Amanpour and Company

>> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO AMANPOUR AND COMPANY.

HERE IS WHAT'S COMING OUT.

>> ISRAEL AND LEBANON BREAK THE DIPLOMATIC ICE AFTER 40 YEARS.

WHAT THIS COULD MEAN FOR THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS ON THE GROUND AND THE IDF'S EXPANDING OPERATION INTO LEBANON.

I SPEAK TO MSF OFFICIAL CHRISTOPHER STOKES.

ALSO AHEAD, >> WE HAD NO WATER WITH NO CLOTHES AND WE CAME CLEAN ON FOOT.

>> AS SUDAN ENTERS ITS FOURTH YEAR OF BLOODSHED AND LOSS, I SPEAK WITH PHILANTHROPIST MOE I BRING HIM WHO WARNS THAT -- COULD SPILL OUT BEYOND THE BORDERS.

>> VULNERABILITY CAN BE MISCONSTRUED AS WEAKNESS.

>> WHO NEEDS FRIENDS?

HOW A CROSS-COUNTRY ROAD TRIP REKINDLED OLD FRIENDSHIPS.

McCARTHY TELLS HARI SREENIVASAN WHY MEN NEED CLOSER FRIENDSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER.

>> AMANPOUR AND COMPANY IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS, CANDACE KING WEIR, THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITY, DATA ONE, AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

I AM BIANNA GOLODRYGA.

DIRECT TALKS IN MORE THAN 40 YEARS.

THE HISTORIC NEGOTIATIONS ARE PART OF A U.S.

BROKERED ATTEMPT TO END ISRAEL'S WAR WITH HEZBOLLAH.

THE GAPS OF DISAGREEMENT ARE WIDE AND PRACTICE COULD BE DASHED BY THE MILITIA WHICH SAYS IT WON'T ABIDE BY ANY AGREEMENT REACHED.

YET AS MOMENTOUS AS THESE TALKS MAYBE ON THE GROUND, THE REALITY IS FAR LESS HOPEFUL FOR CIVILIANS.

ALTHOUGH ISRAEL HAS SCALED-BACK ATTACKS ON LEBANON THIS WEEK, DOZENS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REPORTED KILLED IN THE LAST DAY.

AND LEBANESE COMMUNITIES ARE REELING FROM THE ISRAELI ASSAULT LAST MONDAY WHICH KILLED ONE --300 PEOPLE AND KILLED MORE THAN 1000 ACCORDING TO LEBANON'S HEALTH MINISTRY.

AND FOR THE LEBANESE PEOPLE GRAPPLING WITH LAWSON DISPLACEMENT, THERE IS LITTLE HOPE THAT NEGOTIATIONS WILL HAROLD CHANGE.

>> Translator: AS FOR THAT NEGOTIATIONS, AS USUAL, I'M NOT VERY HOPEFUL BUT GOD WILLING, THIS WILL BE TO A LASTING SOLUTION.

WE HOPE THAT OUR PRIME MINISTER WILL PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE NEGOTIATIONS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL SO ALL THESE PEOPLE CAN GO HOME.

>> THE CURRENT SITUATION IS HOPELESS.

WE DON'T SEE ANY GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

>> HEALTHCARE WORKERS HAVE ALSO BEEN VICTIMS IN THIS WAR.

SINCE EARLY MARCH, DOZENS OF MEDICS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKE SPREAD MSF FOUNDERS HAVE BEEN WORKING ACROSS THREE MAJOR HOSPITALS IN LEBANON AND THEIR EMERGENCY COORDINATOR, CHRISTOPHER STOKES YOU WERE THERE LIVE ON THE GROUND IN BEIRUT.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES, WHAT IS THE IMMEDIATE REALITY FACING CIVILIANS THERE AND YOUR COLLEAGUES WHO ARE WORKING EFFORTLESSLY TO HELP THEM?

>> WELL, THE IMMEDIATE REALITY FOR ALL THE LEBANESE IS A LIFE OF FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY.

FOR THE MOMENT, I'M IN CENTRAL BEIRUT.

YESTERDAY I WAS IN THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY AND OVERHEAD YOU REGULARLY HEAR DRONES THAT ARE AIMING TO ACQUIRE TARGETS FOR THE STRIKES.

LAST WEDNESDAY, WE HAD A MASSIVE ATTACK WITH OVER 100 -- THE DAY AFTER THE CEASE-FIRE, ACTUALLY, OVER 100 TRIKES IN 10 MINUTES SO IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE 300 DEAD AND WELL OVER 1000 CASUALTIES JUST IN THAT MOMENT.

AND THEN YOU HAVE MASSIVE DISPLACEMENT SO THE CITY IS TEEMING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN EXPELLED FROM THE COUNTRY.

>> AND AS WE'VE NOTED, YOUR TEAM IS WORKING WITH A MASS INFLUX OF CASUALTIES INCLUDING A CHILD WHO RECENTLY LOST SIX FAMILY MEMBERS.

THE W.H.O.

HAS WARNED THAT CRITICAL SUPPLIES ARE RUNNING OUT.

HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE PUSHED TO EXHAUSTION THERE AS THEY ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO HELP THESE CIVILIANS.

OUR HOSPITALS EQUIPPED AT THIS POINT TO PROVIDE THE AID THAT IS NEEDED?

>> YEAH, FIRST OFF, THE LEBANESE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ARE REALLY DOING AN AMAZING JOB.

THEY'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR OVER 40 DAYS AND YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE IN MANY OF THESE HOSPITALS PERHAPS THEY RECEIVED ONE OR TWO HEAVY CASUALTIES --MULTI- --MULTI TRAUMAS PER WEEK AND NOW THEY ARE GETTING 10 TO 15 PER DAY.

TODAY --YESTERDAY, THERE WERE 35 DEAD.

AND 159 WOUNDED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE AIR STRIKES.

THIS IS HAPPENING A PHYSICAL THE STAFF ARE EXHAUSTED.

SOMETIMES, THE HOSPITALS ARE DAMAGED AS WELL SO WHEN THEY ARE NOT TREATING PATIENTS, THEY ARE SWEEPING BROKEN GLASS OR TRYING TO REPAIR DAMAGED INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE OF STRIKES THAT HAPPENED QUITE CLOSE TO THEIR HOSPITALS.

AND MANY OF THOSE LEBANESE PROFESSIONALS ARE DOCTORS OR NURSES SLEEPING IN THE HOSPITALS.

THEY LIVE ON THE GROUND FLOOR BECAUSE IT'S SO DANGEROUS TO MOVE TO COME TO AND FROM THE HOSPITALS SO EVERYTHING IS A STRUGGLE.

>> AND YET, IT IS NOT A NEW STRUGGLE.

LEBANON IS VERY FAMILIAR, UNFORTUNATELY, TO THIS TYPE OF FIGHTING AND DESTRUCTION WITH HEZBOLLAH AND ISRAEL THEY ARE IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY IN PARTICULAR.

WE HAVE BEEN COVERING IT OVER THE PAST YEAR BUT YOU CAN GO BACK DECADES AND THIS CONFLICT --WAS STILL AS DEADLY AS IT IS TODAY.

THAT IS MY QUESTION TO YOU.

IN TERMS OF THE DESTRUCTION.

ARE YOU SEEING SOMETHING DIFFERENT NOW THAN WHAT YOU'VE SEEN MOST RECENTLY?

LET'S GO BACK A YEAR BEFORE THE CEASE-FIRE WAS IN PLACE.

>> I THINK WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.

AND WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES ACROSS THE BOARD.

ONLY THE OTHER DAY, WE TREATED TWO YOUNG WOMEN IN THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY WHO HAD BEEN INJURED IN AN AIRSTRIKE.

