name for fear of retribution. Miriam and i know that my jewish identity for me is has no ties to a nation state. Thats not something that, you know, i feel is important to me, especially a nation state that is oppressing another people and committing a genocide. And that has been occupying Palestinian Land for 76 years. So i think decolonizing sort of the jewish identity, means separating zionism from judaism and therefore separating antizionism from antisemitism. Stephanie but to many jews, antizionist sentiments are a direct threat to the existence of a jewish state and are intrinsically antisemitic and threatening. Ethan fine is a jewish senior at the university of minnesota. Ethan when you seek to preserve the right to selfdetermination for everybody except for the jewish people, that is antisemitic, that is antijewish rhetoric. And that is where antisemitism and antizionism become very close. Stephanie at colleges across the country, one phrase in particular is a lightning rod, propalestinian protesters have been chanting this. From the river to the sea, from the river to the sea, palestine will be free. Stephanie the refrain reflects deeplyheld beliefs over who should control the land between the jordan river and the mediterranean sea, where the nation of israel and the occupiedpalestinian territories sit. Selina what we are calling for is a onestate solution where israelis and palestinians and jews and muslims can live in coexistence. Stephanie in 1977, israeli Prime Minister netanyahus own party used the same phrase in its original platform. And today, he says israel should have Security Control over the entire area. Selina and its ironic that a lot of israeli critics claim that thats problematic when they call for a jewish state from the river to the sea. And so that is thats just extremely contradictory. Stephanie hamas, which has called for the destruction of israel, added the phrase from the river to the sea to its charter in 2017. And proisrael groups, including the Antidefamation League, have labeled the phrase antisemitic. Ethan slogans like there is only one solution, intifada revolution, slogans like from the rivers to the sea, palestine will all be free, are inevitably heard as endorsements of violence because the most prominent act of socalled resistance being valorized in many of the same rallies was explicitly, at least for some of the leadership of hamas and some of the perpetrators, about murdering israeli jews. Stephanie ethan katz, a historian at the university of california at berkeley, acknowledges the diverse meanings of the phrase, but says it has particular charge after the october 7 terror attack on israel, when hamas killed some 1200 people. Some proisrael supporters say any endorsement of resistance against israel is an implicit support for hamas. None of the propalestinian students newshour interviewed expressed support for hamass actions on october 7, but some student groups have lauded the attack. Katz we know the horrific details. We know what a brutal attack this was and huge parts of it, on civilians, in horrific ways, while being described as an act of resistance, as an act of liberation, both by its perpetrators and by many activists. Skyler the rhetoric being used at these protests is not that of a peaceful, you know, conclusion to this war. Its that of violence they want from the river to the sea. It is important to keep in mind that the protest is against a system of oppression and not against a group of people and we have to be very clear about the importance of keeping those things separate. Stephanie a historian at the university of arizona. For the vast majority of the protesters who are using this chanting, it is a call r freedom for everyone who lives between the river and the sea. Stephanie ezra kaye, a jewish student at Case Western Reserve University in cleveland, says how words are spoken matters. Ezra saying things like the classic, from the river to the sea, get construed as antisemitic. It all comes down to the context of whats happening, whos doing it, and at what time. Stephanie another fiercely contested term is genocide. Some, like samantha ginsberg, a jewish senior at the ohio state university, say israels actions in gaza dont meet the threshold for the charge. Samantha genocide is a really serious accusation, and it does not deserve to be watered down and simplified and just applied to everything. Thats a genocide. Its not. It requires intent. There is no intent to wipe out the Palestinian People. Stephanie according to a january yougov economist poll, 49 of young adults under the age of 30 do believe israel is committing a genocide. Ezra even though no one has been convicted with genocide yet, it its starting to look and feel a lot like genocide. So whether you want to call it it or not, we can see that something is happening, that looks and feels a lot like it. Stern the ability to to navigate both of those narratives simultaneously is really whats at the heart of this and the difficulty of many students, because they pick one and you know, they ignore the other, when really both should be engaged. Stephanie as each side becomes more entrenched, stern, from the bard center for the study of hate, says some University Officials are struggling with how to navigate this conflict. Stern the obligation on campus is to keep students safe physically and from harassment and from true threats, but not safe from ideas students should from ideas. Students should not expect that theyre not going to hear things that are disturbing. They are should be expecting to have these scholars and administrators and others help them unpack that and learn from it. And they should have the intellectual curiosity to figure out why somebody has a different point of view. Stephanie in order to move forward, he says, students should focus on areas of common understanding. Stern where can you agree . You can agree what were seeing is awful. Whether you want to technically call it genocide or not, where can we agree on things and underscoring that. I think, you know, is, is a way forward for students