Hello and welcome to The Programme. Israeli fury as the Un General Assembly votes for full palestinian membership, effectively recognising a state of palestine. Its a symbolic vote, but it could have major ramifications for un relations with israel. Also tonight. We will look at the situation in ukraine, as russian soldiers look to make inroads in the east of the country. Good news for the uk the economy grew by 0. 6 in the first three months of the year, beating expectations and taking the country out of recession. And we will bring you the latest from new york, as Donald Trumps criminal trial wraps up a busy fourth week. The United NationsGeneral Assembly backed a palestinian bid to become a full member of the un, in a move that would enhance its status at the organisation and effectively recognise a palestinian state. Heres the moment the resolution went through. The result of the vote is as follows. In favour, 143 against. In favour, 143. Against, nine. Abstentions, 25. Draft resolution io l 30 i is adopted. The vote is symbolic membership can only be decided upon by the Un Security Council but with the us veto at the security council, its extremely unlikely that resolution would pass. But even so, israel has reacted with fury. Its Foreign Minister said the vote was an absurd decision that is a prize for hamas. And take a look at this gilad erdan, israels permanent representative at the United Nations, shredding the un charter during a speech just ahead of the vote. This is what he said. Today, with sick and twisted irony, the very body established to prevent evil is now welcoming a terror state into its ranks. What would churchill say if he were alive today . What would roosevelt think . They are turning in their graves. Turning in their graves. It comes as Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahus war cabinet have reportedly approved an expansion of Military Action in rafah. Us President Biden warned hell stop sending some american weapons there if theres a full scale Israeli Attack on rafah. More than a million palestinians are sheltering there, most of them children and women. Im joined now by former Us Ambassador to iraq and turkey, and special envoy to the Global Coalition to defeat isis, jamesjeffrey. Thank you very much for coming on The Programme. Thank you very much for coming on The Programme thank you very much for coming on The Programme. Thanks for having me. Can i first get The Programme. Thanks for having me. Can i first get your The Programme. Thanks for having me. Can i first get your assessment The Programme. Thanks for having me. Can i first get your assessment of can i first get your assessment of those events at the un . It is can i first get your assessment of those events at the un . Those events at the un . It is not unexpected those events at the un . It is not unexpected and those events at the un . It is not unexpected and in those events at the un . It is not unexpected and in 1947 those events at the un . It is not unexpected and in 1947 it those events at the un . It is not unexpected and in 1947 it was i those events at the un . It is not| unexpected and in 1947 it was the those events at the un . It is not unexpected and in 1947 it was the Un General Assembly, unexpected and in 1947 it was the un generalassembly, not unexpected and in 1947 it was the Un General Assembly, not the security council, in resolution 181 that calls for both a jewish state, what is now israel, and an arab and palestinian state, which is what we are talking about now, so it is nothing new and it reflects the fact that most countries, including the united states, which voted against this, do believe there should be a two state solution, and secondly, criticism of israels behaviour in the west bank over the past 15 or ten years. So it is symbolic, but it is fighting an element of hamas right now, as well. You is fighting an element of hamas right now, as well. Is fighting an element of hamas right now, as well. You said is not new but what right now, as well. You said is not new but what about right now, as well. You said is not new but what about the right now, as well. You said is not new but what about the specific i new but what about the specific timing of it . The new but what about the specific timing of it . New but what about the specific timin of it . ,. Timing of it . The timing is symbolic criticism. Most timing of it . The timing is symbolic criticism. Most reasonable timing of it . The timing is symbolic| criticism. Most reasonable countries are too minded about this, they dont like the Civilian Casualties, on the other hand, they understand that hamas is part of that volatile collection of Extremist Islamic thinking, be it iranian or extremist groups in the middle east that has torn at the regional part in the last 20 years and threaten the streets of their own capitals in europe and the united states, north america, so they are ambivalent about this and this is a way to send about this and this is a way to send a signal without doing anything really important. A signal without doing anything really important. Lets move on to the us israel really important. Lets move on to the us israel relationship, really important. Lets move on to the us israel relationship, what. Really important. Lets move on to| the us israel relationship, what do you make of netanyahus response to bidens actions and that withholding of certain Military