ONE HAD BILATERAL LOWER LIMB AMPUTATIONS AND CAME IN WITH HER FOOT LYING ON THE STRETCHER.

HER FOOT WAS SECTIONED AND HER FRIEND CAME IN WITH AN UNSTABLE FEMORAL FRACTURE AND HER THIGH WAS FILLING UP WITH FOOD.

SO WE'VE SEEN REALLY HEAVY BASICALLY BECAUSE THE WEAPONS BEING USED BY ISRAEL, LANDING IN VERY DENSE URBAN AREAS, WHERE YOU HAVE A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF POPULATION.

SO THAT IS ONE SPECIFIC PROBLEM THAT IS MUCH MORE THAN A PROBLEM.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE.

THE LOSS OF CIVILIAN LIFE IS QUITE HEAVY AND LEBANON SAW SOMETHING SIMILAR IN 2024, AND ALSO 2006 BUT IT WASN'T LIKE THIS.

AND CERTAINLY THIS WAR HAS LEFT IT --LASTED A LONG TIME NOW.

>> HAS BELOW FIGHTERS HAVE IMMERSED THEMSELVES AMONG THE POPULATION.

GIVE US A SENSE OF THE REALITY WHEN THE WARNINGS COME IN FROM THE IDF TO EVACUATE.

HOW FEASIBLE IS THAT?

WHERE DO CIVILIANS GO?

>> WELL, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS -- THE WARNINGS --SO THE ATTACKS LAST WEEK CAME WITHOUT ANY WARNING HERE IN BEIRUT.

I WAS ACTUALLY SITTING HERE IN THE OFFICE AND WE CAN SEE THE STRIKES, SO SOME OF THE STRIKES HAPPEN WITHOUT WARNING.

WHATEVER THE TARGET THAT ISRAEL IS AIMING AT, IF YOU ARE WALKING ON THE STREET OR IF YOU'RE IN A BUILDING IN THE BUILDING COLLAPSES ON YOU, YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL ARE QUITE SLIM.

SO THAT'S ONE PROBLEM.

THEN YOU HAVE THESE HUGE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN ORDERED THAT ARE UNDER ORDERS FROM ISRAEL TO BE EVACUATED INCLUDING EVERYTHING SOUTH OF THE LATHANIEL RIVER.

YOU HAVE 1.1 MILLION DISPLACED CREATING PRESSURE.

AND A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THEY WILL EVER GO BACK HOME BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD, INCLUDING BY ISRAELI MINISTERS THAT THEIR VILLAGES ARE GOING TO BE TURNED INTO RUBBLE LIKE GAZA WAS.

SO THAT IS REALLY WEIGHING ON PEOPLE BEYOND THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS, WHERE WILL THEY BE IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS.

>> I'M GOING TO DISCUSS THAT WITH MINISTER KATZ.

EXPLICITLY CITING THE DESTRUCTION WE'VE SEEN IN THE WAR WITH GAZA --IN GAZA --YOU MENTIONED LAST WEDNESDAY --AND THAT WAS I BELIEVE THAT THE LARGEST ATTACK THAT ISRAEL HAD CONDUCTED SINCE HAS BELOW -- HEZBOLLAH LAUNCHED ITS WAR WITH ISRAEL --THE UNITED STATES LAUNCHING ITS ATTACKS ON IRAN.

TELL US ABOUT THAT DAY.

GIVEN YOUR PROXIMITY --THIS WAS I BELIEVE 100 STRIKES IN JUST 10 MINUTES TIME.

WHAT DID THAT FEEL LIKE?

WHAT DID THAT SOUND AND LOOK LIKE?

>> WELL, IT CREATED A HUGE SENSE OF SHOCK AND WORRY.

SO PEOPLE ARE USED TO A STRIKE HERE AND THERE IN BEIRUT, WHICH IS BAD ENOUGH.

YOU CAN IMAGINE.

AND IN THAT MOMENT, TOTALLY UNANNOUNCED, OVER 100 STRIKES.

YOU COULD'S --COULD HEAR THE CITY BEING HIT.

AND TRY TO SEE IF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WERE SAFE SO EVERYBODY HERE IN THE OFFICE, MY LEBANESE COLLEAGUES JUMPED ON THEIR PHONES.

THE HOSPITALS WERE LOADED.

THEY DID THE BEST THEY COULD.

MANY OF THE BODIES WERE HARD TO IDENTIFY.

ALSO IN SOME CASES, YOU HAD ENTIRE FAMILIES KILLED.

SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY SURVIVORS TO IDENTIFY THE BODY.

AND WE HAD TRAGIC CASES IN THE SOUTH.

WE HAD A YOUNG SEVEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO CAME INTO THE HOSPITAL INJURED AND CRYING.

ALL HER FAMILY MEMBERS WE LATER DISCOVERED --SEVEN OF HER FAMILY MEMBERS WERE BURIED UNDER THE RUBBLE.

ACTUALLY, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE -- ON THAT DAY, THEY HAD SEEN THE THEY THOUGHT THE WAR WOULD BE OVER AND ORDINARY LEBANESE CIVILIANS STARTED RETURNING.

SOME WENT HOME AND WE HAD SEVERAL CASES OF --THAT WERE INJURED OR WOUNDED OR KILLED ACTUALLY GOING HOME TO THE SOUTH THINKING THE WAR WAS OVER BUT THEY WERE MET WITH CONTINUED DESTRUCTION.

>> I WANT TO PLAY SOUND FROM ONE LEBANESE MAN GRAPPLING WITH THE WAR WHO I THINK SPEAKS FOR A LARGE PORTION OF THE POPULATION THAT IS ANGRY, ANGRY AT OBVIOUSLY ISRAEL FOR THE STRIKES.

ANGRY AT HEZBOLLAH FOR DRAGGING LEBANON ONCE AGAIN INTO A WAR THAT LEBANESE CIVILIANS AND PEOPLE DON'T WANT.

LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAID.

>> Translator: THERE IS SOMETHING UNBELIEVABLE.

DESTRUCTION.

VERY MASSIVE DESTRUCTION.

I MEAN, EVEN SOMEONE WHO ISN'T AFRAID WOULD BECOME AFRAID.

I FEEL FEAR AND ANXIETY.

WHERE IS THIS COUNTRY HEADED?

OUR LIVES?

WHERE ARE WE STAYING AND WHERE ARE WE GOING?

NO ONE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

WE HAVE CHILDREN, LIVELIHOODS, PROPERTY.

PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE.

ENOUGH.

WE'VE HAD ENOUGH WAR.

>> CHRISTOPHER, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THOSE AROUND YOU?

THOSE CIVILIANS?

>> THERE'S CERTAINLY MORE WEARINESS AND THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR ABOUT WHAT TOMORROW HOLDS.

AND ONE OF THEIR MAIN CONCERNS AGAIN IS WILL THEY BE ABLE TO GO HOME?

ESPECIALLY FOR THE DISPLACED HERE.

THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS THAT ARE HEADING UP IN BEIRUT AND VERY UNSANITARY, TERRIBLE CONDITIONS.

THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO.

THEY ARE STUCK IN COLLECTED BUILDINGS.

IN SCHOOLS, INTENSE, ON THE IT'S ALSO A CONCERN BECAUSE IF THERE IS AN AIRSTRIKE, IF YOUR AND --IN A TENT, THERE IS NOTHING TO PROTECT YOU.

THEY'RE HOPING FOR PEACE.

THEY ARE REALLY HOPING TO GO BACK HOME.

AND THE DOCTORS WORKING IN THE HOSPITALS ARE ALSO HOPING TO GO BACK HOME BECAUSE MANY OF THEM NOW LIVE IN THESE HOSPITALS AS I MENTIONED, AND BARELY SEE THEIR FAMILIES.