to, to not, you know, have these divides over terms. Palestine will be free. Stephanie its unclear whether students can reconcile the warring narratives, as protests continue on campuses from coast to coast. For the pbs newshour, im stephanie sy. Geoff while most of the National Attention around protests and questions of antisemitism has been focused on College Campuses, there have been concerns about incidents at some high schools, too. And that was the focus of another charged hearing today on capitol hill. The hearing gave House Republicans a chance to confront officials from liberal cities about reports of antisemitism in their districts. Lisa desjardins reports. The subcommittee on Early Childhood elementary and secondary education will come to order. Lisa after two highprofile hearings in higher education, House Republicans shifted to k12. The leaders of three public School Districts and liberal areas, berkeley, montgomery county, and new york city, in the hot seat. Just like some College President s before you, that sat in the very same seats. Lisa this after some high schools have seen propalestinian protests include antisemitic chants or threats. Students at Hillcrest High School in new york took overhauls, yelling about and looking for a jewish teacher who had posted a proisrael photo. Eric adams condemned the incident. Today, the big apple schools chief, david banks, said his agency takes this and other incidents seriously. We have suspended at least 30 students. We have involved the nypd when hate crimes are committed. And we retrained all 1600 principles on our discipline code to ensure that it is enforced properly. Lisa republicans especially wanted more accountability. Im hearing nice words, really nice words here. Teaching, redirecting, directing. What i am missing is discipline and i am missing the word fired. What i said was very clear. We suspended a number of students who were the leaders at Hillcrest High School, number one. Number two, we removed the principal of that school for a lack of leadership and oversight. Lisa but he told skeptical republicans that the principal was moved to another district job, not fired, sparking debate including with the aclus Emerson Sykes over when anyone should be fired. Firing may be appropriate in certain circumstances but i think we need to think about how we can address antisemitism, change hearts and minds, make children safe without only looking to the most punitive tool in our toolbox. Mr. Sykes, therein lies the problem. Your ability to tolerate this behavior is completely unacceptable and sometimes, you do need to use the stick because dissenters disincentives work. Schools are a key policy and political push for republicans but with that comes questions about what is real and what is fear mongering. I want to switch to origins high school. In october, 40 to 50 students marched through origins high school, chanting death to israel and kill the jews. We found no evidence that that actually happened. We found deeply troubling antisemitic things that have happened at origins high school. This is the one case that has troubled me the most, congresswoman, i will tell you that. Im trying to tell you we have in fact suspended a number of students at that school, but currently, this case now is under litigation and i am being advised not to speak to the specific things that have happened there, but just know that i visited that school after these allegations have come up. I met with parents, family, staff, students, and i am deeply troubled by what happened there and we will get to the bottom of it. The School District in berkeley is also facing legal scrutiny. The Antidefamation League filed a civil rights complaint, now a fullfledged Education Department investigation that the School District has allowed an antisemitic climate. Has anybody been terminated . I cannot speak about Personnel Matters but i can tell you we follow up when we take action. Im pretty sure your collie gave us an answer. Im not going to be able to do that. I can let you know that again when any issue comes out, we investigate it and pending the outcome of the investigation, we do take action. Those actions range. Democrats also blasted antisemitic incidents but gave educators more chance to make their case. Do you think it would be important for students to understand why a Statement Like from the river to the sea, palestine will be free could be harmful to some of their peers . Absolutely, congresswoman. That is our role, is to educate them on history so that they can understand why our jewish students might find that phrase antisemitic. The hearing brought tension. I believe this deeply. It is not about having gotcha moments. Its about teaching. I would say it has been an excellent meeting. More are coming. Leaders of ucla, michigan, and yale will face this Committee Later in the month. For the pbs newshour, i am lisa desjardins. Amna after months of delays, and closed door hearings, the classified documents case against former President Trump has been officially, and indefinitely, delayed by judge aileen cannon our William Brangham takes a deeper look at where things stand now. To many, this is considered the strongest, clearestcut case where things stand. William. William to many, this is considered the strongest, clearestcut case against the former president. Trump is charged with 40 counts of taking classified documents, and obstructing efforts to get them back. Special counsel jack smiths indictments show boxes full of highly secret materials sitting unsecured in ballrooms, bathrooms and closets at maralago. Theres an audio recording of trump admitting he still retained classified war plans. Smith alleges trump tried to destroy Video Evidence of how the documents were moved around. But now, a trial that was supposed to start in two weeks, is indefinitely on hold. Critics blame the judge overseeing this case, aileen cannon, who was appointed by donald trump, for pushing this case well past the election. Mary mccord is director of georgetown universitys institute for constitutional advocacy and