Supplies if it is going to be used in rafah . Right, uner is going to be used in rafah . Right, unlike much is going to be used in rafah . Right, unlike much of is going to be used in rafah . Right, unlike much of what is going to be used in rafah . Right, unlike much of what netanyahu is going to be used in rafah . Ii grit, unlike much of what netanyahu has done and his coalition, his words reflect where most of the israeli people are and where israelis and frankly most of us who have a strategic background think israel should be, which is they have to finish the dismantling of hamas and that requires more operations in rafah. But the second thing is, no leader of any self respecting country is going to let any other leader, in this case the american leader, in this case the american leader, dictate existential security questions. I think what President Biden did is to perhaps make it more likely that netanyahu will launch a major offensive into gaza. I hope not, i think it could be more limited, but i think that may be the result of this, just to show that you cant order another state around. 50 you cant order another state around. , ,. , around. So the presumption behind all that is the around. So the presumption behind all that is the remaining around. So the presumption behind all that is the remaining hamas all that is the remaining hamas Command Units In Rafah still represent an existential threat to israel, is that right . That represent an existential threat to israel, is that right . Israel, is that right . That is ritht, israel, is that right . That is right. There israel, is that right . That is right, there is israel, is that right . That is right, there is about israel, is that right . That is| right, there is about 15,000 israel, is that right . That is i right, there is about 15,000 of them. They are much diminished, but there is no one to replace them. Most people dont want the Israeli Defence forces to remain a long term in gaza but who will come in if hamas, with 15,000 left, is going to be contesting that terrain . You wont see anybody come back in and rebuild gaza, sojoe biden should tell all of us how this will help long term the people of gaza. {jute long term the people of gaza. Onto the Operations Long term the people of gaza. Onto the operations in long term the people of gaza. Onto the operations in rafah, long term the people of gaza. 0nto the operations in rafah, what do you make of the way it has been carried out so far and the chances of carrying out that mission, as you have just been outlining there, without the significant Civilian Casualties . Without the significant Civilian Casualties . ,. , casualties . So far the israelis have listened to joe casualties . So far the israelis have listened to joe biden, casualties . So far the israelis have listened to joe biden, they casualties . So far the israelis have listened to joe biden, they have i listened tojoe biden, they have carried out a limited operation and it has been praised by a spokesperson here in washington, dc, because it has been limited. They have given warnings to limited numbers of the civilian population to move out of rafah and they have seized something strategic which is the rafah crossing and they are in a position to cut off most of the Smuggling Channels in what is called the philadelphia corridor along the egyptian border. If the israelis do this step by step, and that is the point you did make come up with the diminished military capabilities of hamas, the israelis can do this more low. It wont be the rating that washington seems to prefer, but it could be something much less than what we have seen in the preceding months. I think under the surface, washington and jerusalem are trying to come up with a common position. James, thank you very much for giving us your analysis. James, thank you very much for giving us your analysis. Meanwhile, there are ongoing tensions in malmo at the Eurovision Song Contest around israels entry. The entrant for the netherlands has reportedly been stopped from rehearsing by organisers. The European Broadcasting Union said it was investigating an incident reported to us involving the dutch artist. He will not be rehearsing until further notice. On thursday, klein had told the israeli entrant, eden golan, that she should answer a question about whether her appearance was compromising the safety of other participants. My colleague Maryam Moshiri is there and sent this update. Tonight, the jury final takes place. That means that all the 26 acts will sing for the jury. The jury will then vote based on the performance tonight. So today, all the acts, obviously, were going through their rehearsals in the order that they would do them on the actual night tonight and for some reason they skip past the dutch act, joost klein. There was no indication given as to why this happened. There was no indication from the ebu other than the fact they said there was an incident that involved the dutch act and they decided at that point to not allow the dutch act to continue to do the rehearsal. The props for his show were on stage when that decision was taken, so thats why there was a huge amount of confusion. You mentioned earlier there was a little bit of an incident during a Press Conference between the israeli delegation and joost klein. Lets have a quick listen to this. And i want you to listen tojoost. At some point after the question is