IT'S SO DANGEROUS TO MOVE IN AND OUT OF HOSPICE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH.

>> WHAT EXACTLY IS NEEDED IN TERMS OF AID?

WE KNOW THE W.H.O.

IS WARNING OF ESCALATING FIT INSECURITIES.

WE ARE SEEING PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE GOT CONFLICTS THAT'S IMPACTING THE PRICE OF COMMODITIES AND ENERGY AND GAS AND OIL.

WE'VE SEEN A SPIKE IN VEGETABLE PRICES.

OVER 20% BREAD, 17% --ALL OF THIS SINCE EARLY MARCH --MARCH 2nd.

A FEW WEEKS AGO.

HOW IS THAT IMPACTING GETTING THOSE SUPPLIES TO YOU?

>> I CAN SPEAK TO THAT MEDICAL ORGANIZATION WHAT WE ARE SEEING ON THE GROUND.

THE GENERAL MEDICAL SITUATION.

I WAS IN AND THE DOCTORS THERE -- BASICALLY, THERE'S NO ELECTRICITY SO THEY ARE RUNNING THEIR HOSPITAL AND SMALL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

ON A GENERATOR.

FUEL PRICES HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF SO WE ARE GOING TO HELP FROM THERE.

IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO EVEN GET OXYGEN TANKS DOWN THERE BECAUSE IT PRESENTS CERTAIN RISKS.

THE PROBLEMS ARE PILING ON AND MULTIPLYING.

AND I WOULD SAY, WHEN IT COMES TO THE MEDICAL SYSTEM, THEY ARE UNDER HUGE STRESS.

LEBANON HAS TRIED TO HAVE A DANGEROUS --GENEROUS APPROACH AND SAY THE DISPLACED AND WOUNDED WOULD GET FREE CARE, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT THESE --ARE ALREADY IN A BAD ECONOMIC SITUATION WITH ALL THE DISPLACED, ET CETERA, SO HEALTHCARE IS ALREADY IN DANGER ALSO FROM THE DIRECT STRIKES, LOTS OF AMBULANCES HAVE BEEN HIT.

SO, IT'S REALLY QUITE A CATASTROPHIC SITUATION PARTICULARLY IN THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY.

>> CHRISTOPHER STOKES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING THE SHOW AND PAINTING THIS STARK REALITY THAT SO MANY THERE ARE NOW FACING.

WE APPRECIATE THE TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WELL, AS DIPLOMACY TAKE CENTER STAGE IN WASHINGTON, THE IDF IS PUSHING FURTHER INTO SOUTHERN LEBANON.

ISRAEL SAYS IT WANTS TO TAKE FULL CONTROL OF BINT JBEIL.

FOR MORE ON WHAT ISRAEL'S ULTIMATE STRATEGY IS HERE, I'M JOINED BY AMOS HAREL.

I KNOW YOU WERE ABLE TO LISTEN TO THAT CONVERSATION.

IN TERMS OF SOUTHERN LEBANON AND ITS IMPACT ON CIVILIANS, FOR THOSE THAT LIVE IN NORTHERN ISRAEL, THEIR OWN SAFETY AND STABILITY AND BEING ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES IS PARAMOUNT FOR ISRAEL, AND THEIR SECURITY, TOO.

MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHEN YOU CARE ABOUT THE LEVEL AND WHEN YOU REPORT ABOUT THE LEVEL OF DESTRUCTION, THE STRIKES THAT WE JUST SAW LAST WEEK, 100 STRIKES IN 10 MINUTES TIME, ISRAEL CONTINUING TO MOVE INLAND HERE.

WHY IS THIS APPROACH BY THE IDF, WHY DO THEY THINK THIS WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN PAST WARS WITH HEZBOLLAH?

>> IT IS NOT ONLY THE APPROACH OF THE IDF.

IT IS THE GENERAL MOOD IN THE COUNTRY I WOULD SAY.

ISRAELIS AFTER OCTOBER 7th TREAT SECURITY THREATS DIFFERENTLY.

THIS IS WHAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU IS COUNTING ON.

THAT ISRAEL TAKES CHARGE OF EVENTS AND IT INITIATES A TEXT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THREATS FROM BECOMING MORE DANGEROUS.

THE IDF ITSELF, IT'S UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM THE POPULATION IN THE NORTH.

THE PREVIOUS ROUND IN LATE '24, THERE WAS A CEASE-FIRE AFTER ACHIEVING A VICTORY.

SO THE RESIDENTS WERE PROMISED THAT THINGS WOULD SLOW DOWN, CALM DOWN, AND THEY CAN GET BACK TO THEIR HOMES.

ONCE THE SECOND WAR WITH IRAN BEGAN, ONCE HEZBOLLAH RESUMED LAUNCHING ROCKETS, THE REALITY PROVED QUITE DIFFERENT, AND ALSO THERE IS THE PRESSURE FROM THE POLITICIANS AND NETANYAHU'S GOVERNMENT AS I SAID IS QUITE HAWKISH ABOUT MUST'VE INNING AND THE DEMAND FROM THE GENERALS IS TO MAKE THIS THING DISAPPEAR.

THE ARMY KNOWS ONE SOLUTION, WHICH IS APPLY MORE PRESSURE.

APPLY MORE MILITARY POWER IN ORDER TO SOLVE THINGS.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT ISN'T WORKING TOO WELL.

ON THE ONE HAND THERE'S A LOT OF SUFFERING.

YOUR PREVIOUS INTERVIEW HAS MENTIONED THAT.

THERE'S ALSO QUITE A LOT OF SUFFERING ON THE ISRAELI SIDE, AND HEZBOLLAH IS NOT GOING TO HEZBOLLAH NEEDS THE FIGHT.

IT LOST HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF FIGHTERS SINCE THE WAR RESUMED.

>> RIGHT.

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A WEEKEND HEZBOLLAH.

AS YOU KNOW, ISRAEL BECAME THE VICTOR OF THE LAST WAR BETWEEN THESE TWO SIDES, AND YET, HEZBOLLAH STILL CAPABLE OF FIRING ROCKETS INTO NORTHERN ISRAEL.

AMOS, THIS BRINGS ME TO HISTORIC TALKS TAKING PLACE NOW IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE FIRST HIGH-LEVEL DIRECT TALKS BETWEEN ISRAELI OFFICIALS AND LEBANESE OFFICIALS IN YEARS, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR REAL DIPLOMACY?

>> IT IS HISTORIC.

IT IS SIGNIFICANT.

I'M NOT SURE I WOULD BE TOO HOPEFUL ABOUT THE RESULTS.

IN '82 AND '83, THE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED BY THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT AT THAT TIME.

IT WAS NEVER IMPLEMENT IT.

WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS ON THE ONE HAND, A GENERAL WILLINGNESS ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MILITARY AS BEIRUT TO RESTRAIN HEZBOLLAH AND PERHAPS HELP DISMANTLE SOME MORE OF ITS WEAPONS BUT YET, HEZBOLLAH REMAINS QUITE A FORCE POLITICALLY IN LEBANON AND IT'S QUITE CLEAR THAT THE ARMY AND THE GOVERNMENT ARE AFRAID OF HEZBOLLAH.

ISRAEL IS DOING THIS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP ASKED PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU TO DO.

THERE ARE NOT HOPES THAT THIS WOULD END WITH A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION BUT A LOT OF THIS DEPENDS ON WHAT GOES ON IN THE GULF.

IF A LONGER CEASE-FIRE IS REACHED IN THE GULF, AND THEN WE WILL SEE ISRAEL RESTRAINT LEBANON.

THE PRESIDENT TOLD THE PRIME MINISTER TO STOP BOMBING BEIRUT AND THE VALLEY IN LEBANON.

