Benjamin netanyahu, has delayed his departure for the Un General Assembly in new york. Lets speak to Yossi Belin the former israeli Justice Minister who initiated the oslo Peace Process and the informal geneva peace accord. He joins us live from Tel Aviv. Welcome to Bbc News. Did you hear those sirens this morning given you are in Tel Aviv . Yes, i did. Given you are in Tel Aviv . Yes, i did and given you are in Tel Aviv . Yes, i did. And what given you are in Tel Aviv . Yes, i did. And what do given you are in Tel Aviv . Yes, i did. And what do you given you are in Tel Aviv . Yes, i did. And what do you make i given you are in Tel Aviv . Yes, j i did. And what do you make of the ongoing i did. And what do you make of the ongoing tensions i did. And what do you make of the ongoing tensions that the ongoing tensions that continue to escalate . I must admit, continue to escalate . I must admit. For continue to escalate . I must admit, for us, continue to escalate . I must admit, for us, it continue to escalate . I must admit, for us, it is continue to escalate . I must admit, for us, it is not admit, for us, it is not something new, we are prepared for it. We have got it many times now from the south and now, for the first time, from the north. As it was really futile with the gaza strip, it is futile with the north and with hezbollah. I really hope this will end soon. Because no one is going to really win. Hezbollah is not going to eradicate israel, God Forbid and israel is not going to eradicate hezbollah and, regretfully, there is even no real government in lebanon. It isa it is a failed state, which was taken hostage by hezbollah. The citizens on both sides should not suffer more, they have suffered enough. I should not suffer more, they have suffered enough. Have suffered enough. I will ask Ou Have suffered enough. I will ask you this. Have suffered enough. I will ask you this, though. Have suffered enough. I will ask you this, though. I have suffered enough. I will| ask you this, though. I know you are a formerJustice Minister, you dont speak on behalf of the israeli government, i know that, but what do you think of the calculations going through Benjamin Netanyahus Mind at the moment as these escalations continue . I dont think he really wanted to have this confrontation. The proof is that for more than 11 months, although there were serious suggestions to fight hezbollah, he deferred it. So, we had a kind of low level flames between israel and the North And Lebanon in the south. In the north. This prevented more than 60,000 citizens, israeli citizens, who lived in the north from returning to their homes. They actually became kind of refugees on top of the same number or even bigger number of israelis in the south to be evacuated. The situation is really crazy. Now yOu Have the refugees in lebanon that were asked to leave their homes. I think that it must really end. I dont think there are too many parties in our region which really want to have this kind of. This kind of war. For hezbollah, they identified themselves with hamas against israel not because israel provoked them. As i said, israel is not enthusiastic about having the war with hezbollah. And who really does . You say that, and who really does . You say that. Yossi and who really does . You say that. Yossi. And who really does . You say that, yossi, but and who really does . You say that, yossi, but every and who really does . You say that, yossi, but every time i and who really does . You say| that, yossi, but every time we report on this, even this morning, we are Hearing Retaliation is and strikes from both israel and hezbollah, which makes anyone watching this and any observers wonder how this can be walked back from the brink . YOu Have worked on Peace Processes, peace accords, what insight can you personally share on how you believe this can de escalate . I believe the key is in the hands of iran. If the iranians are decisive to put an end to it and actually what happened to them. Iran actually built the force of hezbollah in order to hit israel in a situation whereby israel is hitting their nuclear capacities. Now what happened is that hezbollah is fighting israel, paying a very high price. With their commanders who were killed and others and ammunition, which was taken out of their complexes in order to hit us. So, iran should theoretically at least not be too happy to see what is happening to hezbollah. They are not actually functioning as they wanted it to function. And here i see the key. If there is an understanding that hezbollah stops firing and are taking its combatants to the north of the river, then i believe that we can end this confrontation very soon. And it means that there should be some kind of talks indirectly, apparently, between the united states and iran in order to put an end to it as soon as possible. If not, then it will continue. And we will all declare victories and all these victories and all these victories will be very hollow. 0k, Yossi Belin, thank you very much for sharing your insights, saying that the us and iran need to engage more to de escalate what is a growing tense situation in the Middle East. Interesting insight from Yossi Belin in israeliJustice Minister. We will have more on the Middle East throughout the morning on Bbc News, stay with us. Its one of the most beautiful and most fought over places in the world. Kashmir has been at the centre of conflicts between India And Pakistan parts of it are controlled by india, pakistan, and even china. Today, for the first time in a decade, voting has begun in in local Assembly Elections in indian administered kashmir. These are the first since the hindu nationalist Bjp Government stripped it of some of its rights to make its own decisions in 2019 Revoking the independence it used to have on most matters except foreign affairs, defence and communications. Since then there have been allegations that the government in delhi has cracked down on dissent. These elections could well test of how far those concerns resonate. 