protection. Shes also a former Justice Department official. Mary, so good to have you back on the program. Do you think this is a fair accusation that the principal reason that this case is now likely not going to ever get tried before this election is because of the judge . And if so, what is your evidence for that . William it is mary i would say it is a combination by the delay strategy by mr. Trump and his codefendants and a judge that has accommodated that strategy and actually allowed that strategy to be successful. I mean, she is also a judge that lacks experience handling a case that involves classified information. That doesnt add a layer of complexity to a case because there is a procedure actually under the law called the classified information procedures act for adjudicating how you are going to deal with classified information in a case like this. What needs to be produced to the defendants, what the defendants can use at trial. There is a procedure for all of that that does add to complications. Nevertheless, the deadlines for the proceedings as well as deadlines for other hearings, she has consistently accommodated mr. Trumps delay tactics and pushing those deadlines often in fact, deadline for a critical section five hearing was supposed to be this week and is now put off until the middle of june with the governments response for the next hearing put off until about this time in mid july. So we are talking about just adding significant delay whereas judges with more experience in these matters would have moved them more quickly. I would say theres also a number of motions that she could have rolled on based on the papers, but instead has scheduled hearings and scheduled those hearings far out after the briefing has been completed. William i mean, devils advocate, judges have an enormous amount of discretion to dictate the pace and flow of their cases and hear what arguments they think are relevant and meritorious and which are not. Couldnt this all be well within the bounds of what is appropriate and legitimate . I guess what i would say is i would expect a judge with more experience to move these matters along more expeditiously and also to not give so much air time meant so much play to arguments that are relatively frivolous. I mean, judges, you are right. They have a lot of discretion over their courtroom but there is a speedy trial act, two, and that is not only for the benefit of the defendants, its also for the benefit of the public in assuring that justice is done in a way that does not involve delay and in fact in making today her order indefinitely postponing even scheduling a trial, she had to make findings that this was in the interest of justice under the speedy trial act because she is in fact going well beyond what the speedy trial act would otherwise allow and she recognized that and made those findings. So you are right, there is a lot of discretion but there is also a requirement under law that cases move along, especially criminal cases, because there is a Public Interest and not just a defendants interest in a speedy trial. Some of the critics have argued that because of her behavior and some of the things you have been describing, special counsel jack smith ought to push to get her to recuse herself and if she refuses, to appeal to the 11th circuit. Do you think your actions narrate recusal at this point . I think it has been there has not been the type of ruling that i would say with confidence that jack smith could take up on a motion to recuse. If she were to deny that, that he could successfully take that up on appeal and that is because in many ways, she has not made definitive rulings on things. In fact, in denying motions of mr. Trump to dismiss the case on grounds like president ial records act and other grounds, shes often left open the door for these issues to be revisited later so she has denied them without prejudice, meaning at this time, but i will revisit this later so these are sort of not rulings you can easily take up in saying she made such a clear violation of law here. What she did was sort of indisputably wrong and it shows a bias and she should be recused. I think he is waiting, frankly it is an extraordinary move and if you do it, you do not want to lose that and end up right back in front of that judge so i dont think the time has been quite right for that yet and if there is a ruling, particularly in these hearings, adverse ruling, that is something the government can appeal under the procedures and depending on the scope of that ruling, that might something that also comes along with a motion to recuse. Mary mccord, as always, thank you so much for helping us get through these legal matters. My pleasure. Amna in addition to shortages of weapons and artillery in its war with Russia Ukraine faces a , critical manpower problem. Its troops are weary after more than two years of fighting. Tens of thousands have been grievously wounded, and the military is struggling to replenish ranks. On our recent trip to ukraine, producer sam wayne and i reported on both of those challenges. For 22year old soldier ivan kovalyk, these small steps are a huge leap forward in his recovery. Last september, on the frontlines in eastern ukraine, he was picking up equipment with a fellow soldier, and was hit in a russian strike. It was a small projectile, but it flew right at us. It just happened to find us. Amna it took three excruciating hours to evacuate kovalyk. To be honest, i dont remember much. I was in and out of consciousness. My friends tried to cheer me up so i didnt fall asleep. Amna by the time he received treatment, both legs needed to be amputated. About a month ago, he received a coveted and rare spot here, at the Superhumans Center in the Western Region of lviv. Superhumans launched in april 2023, the only facility of its superhumans launched in april 2023, providing free care to ukrainians wounded in the war. Custom prosthetics, specialized rehabilitation services, psychological treatment, and most recently, reconstructive surgery. More than 400 patients have received care here, over 560 