SOUTHERN LEBANON.

I THINK WE SEE SIGNS THAT THIS COULD END.

I'M NOT SURE, WITH A FINAL DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION BUT THIS COULD END IF THE WAR IN IRAN STOPS AS WELL, BUT THIS IS A PROXY WAR.

IN THE END, THE FOCUS IS ON THE GULF AND IF THERE IS A BREAKTHROUGH, A DIPLOMATIC BREAKTHROUGH THERE, THEN THINGS MIGHT CALM DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN LEBANON AS WELL.

>> SO ARE THESE DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS?

AND I'M REFERENCING BOTH OF THOSE IN WASHINGTON AND PERHAPS THOSE THAT WOULD BE RESTARTED IN PAKISTAN AND ISLAM ABOUT AS SOON AS LATER THIS WEEK.

ARE THEY DIRECTED SOLELY BY WASHINGTON HERE, AND I'M WONDERING WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FOR ISRAEL GIVEN THAT THEY IMPACT TWO WARS THAT ISRAEL IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING.

THAT WITH HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON AND THAT WITH IRAN.

IS ISRAEL AT THE TABLE SERIOUSLY OR NO?

>> NOT SO MUCH.

I THINK WHAT WE SEE HERE NOW IS DIMINISHING ISRAELI INFLUENCE OVER WHAT HAPPENS.

YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW YORK TIMES STORY LAST WEEK ABOUT NETANYAHU INFLUENCING THE TRUMP DECISION.

THEY MET FEBRUARY 11th AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND IT WAS EVIDENTLY THE PRIME MINISTER PERSUADED THE PRESIDENT TO GO FORWARD WITH THE PLAN TO ATTACK IRAN.

ALSO, A LOT OF FOLKS ABOUT ISRAEL --AND SPECIFICALLY MOSSAD DELIVERING MORE OF AN ATTEMPT FOR REGIME CHANGE IN IRAN.

THIS DIDN'T WORK OUT SO WELL, BUT AT THAT TIME, NETANYAHU WAS EXTREMELY INFLUENTIAL OVER TRUMP DECISIONS.

I'M NOT SURE THIS IS THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW.

ISRAEL RIGHT NOW IS A --FOR AMERICANS REGARDING THE STRIKES IN IRAN INVITES ITS OWN WAR IN LEBANON BUT I THINK MOST OF THE DECISIONS WILL BE TAKEN IN WASHINGTON AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND NOT SO MUCH AT THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE IN JERUSALEM.

>> AND WE HEARD THE PRIME MINISTER SAY YESTERDAY THAT HE SPEAKS WITH J.D.

VANCE.

J.D.

VANCE HAS BEEN CALLING HIM AND WILLING EVERY UPDATE OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS.

I'M JUST WONDERING HOW MUCH OF THAT WAS POSTURING FOR HIS DOMESTIC AUDIENCE AT HOME VERSUS A REALLY BELIEVING UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL'S PRIORITIES ARE BEING ADDRESSED IN THESE TALKS.

THE U.S.

APPARENTLY IS OFFERING A 20 YEAR PERIOD OF NO ENRICHMENT AND IRAN CAME BACK WITH FIVE YEARS BUT EVEN GETTING THERE IT SHOWS NEGOTIATIONS ARE HAPPENING.

IS ISRAEL ON BOARD WITH SOME MIDDLE GROUND THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY AGREE TO?

>> I'M SURE HE'S GETTING THE UPDATES.

NETANYAHU TALKS TO VANCE.

HE TALKS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM LIKE JARED KUSHNER AND STEVE WITH A COUGH.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I'M NOT SURE THIS POSITION IS CONSIDERED AT THE MOMENT.

IT IS CLEAR FROM A, THE PRIME MINISTER WANTS THIS WERE TO BE RESUMED.

ALL THE LEAKS WE ARE GETTING FROM JERUSALEM IS THAT THE WAR SHOULD AT ONE POINT CONTINUE AND ON THE OTHER HAND, THAT IS NOT MAKING THE DECISIONS ANYMORE, THAT IT'S ABOUT AMERICAN INTERESTS FIRST AND FOREMOST.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW THIS EVOLVES BUT OF COURSE, ISRAEL WOULD LIKE THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE LARRY NANCE TO BE AS HAWKISH AS POSSIBLE AND LIKE THE AMERICANS TO MAKE STRICT DEMANDS OF IRAN REGARDING ANY KIND OF A LONG-TERM SOLUTION.

MOST SPECIFICALLY REGARDING THE LeCLAIR PLAN AND MISTAKES.

YOU MENTIONED EARLIER NETANYAHU IS HAVING A HARD TIME BRIDGING THIS GAP BECAUSE WHAT HE PROMISED TO THE ISRAELI PEOPLE ACTUALLY ACHIEVED.

THE FIRST DAY THE WAR BROKE ON FEBRUARY 28th, HE BRIEFED JOURNALISTS THAT THIS IS ABOUT REGIME CHANGE AND THIS IS ABOUT DESTRUCTION OF THE TWO MAIN THREATS FROM IRAN.

THE CLEAR PROJECT AND THE BALLISTIC MISSILE PLAN.

NOW, ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE NOT BEEN ACHIEVED YET.

WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A CEASE- FIRE.

QUITE A LOT OF DAMAGE CREATED IN IRAN, BUT THAT HASN'T DESTROYED THE IRANIAN REGIME AND IT HASN'T DEFEATED IRAN, CONTRARY TO WHAT THEY WANTED TRUMP TO DO.

>> AND NOT STARTING TO BE REFLECTED IN POLLING, AS WELL.

NADABIAL HIGHLIGHTED A POLL THAT SAID ONLY 32% --AND NEARLY 3/4 -- THREE QUARTERS EXPECTED TO BE BACK AT WAR WITHIN A YEARS TIME.

JUST IN THE GOVERNMENT IS SITTING AT 30%.

AMOS, I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT LIFE HAS BEEN LIKE FOR ISRAELIS THE LAST MONTH, THE PAST THREE YEARS, ACTUALLY, IN AND OUT OF BOMB SHELTERS.

CONSTANTLY IN AND OUT OF FOUR.

ISRAEL HAS LONG BEEN DESCRIBED AS TACTICALLY STRONG, STRATEGICALLY WEAK.

DO ISRAELIS FEEL AFTER THREE YEARS OF WAR THAT THEY ARE IN A SAFER POSITION RIGHT NOW?

WHAT IS THE MOOD LIKE AFTER OCTOBER 7th WITH THIS NEW DOCTRINE AS YOU NOTED AS BEING MORE PROACTIVE IN TARGETING AND STRIKING POTENTIAL ATTACKS AHEAD OF TIME.

DO THE ISRAELIS FEEL THAT THEY ARE SAFER?

>> THE POLLS YOU MENTIONED -- THE MISTRUST IS QUITE CLEAR.

PEOPLE DO NOT TRUST THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS ACHIEVING WHAT IT CLAIMS IT HAS ACHIEVED ALREADY.

THIS HASN'T BEEN TRANSLATED INTO POLITICAL LOSS TO NETANYAHU.

ACCORDING TO THE POLLS, QUITE STEADY.

THE OPPOSITION IS LEADING THE POLLS BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A DECISIVE VICTORY AND OF COURSE THE ELECTIONS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HELD IN LATE OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WINS, IT IS HARD FOR THE GOVERNMENT RIGHT NOW TO EXPLAIN ITS POSITION BUT WE HEAR FROM NETANYAHU'S MOUTHPIECES AND AS WE KNOW, HE'S VERY GOOD AT POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND HE'S VERY GOOD AT OPERATING POLITICAL SPIN, BUT WHAT WE HEAR FROM THEM IS THAT THESE ARE GREAT TIMES FOR ISRAEL.