0ur india correspondent, arunoday mukharji, is in srinagar. Given the context we have just set out, arunoday, this is the first time we have seen people in Indian Kashmir have had a voice in years. Voice in years. Thats right. That is exactly voice in years. Thats right. That is exactly the voice in years. Thats right. I that is exactly the sentiment i am picking up every time i am speaking to people casting their vote. They say after a long time they finally have a say in choosing their local representatives, something they hadnt had for a very long time. The last government was formed in 2014 that the Coalition Government collapsed. In 2019 Before fresh elections could be held. The Indian Government took away the Regions Autonomy and downgraded it from a state to a Union Territory as it is called here. That is where the question lies, how much power, what has changed now from the governments of the past when this used to be a state to now the government that will form after the 8th Of October as a Union Territory . To discuss the legalities of that, I Have a constitutional expert and lawyer, someone who argued in The Indian Supreme Court recently in favour of article 370, the article that granted autonomy to the region of india administrated kashmir, thank you forjoining us. I want to understand given the fact that now this is a federally administered region, which means the Lieutenant Governor will get direction from the Home Ministry on sensitive subjects. How much power will the government have . To appreciate this, we see the position appreciate this, we see the position prior to the 5th of August Position prior to the 5th Of August 2019. Before this was a state august 2019. Before this was a state but august 2019. Before this was a state but this was not an ordinary state but this was not an ordinary state like any other union ordinary state like any other Union State where the autonomy under Union State where the autonomy under the Union State where the autonomy under the constitution itself for the under the constitution itself for the last 70 years. The day to day provisions of the Article Day to day provisions of the article was. It could have been article was. It could have been reduced to a state and further been reduced to a state and further downgraded. We have two unions, further downgraded. We have two unions, Union Territory, as you mention unions, Union Territory, as you mention. The power of the union territories mention. The power of the union territories compared to a regular territories compared to a regular state is less, always, that regular state is less, always, that is regular state is less, always, that is number one. Number two is that that is number one. Number two is that the that is number one. Number two is that the union territories are always managed by the centrai are always managed by the Central Government. Here, they made Central Government. Here, they made a Central Government. Here, they made a Difference in this law reducing made a Difference in this law reducing it to a Union Territory that so far as the jumrnu, territory that so far as the jummu, they said they would have jummu, they said they would have their own legislature. When have their own legislature. When we talk of the legislator, they choose their own representatives to the legislature but the interesting part is legislature but the interesting part is that on one hand you allow part is that on one hand you allow people to choose their representatives, but on the other representatives, but on the other hand, you dont give them the power other hand, you dont give them the power which would enable them the power which would enable them to the power which would enable them to realise objectives. I understand that people whatever one might have for the meaning of democracy but one more important thing about democracy is the important thing about democracy is the right to choose. Among those is the right to choose. Among those choices people make, it is not those choices people make, it is not possible, as i see it today, is not possible, as i see it today, legally speaking, that for any today, legally speaking, that for any government which is formed for any government which is formed here will be able to realise formed here will be able to realise its objectives. The reason realise its objectives. The reason is realise its objectives. The reason is that the State Apparatus reacts to bureaucracy, police departments, surveillance apartments, of the government. All these apartments, of the government. All these departments have been brought all these departments have been brought under the control of the Lieutenant Governor of the union the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory on essential matters Union Territory on essential matters matters. Apologies for intervening, matters. Apologies for intervening, you matters. Apologies for intervening, you are i matters. Apologies for intervening, you are saying, essentially, that crucial, sensitive subjects and departments like appointment of police officers, appointment of other bureaucrats, Public Order as well as sanction to prosecute, therefore lies with the Lieutenant Governor who will get directions from the Home Ministry . Will get directions from the Home Minist .. Home Ministry . Maybe direction from the home Home Ministry . Maybe direction from the Home Ministry Home Ministry . Maybe direction from the Home Ministry but Home Ministry . Maybe direction from the Home Ministry but as l from the Home Ministry but as far as from the Home Ministry but as far as the from the Home Ministry but as far as the law is concerned, it