prosthetics distributed. They now average about 70 new patients a month, though thousands apply for a spot. Ivan when i first got here, i immediately felt a good, cheerful atmosphere. I knew everyone was a specialist in their field. I trusted them completely. Amna so how are the new legs working out . Ivan beautiful. Amna beautiful . Ivan yeah. [laughter] amna what can you do now . What are you working on . Ivan all. Amna everything. Ivan i can walk. i can ride with my friends. I can study. Amna everything you used to do before. Ivan yes. Amna Vitalii Marchenko has worked as a physical therapist for years. But the injuries coming to superhumans are unlike any hes ever treated. This is really a completely different category that requires a lot of knowledge. Ukraine wasnt ready for this kind of rehabilitation before the war. Thats why im here. Its difficult work, seeing what my fellow countrymen are going through. But i understand im using my strengths to make sure their rehabilitation happens quickly and effectively. Amna there are an estimated 20,000 amputees in ukraine today as a result of russias war. Ukraine is also now the most heavilymined country on the planet. By the end of this year, there could be some 50,000 ukrainians in need of prosthetics. Svitlana the demand is growing. And since the war has not stopped, we will always have to deal with a certain shortage. William amna Svitlana Kutsenko is the head of Mental Health rehabilitation at superhumans. Svitlana when they get their injuries, its not only about their bodies. Its also the image of their body that they lose and the a feeling that they are incapable of doing things they are used to do. Our task is to help them to accept their new image, but the body image and, the second thing is that, or the second focus is that we should enable them and show them that they are still capable of many other things that they can do in their lives, and that this is not the end. William russia has intensified its air campaign in recent months and is reportedly preparing for another offensive in late spring or summer. Beleaguered Ukrainian Forces hope a 60 billion dollar u. S. Aid package will help. But no amount of money can solve one of kyivs biggest problems a shortage of fighters. A Ukrainian Military commander on the Eastern Front recently said his troops were outnumbered by as many as 101. Last month, president Volodymyr Zelensky signed measures aimed at bolstering the ranks, including lowering the draft age from 27 to 25. For oleksii melashchenko, that means contemplating a different future. The kyivbased Real Estate Agent turns 24 soon. Thousands of young men before him fled ukraine to avoid conscription. When you think about if you were called up and you had to join the military, how different would your life in the military be from your daily life right now . Oleksii of course itll be different. Yeah, im sure. Amna have you thought about that . About what it would look like and feel like . Oleksii yeah, yeah. Sure. I think youll feel a bit afraid, a bit cold and maybe noisy. Especially noisy. Amna but he says he has no plans to leave nor do his friends. Oleksii of course, im afraid. Its normal, in my opinion. Only a stupid persons not afraid. But if it will be our duty and its time to go, then its time to go. Amna superhumans Svitlana Kutsenko says many young ukrainians, coming of age in the war, will view their future through a different lens than generations past. Svitlana this is the generation that grew up knowing that you have to fight for your freedom and you have to fight for your identity. But once its, obtained in the fight, its valued, much more than anything else. Amna when he first arrived, he was told he would need a year to walk without crutches; he did it in just a month. I said when, if not now . Lets try it. Even if it doesnt work, itll be my little attempt. So its not perfect yet, but ill keep improving. Amna he says, if allowed he wants to return to the military to teach new soldiers about perseverance, even after a loss. A lot of people wont understand how you can be so optimistic about your future when youve been through so much at such a young age. What would you say to them . Ivan ive always been cheerful. But when i got a Second Chance at life, i decided i would live it to the fullest. Theres no reason to be sad. These are my same legs. Just a little different. Remember theres more online, just a little different. Amna and that is the newshour for tonight. Im amna nawaz. Geoff and im geoff bennett. For all of us at the pbs newshour, thanks for joining us. Have a good evening. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by. Actually, you dont need vision to do most things in life. Yes, i am legally blind, and yes, i am responsible for the user interface. Data visualization. If i can see it and understand it quickly, anyone can. It is exciting to be part of a team driving the technology forward. I think that is the most rewarding thing. People who know know bdo. The ongoing support of these individuals and institutions. And friends of the newshour, including jim and nancy bill barr, and the robert and virginia schiller foundation. Certified professionals are proud to support pbs newshour. Cfp professionals are committed to acting in their clients best interests. More information at the website. The ford foundation, working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. Funding for america at a crossroads was provided by and with the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. You are watching pbs. Wow, you get to watch all your favorite stuff. Its to die for. Now you wont miss a thing. This is the way. Xfinity internet. Made for streaming. Hello everyone and welcome to amanpour company. Heres whats coming up. The Russian Prison Service says kremlin critic Alexei Navalny is dead. We bring you the very latest. And christiane gets reaction from fmer secretary of state Hillary Clinton at this years munich security conference. Plus, [translator] the choice is very simple. You are either scared or you go on. I chose to go on a long time