NETANYAHU IS CONSTANTLY MENTIONING THAT HE CREATED THREE SECURITY ZONES.

ONE IN GAZA, ONE IN GOLAN HEIGHTS AND ONE IN LEBANON IT IS WIDENING THE BORDERS OF ISRAEL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE WAR OF 1967 AND IT'S ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT ISRAEL IS NOT ONLY A REGIONAL POWER, BUT, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, ALMOST A WORLD SUPERPOWER.

NOW, DOES NETANYAHU HIMSELF BELIEVE THAT?

PEOPLE AROUND HIM KEEP MENTIONING THAT BUT I'M NOT SURE CONSIDERING IT.

AS WE GO TO THE BOMB SHELTERS CONSTANTLY, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE WON THIS AS THE WAR GOES ON AT LEAST WITH LEBANON.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN LATER ON.

>> PERHAPS HE VIEWS ISRAEL AS A SUPERPOWER, BUT YOU KNOW HOW ISRAEL IS VIEWED BY A NUMBER OF WESTERN COUNTRIES.

THEY HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN CRITICIZING HOW ISRAEL HAS CONDUCTED ITSELF.

I GUESS THE BIGGEST CONCERN NOW IS ISRAEL'S RELATIONSHIP GOING FORWARD WITH THE UNITED STATES AND WASHINGTON IN PARTICULAR.

AMOS HAREL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> THANK YOU, BIANNA.

>>> A STILL RAGING WAR WITH FAR LESS GLOBAL TENSION.

THREE YEARS OF BRUTAL CIVIL WAR IN SUDAN WITH SECOND LEVELS OF BLOOD SHOULD READ AT LEAST 150,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND 33 MILLION ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE BUT WITH HARROWING REPORTS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND THE KILLING OF CHILDREN.

HUNGER, DISPLACEMENT, AND DEATH ARE NOW THE DAILY REALITY IN SUDAN.

THE ARTICLE FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES, MO IBRAHIM WARNS THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN SUDAN WILL NOT STAY IN SUDAN.

MO IBRAHIM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE PROGRAM.

AS WE HAVE NOTED AND COVERED THIS WAR NOW SO MANY YEARS INTO THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING -- 14 MILLION DISPLACED, 4 MILLION SHELTERING ABROAD.

BEYOND JUST THOSE HEADLINES, WE'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY ASKING ALL OF OUR GUESTS, WHAT IS THE CURRENT REALITY ON THE GROUND FOR CIVILIANS?

>> FOR CIVILIANS --I MEAN, IT IS FAR AWAY.

TWO FIGHTING GROUPS.

RSF, ARMY -- THE FRAGMENTATION OF THE COUNTRY NOW.

IT IS TERRIBLE.

AND LACK OF HEALTHCARE.

DISEASE, ET CETERA.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

PREVAILING.

IT'S A NIGHTMARE.

>> A NIGHTMARE.

AND YOU DEPICT THAT.

SO THOUGHTFULLY AND POIGNANTLY IN YOUR PAY --PIECE FOR THE FT.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IN SUDAN WILL NOT STAY IN SUDAN.

WHAT ARE THE MAJOR RISKS OF REGIONAL --AT THIS SPREADING THROUGHOUT THE REGION?

>> YEAH.

SUDAN SHARES ITS BORDER.

MOST OF THESE COUNTRIES ARE ALREADY FRAGILE COUNTRIES.

AND THE PROBLEM ALSO IS THAT SOME OF THESE COUNTRIES SUPPORT ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER SIDE.

LOGISTICS, ARMS, ET CETERA, AND THE SUDAN CAN UNDERMINE WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND US.

EGYPT.

BOTH ARE OUR NEIGHBORS.

THEY SUPPORT THE ARMY.

--, WHICH IS NOT REALLY A GOOD -- WITH EGYPT.

ALSO GOT BORDER WITH US.

WHATEVER BOX YOU WANT THERE WITH ALL THOSE PEOPLE.

AND THERE IS ALSO --THEY ARE OUR NEIGHBORS.

IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE MAP, YOU'LL SEE A HUGE ARC OF LANDS --UNGOVERNABLE SPACES.

EXTENDING THROUGH THE MANDATE FROM THE ATLANTIC TO THE RED SEA.

AND THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM NOT IT'S ALSO FOR EUROPE BECAUSE THIS IS LIKE, AS I SAID, I'M GOING TO STAND WITH SYRIA TOGETHER AS ANOTHER STEP OF EUROPE.

AND THIS IS A PROBLEM EVERY WAY.

>> AND WE ARE LOOKING AT A MAP RIGHT NOW AND YOU SEE THAT CONTAGION THAT IS QUITE POSSIBLE AND YOU SEE THE FACT THAT IT IS SO NEAR ONE OF THE OTHER HOTSPOTS IN THE WORLD.

ONE OF THE HOT WARS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND THAT IS THE WAR IN IRAN AND THE IMPACT THIS IS HAVING ON GLOBAL ENERGY MARKETS.

PRICES ON EVERYTHING FROM OIL, GAS, AND COMMODITIES -- FERTILIZER ALSO BEING IMPACTED.

TALK ABOUT HOW THAT VENTRICLES INTO THIS CONFLICT MAKING IT THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GET HUMANITARIAN AID ON THE GROUND.

>> THAT HAS A VERY LONG SHORE ON THE RED SEA.

THE RED SEA IS NOW ACQUIRING HEIGHTENED STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE, GIVEN WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE GULF.

AND IT IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE SAFETY OF NAVIGATION WILL BE THREATENED.

THEN THE MIGRATION --IF YOU REMEMBER, 1 MILLION REFUGEES -- ALMOST UNDERMINED MERKEL IN GERMANY.

YOU HAVE MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

NEXT-DOOR, REALLY.

THAT CAN UNDERMINE DEMOCRATIC RULE HERE IN EUROPE.

SO YOU HAVE THE MIGRATION PROBLEM.

YOU HAVE THE NAVIGATION -- FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION PROBLEM.

AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE --.

>> AND YOU HAVE COUNTRIES LIKE U.A.E.

>> SORRY.

>> YOU HAVE QUESTION -- COUNTRIES LIKE U.A.E., IRAN, TURKEY ONLY HEALING THE PROBLEM MORE.

YOU'VE CALLED REMEDIATION EFFORTS HALFHEARTED.

WHY DO YOU THINK MORE ISN'T BEING DONE ON A COLLECTIVE LEVEL TO BRING THIS BRUTAL WAR --THIS GENOCIDE --TO AN END?

>> YEAH.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT --THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES -- NEIGHBORS AND EVERYBODY --ARE SUPPORTING ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, LOOKING FOR SOME STRATEGY --INTERESTS --IN THE AFTERMATH --IT IS A VERY STUPID APPROACH.

WHO IS FEELING THIS WAR?

YOU KNOW, LOGISTICS, ET CETERA.

DRONES.

WHO IS DOING THAT?

YOU HAVE IRAN.

YOU HAVE TURKEY.

YET THE EMIRATES.

YOU HAVE EGYPT.

IT'S JUST SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED THERE.

THIS SITE OR THAT SENT.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE A CONSENSUS AND WE NEED TO GET OVER THAT.

WE NEED ALL SUPPLY OF WEAPONS, DRONES, ET CETERA.

OTHERWISE, THIS WAR WILL CONTINUE RAGING ON.

AND I HOPE THE U.S.

CAN -- BASED ON ATTENTION --SEE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

>> WE WILL COME YOUR AFFECTION BUT NOT YOUR BULLETS AND DRONES.