asked to eden golan, the israeli act, you can hearjoost in the background asking, why not . Have a listen. Have you ever thought that by being here you bring risk and dangerfor other participants and public . You dont have to answer that question if you dont want to. Why not . If you want to. If you want to answer, please. I think were all here for one reason and one reason only. And the ebu is taking all Safety Precautions to make this a safe and united place for everyone. And so i think its safe for everyone. The politics of your vision. The final tomorrow and we will keep across that for you. Politics of eurovision. Around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. This is bbc news. We are going to head to the us now. Week four of Donald Trumps trial has wrapped up in new york. Compared to the past two days of testimony with Stormy Daniels, today was far slower. The lawyers on both sides really got into the nitty gritty detail of Phone Records, which provided for rather dry listening. The main witness of the day being Donald Trumps former white house assistant. 0ur correspondent nada tawfik is in new york for us. We will get into the review of the week as a whole in a moment but first took us through what we need to know about today. Yes. First took us through what we need to know about today. To know about today. Yes, as you mentioned to know about today. Yes, as you mentioned there, to know about today. Yes, as you mentioned there, it to know about today. Yes, as you mentioned there, it was to know about today. Yes, as you mentioned there, it was a to know about today. Yes, as you mentioned there, it was a far to know about today. Yes, as you i mentioned there, it was a far slower day in court. In fact, courts finished at about midday, so half a day here. It was a day is damaged in between one massive witness who was Stormy Daniels the day before, and a very big witness coming up, try� s format lawyer Michael Cohen. Today, as you say, just going over Phone Records which will be important in this case because donald trump, it has been established even before this trial and during testimony through several witnesses that he didnt use e mail or Text Messages or even a computer, and most of his conversations were over the phone, and so a lot of those phone comb the stations will be dissected when Michael Cohen takes the stand, because remember, he says that donald trump directed him to make that Hush Money Payment which prosecutors say mounted to an Illegal Campaign donation. Of course, donald trump denies all wrongdoing, but those Phone Records will add evidence, prosecutors hope, to cooperate a lot of what Michael Cohen will say. The defence certainly will hit back that Phone Records dont prove anything, but besides that, we did have madeleine westerhout, who was the Executive Assistant at the oval office, and compared to Stormy Daniels and Michael Karen to come, she was someone who thought of donald trump quite favourably and she wrote a book about how much she admired her former boss. Qm. Book about how much she admired her former boss former boss. Ok, and Ust Before We Tet onto former boss. Ok, and ust before we got onto looking former boss. Ok, and ust before we get onto looking at former boss. Ok, and just before we get onto looking at next former boss. Ok, and just before we get onto looking at next week former boss. Ok, and just before we get onto looking at next week which | get onto looking at next week which you have outlined a little bit, just the week as a whole, what will stand out most . ,. ,. , ~ ~ the week as a whole, what will stand out most . ,. ,. , ~ ~ , out most . Yes, look, i think it is important out most . Yes, look, i think it is important for out most . Yes, look, i think it is important for people out most . Yes, look, i think it is important for people to out most . Yes, look, i think it is important for people to know out most . Yes, look, i think it is| important for people to know that there is not really one smoking gun perse there is not really one smoking gun per se in this case. It is rather a series of blocks building to the kind of central. 4 prosecutors, all those led to donald trump. What we had this week was a series of witnesses that try to cooperate a lot of the prosecutions case. We had Stormy Daniels talking about, trying to prove that she hadnt lied about that sexual encounter with donald trump that she denied, 20 say it was all about the election. In previous witnesses pulling out some of Donald Trumps own words when he talked about the importance of loyalty to him above all else, so we have reallyjust loyalty to him above all else, so we have really just seen loyalty to him above all else, so we have reallyjust seen prosecutors building up what they hope will help the narrative when Michael Cohen takes the stand. Just trying to sew enough doubt in the jury to help the jury enough doubt in the jury to help the jury sided with them and find there is reasonable doubt and not enough evidence to convict donald trump. Thank you very much for that. The uk is out of recession, after stronger than expected growth at the start of the year. The economy shrunk towards the end of last year as people faced higher prices in shops and higher Interest Rates. The Prime Minister said the uk economy has real momentum but admitted there is more work to do. Lets hear from vicky pryce, chief economic adviser at the centre f