confers far as the law is concerned, it confers discretion on the Lieutenant Governor to approve any such Lieutenant Governor to approve any such appointment, law officers. Any such appointment, law officers, police department, whether officers, police department, whether it relates to the people whether it relates to the people who belong to the centre of new people who belong to the centre of New Delhi and supposed to manage of New Delhi and supposed to manage and work in the states. All matters related, including conditions of service, are determined by the Central Government. Similarly, other law enforcing agencies, they are also law enforcing agencies, they are also able to operate only so long are also able to operate only so long as the Lieutenant Governor approves their appointment, their working conditions, and whatever goes in running conditions, and whatever goes in running the state affairs. Just in running the state affairs. Just to in running the state affairs. Just to add, when this was a fully fledged state, the governor was bound by the recommendations of the cabinet . In this situation, the Lieutenant Governor has a wider power . Lieutenant governor has a wider ower . ,. Power . That is correct. Finally. Power . That is correct. Finally, do power . That is correct. Finally, do you power . That is correct. I finally, do you anticipate friction between the government, which is formed, and their relationship with the centre in terms of day to day activities . I centre in terms of daytoday activities . Activities . I do. I am sure they will activities . I do. I am sure they will arise. Activities . I do. I am sure they will arise. I activities . I do. I am sure they will arise. I say activities . I do. I am sure they will arise. I say so i activities . I do. I am sure| they will arise. I say so for this they will arise. I say so for this reason. As i said earlier, political this reason. As i said earlier, Political Parties have contested elections on certain manifesto. If the people vote them manifesto. If the people vote them into power, they want to realise them into power, they want to realise the objectives of the manifesto. As soon as the power is available manifesto. As soon as the power is available with the Lieutenant Governor, will they be able Lieutenant Governor, will they be able to achieve or not . They are bound be able to achieve or not . They are bound to be, as i see, Friction Are bound to be, as i see, friction between the state government, government it has to be government, government it has to be referred to the Central Government. They are more than competent government. They are more than competent to resolve the Difference. Competent to resolve the Difference. ~... Difference. We have to leave it there but Difference. We have to leave it there but thank Difference. We have to leave it there but thank you Difference. We have to leave it there but thank you very Difference. We have to leave it| there but thank you very much, zaffar. Having said this, there is hope about these elections because in the beginning, like i said, they lacked a buffer between them in the local assembly and the Central Government where they can raise their voice, government where they can raise theirvoice, helped government where they can raise their voice, helped their voices get louder and make them hurt in the corridors of power in New Delhi. Remember, once again, the Indian Government has always maintained that reducing it from a state to a Union Territory, taking away the autonomy, according to the government, was an important move to integrate the region to bring in more development and ensure peace. That is the other side of the story. Back to you. Arunoday mukharji, thank you very much. This is Bbc News. Some more development is from the Middle East from the Reuters News Agency who now say that a strike on wednesday hit the lebanese shiite town. That is from State Media and a resident, referring to a place in the mountains of the christian majority region. Although there were no immediate reports of casualties, it is the first time that a particular area, we understand, was struck in those recent hostilities between the israeli military and the armed group hezbollah. We are staying across all of the different lines we are getting in from the Middle East, the latest news that a strike has hit the lebanese shiite town. We heard earlier from the israeli military there have been strikes that were targeting 11 on and the border areas this morning. That follows hezbollah sending msr targeting lebanon. Hezbollah sending missiles. Federal prosecutors in the united states have formally charged a man with the attempted assassination of the former president Donald Trump. 58 year old Ryan Routh is accused of staking out at Mr Trumps Florida Golf Course for 12 hours earlier this month when Secret Services agents opened fire after spotting a Rifle Poking through a fence. The court also heard that routh wrote a note expressing his desire to kill Mr Trump months ago. He was initially charged with firearms offences. If found guilty, he faces the possibility of life in prison. Heres our north america correspondent, david willis. Federal prosecutors had indicated from early on that they believe that Ryan Routh had been plotting to assassinate Donald Trump. There were two federal firearms charges laid against him, but now a Grand Jury in miami has indicted him on that charge of attempting to assassinate the former president of the united states. It all happened ten days ago at Donald Trumps Golf Resort in palm beach, florida. A secret Service Agent doing a sweep of the area at the time spotted the Barrel Of A Gun Protruding from bushes near the sixth hole, just as Mr Trump was completing playing on the fifth hole. The agent opened fire, and prosecutors say prompted Mr Routh to f