YOUR FOUNDATIONS --AFRICAN LEADER PRICE --HASN'T BEEN DOES THAT REFLECT SORT OF THE BROADER CRISIS OF DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP IN THIS MOMENT?

>> IN A WAY, IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WITNESSING SOME DETERIORATION IN GOVERNMENTS AND IN DEMOCRACY.

DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA.

WE SEE DIFFERENT PRESIDENTS NOW CHANGING CONSTITUTIONS.

PEOPLE ARE -- YEARS OLD.

AFRICA IS NOT IN A GOOD PLACE, UNFORTUNATELY.

IT IS NOT OUR FORT, REALLY.

NOW DURING THIS TIME OF CRISIS, WATCHING YOUR COUNTRY LITERALLY BEING TORN APART.

YOU CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT AND THAT IS SO VITAL, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MO IBRAHIM.

>> NEXT, THE NEEDS FRIENDS?

THAT'S THE TITLE OF ANDREW McCARTHY'S NEW BOOK EXPLICIT HEARING --EXPLORING NOW LONELINESS IN AMERICA.

HE STARRED IN ICONIC FILMS SUCH AS PRETTY IN PINK, ONE OF MY FAVORITES AND THE COMING OF AGE MELODRAMA, ST.

ELMO'S FIRE.

HE IS TAKING A ROAD TRIP ACROSS 22 STATES TO RECONNECT WITH OLD FRIENDS AND HE TELLS HARI SREENIVASAN ABOUT WHAT YOU LEARNED ALONG THE WAY.

>> ANDREW, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A NEW BOOK OUT CALLED NEEDS FRIENDS, AN UNSCIENTIFIC EXAMINATION OF MALE FRIENDSHIPS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK, I SAY THIS STARTED WITH MAYBE A SNARKY QUESTION FROM YOUR OLDER SON WHO WAS BASICALLY ASKING YOU, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY FRIENDS, DO YOU, DAD?

IT'S POWERFUL WHAT KIDS CAN DO TO US BUT WHAT DID THAT TRIGGER FOR YOU?

>> WE WERE SITTING AT THE KITCHEN TABLE.

HE WAS TELLING ME A STORY ABOUT ONE OF HIS FRIENDS THEN HE LOOKED UP AND SAID EXACTLY THAT.

YOU DON'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS, DO YOU, THAT?

HE WAS SPEAKING TRUTH.

KEEPS US HUMBLE AND OR HUMILIATED.

I SAID, SAM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE FRIENDS.

I DON'T SEE THEM, BUT I KNOW THEY'RE THERE, AND THAT'S ENOUGH AND HE WENT OKAY.

BUT THE COME STAY WITH ME AND A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, I SAID OUT LOUD TO THE EMPTY KITCHEN, IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

I NEED TO GO SEE MY FRIENDS AND LIKE MANY GUYS, WHO, WHEN I LEFT HOME AT 17 AND HAD THIS CORE GROUP OF GUYS THAT BECAME MY CHOSEN FAMILY, AND THEY LARGELY BECAME RESPONSIBLE FOR ME FOR BECOMING WHO I SPEAK HIM AND THROUGH LIFE AND JOBS AND FAMILIES, THEY SCATTERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OF THEM IN YEARS.

SOME OF THEM IN DECADES.

MY SON'S COMMENT MADE ME GO, I NEED TO SEE THESE DUDES.

>> SO THIS LAUNCHED WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE A 22 STATE 10,000 MILE ROAD TRIP THAT WAS KIND OF --WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FRIENDSHIPS?

DID I EVEN WANT THEM OR NEED THEM?

WHAT DID I GET FROM THEM ANYWAY?

BUT THAT I HAVE TO OFFER THEM?

HOW DID FRIENDSHIP AFFECT MY PLACE IN THE WORLD?

WHAT DID I VALUE?

WHAT DID IT MATTER?

THOSE ARE BIG QUESTIONS.

WHAT DID YOU FIND?

>> I SPENT $10,000 BECAUSE I HATE HIGHWAY DRIVING.

SO I JUST DROVE BACK ROADS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IT WAS AN AMAZING THING TO REDISCOVER AMERICA LIKE THAT AGAIN.

ALSO, WHAT I FOUND REALLY INTERESTING AS I STARTED TALKING TO MEN AS I WENT.

I STARTED TALKING TO RANDOM MEN I WOULD APPROACH IN GAS STATIONS AND I STARTED TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THEIR FRIENDSHIPS.

ASIDE FROM CONNECTING TO MY FRIENDS, I STARTED TALKING TO MEN OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE SPREAD ALL SORTS OF GUYS, AND IT WAS AMAZING BECAUSE ALL OF THEM LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS INSANE WHEN I FIRST WALKED UP TO THEM AND SAID, WILL YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS?

THEY KIND OF SAID HUH?

BUT NOT A SINGLE GUY REFUSED TO TALK TO ME.

INVARIABLY EVERY GUY SAID, I NEVER TALKED ABOUT THIS.

I NEVER TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF SO IT'S FASCINATING TO TALK ABOUT IT.

AMAZING CONVERSATIONS WITH MEN THAT WERE VERY OPEN TO MAIL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND I FOUND A LOT OF LONELINESS.

A LOT OF ISOLATION.

I FOUND A LOT OF DEEP CONNECTION AND FELLOWSHIP BETWEEN MEN, AND THEN, IT'S A TOPIC THAT WE DON'T DEAL WITH.

I GUESS THE BIGGEST THING I FOUND IS A TOPIC THAT WE JUST DON'T DEAL WITH VERY MUCH, TO OUR OWN DETRIMENT.

>> THE JUXTAPOSITION THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF HOW MANY MEN AND WOMEN ALL KNOW THIS THAT WE DON'T DEAL WITH THIS WELL, THEY EVEN POINT OUT, MY WIFE, GIRLFRIEND.

SHE'S GOT GREAT FRIENDS.

SHE'S REALLY CONNECTED.

AND IT'S JUST, LIKE, WHAT'S THE GAP HERE?

WHY IS THERE THAT GAP WHERE WE CAN SEE HOW HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS ARE NURTURED AND FORMED AND HOW PEOPLE COMMUNICATE, WHAT WERE THE REASONS HE FOUND THAT PEOPLE, MEN, WEREN'T?

>> YEAH RIGHT, YOU SAY A LOT OF GUYS I SAID --MET SAID, MY WIFE IS MY BEST FRIEND BUT I'M NOT HERS.

I KNOW A LOT OF GUYS THAT THEIR WIVES SCHEDULE THEIR SOCIAL LIFE.

I THINK, GUYS, IT COMES DOWN TO --THEY ARE CLICHES BUT I THINK IT IS TRUE.

MEN HAVE A FEAR OF ADMITTING VULNERABILITY BECAUSE VULNERABILITY CAN BE MISCONSTRUED AS WEAKNESS.

ONE THING A MAN CAN'T BE IN OUR CULTURE IS WEAK.

MEN HAS EVOLVED IN POST-WORLD WAR II JOHN WAYNE ERA.

A MAN IN AMERICA IS SOMEONE WHO IS STOIC, HARD, PULL YOUR HAT DOWN.

CARRY YOUR OWN WATER.

GET IT DONE.

THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE LADIES TO AMERICA.

BACK IN THE 19th CENTURY, ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND ANDREW SPEED WERE EXAMPLES OF THESE MEANT WRITING PREVIOUS AFFECTIONATE LETTERS TO EACH OTHER.

THE IDEA OF FRIENDSHIP IN AMERICA CHANGED IN MEN.

CHANGED SOMEWHERE IN THE LAST 100 YEARS TO A REALLY SORT OF NARROW FOCUS, AND I THINK TO OUR DETRIMENT BECAUSE I THINK IT IS ISOLATING.

>> YOU POINT OUT IN THE BOOK THAT IT WASN'T ALWAYS THIS WAY.

THERE WERE PERIODS EVEN AMERICAN HISTORY WERE SOME OF OUR LEADERS WERE EXPRESSING AFFECTION TOWARD OTHER MEN IN A NONSEXUAL WAY, OR YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAD THE CAPABILITY AND THE VOCABULARY TO SAY I LOVE YOU TO ANOTHER MAN, AND BE FINE WITH IT, AND SOCIETY WAS FINE WITH IT BUT REALLY, YOU ARE SAYING, AND IS POST-WORLD WAR IS.

MAYBE IT'S HOLLYWOOD OR WHATEVER IT IS GENERATED, WE HAVE FALLEN BACK ON THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE NORM AND THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE.

>> VERY MUCH.

I MET TWO GUYS IN THEIR 70s IN OHIO --LOU AND BOBBY IN OHIO.

THEY WERE FORMER COPS.

I WANDERED UP TO THEM AND SAID LIKE I DID EVERYONE, CAN I CATCH UP WITH YOU GUYS?

THEY WANT, SIT DOWN.

IN A WAY, THEY HAVE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE THEY WERE 10, 12 YEARS OLD.

MORE THAN 60 YEARS THEY HAD BEEN FRIENDS, AND LOU SAID TO ME AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED SAYING I LOVE YOU TO EACH OTHER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

I TOLD MY WIFE AS I TELL MY KIDS, I LOVE THEM.

I DO MY BEST BUT I LOVE THEM.

YOU KNOW IT, WE HAVEN'T GRADUATED TO A GOOD NIGHT KISS YET, WHICH I THINK, WHAT YOU ALLUDED TO, I THINK THERE'S THIS FEAR DOES THIS INTIMACY AND THAT KIND OF THING BEING MISCONSTRUED WITH SEXUALITY AND I THINK IT JUST GETS IN ONLY SO MUCH.

>> ALL OF THAT LONGEVITY RESEARCH POINTS TO THE FACT HOW IMPORTANT SOCIAL CONNECTION IS.

AND THERE ARE GROUPS OF MEN WHO ARE GETTING TOGETHER WHETHER IT IS IN A FORMALIZED SETTING OR PRACTICING THIS THING THAT IS NOW BEING ADVOCATED, WHICH IS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS AND FEEL USEFUL AND PURPOSEFUL IN SO MANY OF THE PLACES YOU DESCRIBED --THIS WAS NOT PART OF THEIR SCHEDULE.

PART OF THEIR RITUAL OF LIFE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF THE STATISTICS I TALK ABOUT IN LIFE IS HARVARD RECENTLY CONCLUDED AN 80 YEAR STUDY CONCLUDING THAT THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR A LONGER HEALTHIER HAPPIER LIFE IS CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY.

AND EVERYWHERE I WENT, I WOULD OFTEN HANG OUT --I COULD TO THESE SMALL TOWNS AND LOCAL DINERS IN THE MORNING, AND I GET BREAKFAST --THE MOST OPTIMISTIC MEAL OF THE DAY IN AMERICA.

AND YOU GO HANG OUT IN A DINER AND YOU PUT YOURSELF THERE FOR A A WHILE, YOU SEE THE WHOLE WORLD GO BY.

THERE WAS ONE PLACE IN ELKINS WEST VIRGINIA THAT I WENT.

THERE WAS A DINER.

IN THE CENTER OF THE ROOM THERE WAS A TABLE WITH 8, 10 GUYS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIM AND IT WAS OLDER GUYS WITH THEIR MESH CAPS AND THEIR CARTER HART JACKETS AND THEY ARE JUST SITTING THERE AND ONE WOULD GET ANOTHER GUY WOULD COME TO HIS SPOT.

FASCINATING.

I ASKED THE PEOPLE AT THE NEXT TABLE.

IS THAT THE BRAIN TRUST OVER THERE?

AND THE LADY SAID TO ME, YEAH, WELL, THEY WOULD LIKE TO THINK SO.

AND THEN SHE DID EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING TO.

AT LEAST THEY'VE GOT EACH OTHER.

AND I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY IT.

THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO SEE EACH OTHER TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW.

THEY JUST HAVE A PLACE TO GO AND CONNECT WITH AND NOT FEEL SO ISOLATED AND I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH ISOLATION.

YOU KNOW, I ASKED PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY I MET ALONG THE WAY, YOU EVER FEEL LONELY?

AND YOUNG GUYS WERE QUICK TO GO, OH YEAH.

I'M LONELY A LOT, AND OLDER GUYS WOULD INVARIABLY SAY, NO, NO, NO, TOO BUSY, AND I KNOW, WHEN I ANSWER THAT SHARP, THERE'S SOMETHING I'M AFRAID OF OR I'M LYING.

I THINK THE ADMISSION OF LONELINESS IS TANTAMOUNT TO SOME PEOPLE PULL BACK ON THAT.

IT KEEPS US FURTHER ISOLATED.

I THINK IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE, AND YET, IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO PREVALENT AND SOMETHING WE HAVE FALLEN PREY TO.

>> THE INVERSE IS ALSO TRUE -- THAT LONELINESS IS SO BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH.

STATISTICS POINT OUT IT'S WORSE THAN SMOKING A PACK OF CIGARETTES A DAY.

THERE WAS A STUDY --2021, THE STATE OF AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP REPORT, ONLY 27% OF MEN SAID THEY HAD SIX OR MORE CLOSE FRIENDS AND 15% SAID THEY HAD NONE.

BUT NO CLOSE FRIENDS AT ALL.

THAT'S UP FROM 2% IN 1990.

WE ARE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, FOR SURE.

AND YET, THERE'S ALSO 50% RISK INCREASE OF DEMENTIA FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ISOLATED AND LONELY.

38% INCREASED CHANCE OF HEART DISEASE.

IT'S NOT JUST THAT LONELINESS IS SAD.

IT IS PHYSICALLY AFFECTING HER HEALTH.

IT'S EQUIVALENT TO 15 CIGARETTES PER DAY AND -- ALCOHOLIC DRINK PER DAY.

IT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING BESIDES JUST FEELING SO BAD ABOUT IT.

>> OUR AUDIENCE MIGHT DEPENDING REMEMBER MOVIES THAT YOU ARE IN --PART OF THE RAT PACK IN THE 80s.

YOU HAD YOUR OWN STRUGGLES WITH SAME THAT YOU WEREN'T REALLY READY --IT WAS THRUST UPON YOU.

YOU WRITE ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU ACTIVELY WITHDREW AND IT MIGHT'VE CONTRIBUTED TO ALCOHOLISM IN DIFFERENT STAGES OF YOUR LIFE THAT WERE DIFFICULT.

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOURSELF -- AT THAT POINT IN YOUR LIFE ABOUT FRIENDSHIPS AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY WOULD BE 40 YEARS FROM NOW?

>> YOU ALLUDED TO BEING IN THE BRAT PACK AND IT WAS A WONDROUS, EXCITING TIME BUT I DID FEEL OVERWHELMED AND I RETREATED VERY MUCH FROM THAT BECAUSE I'M A FAIRLY INTROVERTED PERSON IN CERTAIN WAYS SO I LATCHED ONTO MY PEEPS IN A STRONGER WAY I THINK I MIGHT NAVIGATE THROUGH THAT BETTER.

IT IS GOOD TO GET OUT OF OUR HEADS.

THERE'S A LOT OF NONSENSE THAT GOES ON UP THERE WHEN WE BLOW IT OFF.

WE NEED A FRIEND TO GO, WAIT A MINUTE, DUDE, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

I WAS ON THE TRIP AND MY WIFE SAID, HOW SYMMETRICALLY I RECONNECTED WITH MY BUDDY IN KENTUCKY.

HAS MATTHEW?

WHAT IS HE DOING?

OH, JUST STUPID STUFF.

THAT'S GOOD.

YOU NEED MORE STUPID STUFF.

YEAH, BUT YOU NEED TO DO THE STUPID STUFF SO YOU DON'T DO THE REALLY STUPID STUFF.

I REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THAT MEANT, YOU KNOW.

I THINK WE JUST NEED TO SORT OF CONNECT.

WITH A MALE OR FEMALE.

ALL THE WOMEN SEEM TO BE MUCH BETTER AT IT IN MANY WAYS THAN MEN.

I THINK WE TEND TO BE --I HEARD A LINE AND I'VE STOLEN IT THAT WOMEN MAKE FRIENDS FACE-TO- FACE.

GUYS MAKE FRIENDS SHOULDER TO SHOULDER.

SOMETHING IN IT WITH GUYS.

I MET A BUNCH OF MEN FROM THE MILITARY ALONG THE WAY AND THEY ALL TALK ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A VERY BONDING EXPERIENCE FOR GUYS.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY TRUE THAT OFTEN WITH GUYS, WHEN YOU CAN BE ENGAGED IN AN ACTIVITY --I MET ONE GUY ALONG THE WAY SAID HE HAD A REAL HARD TIME TELLING HIS DAUGHTERS --TEENAGE DAUGHTER THAT HE LOVED HER BUT HE THOUGHT NOTHING OF JUMPING EIGHT HOURS BACK TO COLLEGE.

WE FEEL SAFE AND WE FIND OURSELVES IN ACTION.

>> THERE IS A PASSAGE YOU HAVE IN TEXAS WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT GETTING THE TRUCK, FRIENDS.

GUYS GET IN THE TRUCK AND DRIVE.

NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

MOST MEN ARE LIKE THAT.

WE VALUE LOYALTY A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT.

ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO HAVE MY BACK FOR ME?

YOU HAVE A QUOTE FROM AT THE CURIOUS.

IT'S NOT SO MUCH OUR FRIENDS HELP THAT HELPS US BUT THE CONFIDENT KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY WILL HELP US.

WE VALUE THAT SO MUCH THAT WE ARE LIKE A, WELL, THE SMALLEST --YOU KNOW, WE MINIMIZE THE ACTUAL MAINTENANCE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THE WORDS THAT GO INTO IT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS OF WHY MY RELATIONSHIPS SLIPPED AWAY.

I GO, I NEED HELP.

HE IS THERE, BUT THE ACTIVE MANAGING AND INVOLVEMENT IN FRIENDSHIP, IT IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT, TOO.

AS I DROVE ACROSS AMERICA AND MEETING ALL THESE GUYS, I FELT THIS EMOTIONAL SAFETY NET SPREAD OUT UNDERNEATH ME IN A WAY IN A WAY THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE I HAD BEEN MISSING ALL THESE YEARS.

I FEEL LIKE MANY GUYS FEEL THIS GREAT OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE IN LIFE, WHETHER IT COMES FROM THE CAVEMEN BRINGING A TIGER BACK INTO THE CAVE OR WHAT.

THIS NOTION IF WE NEED TO PROVIDE.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

AND A LOT OF OUR SELF-ESTEEM RISES OR FALLS TO THE DEGREE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING.

SHE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

BUT I MENTIONED IT TO MY GUY FRIENDS --I SAID, DO YOU EVER FEEL THIS?

THEY GO, OH YEAH.

YEAH.

OF COURSE.

IT'S THE BIGGEST THING IN MY LIFE.

WE ARE NOT TIRING ABOUT IT ANY FURTHER PRODIGIOUS THAT IDENTIFICATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.

JUST AS MY KIDS SAY, IT HITS DIFFERENT.

SO I THINK WE NEED BOTH THOSE >> THROUGHOUT THE STORY, YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE GET IN THE TRUCK KINDS OF FRIENDS FOR YOUR FRIEND, SEBI, AND YOU GET TO HIS APARTMENT IN BALTIMORE, AND YOU HAVEN'T SEEN HIM IN YEARS.

DESCRIBE WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

WHAT DID YOU NOT KNOW?

>> WELL, MY FRIEND SEBI HAD TERRIBLE BACK PAIN.

HE HAD TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE EIGHT HOURS BACK OPERATIONS AND IT JUST DIDN'T WORK, SO THIS WILDLY EXTROVERTED GUY HAD BECOME LARGELY A SHED AND BECAUSE HE WASN'T PHYSICALLY ABLE TO MANEUVER AND I WALKED IN, AND I, YOU KNOW, HE CANCELED ON ME A FEW TIMES, AND I WAS BEING MELODRAMATIC TO MYSELF, BUT I SAID, I DON'T WANT THE NEXT TIME I SEE --THE NEXT TIME I SEE MY FRIEND BE AT HIS FUNERAL.

I SHOWED UP AT HIS DOOR UNANNOUNCED AND HE OPENED THE DOOR AND WENT, DUDE?

THE WAY THAT GUYS DO.

THAT DUDE CONTAINED A LOT OF OMINOUS THINGS.

ANYWAY, HIS APARTMENT WAS CLUTTERED WITH ALL THESE AMAZON DELIVERY BOXES AND THINGS.

REALLY CLUTTERED.

ELSE, AND IN THAT INSTANCE I REALIZED, WHILE, HIS WORLD HAS BECOME REALLY SMALL.

I THOUGHT INSTANTLY THAT THESE DOES ALL THESE BOXES --I'M LIKE WHAT IS THIS?

IT WAS REALLY A ACT OF HOPE.

CLICKING BUY NOW, FOR ALL THESE THINGS, WHEN MY WIFE GETS BACK ON ITS FEET, I'M GOING TO NEED ALL THIS STUFF BUT HE HAD GOTTEN ISOLATED THROUGH THE COURSE OF LIFE, STUFF HAPPENS TO ALL OF US.

WE HAVE OUR MOMENTS, AND HE JUST NEEDED --AND I SHOWED UP.

THE THING I LEARNED THE MOST OF ANYTHING WAS JUST THAT CLICHES.

90% OF LIFE IS SHOWING UP.

JUST SHORT.

I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT ON THIS TRIP.

I'M NO EXPERT ON FRIENDSHIP.

I'M NO EXPERT ON ANY OF THIS STUFF.

ALL I KNOW IS I SHOWED UP.

I GOT IN THE CAR AND I DROVE TO SEE HIM.

THERE IS SOMETHING ARISTOTLE TALKS ABOUT.

THREE LEVELS OF FRIENDSHIP.

THE DEEPEST LEVEL, THE PERFECT FRIENDSHIP, IS TWO FRIENDS, YOU KNOW, TWO FRIENDS ARE IMPROVED BY THE RELATIONSHIP AND THEY ARE ABLE ALSO TO NAME THE EACH OTHER.

YOU DROVE ALL THIS WAY TO SEE ME?

I WAS LIKE, DUDE, YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOU PUT IT IN MY LIFE.

YOU MEAN A LOT TO ME, AND I NEED TO SEE.

BEING ABLE TO RECIPROCATE THAT.

WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER, WE PROBABLY NEVER WOULD HAVE SAID THAT TO TO THE.

BEING ABLE TO NAME THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RELATIONSHIP THAT I THINK WOMEN ARE GOOD AT THIS AND IT ALL THE TIME.

>> PART OF IT ALL IS ALSO INTERESTING.

YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU -- SOMETIMES IT'S THAT PEOPLE ARE EMBARRASSED TO BE SEEN NOT LIKE THEIR YOUNGER SELVES.

LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE FRIENDSHIP WAS FORMED IN YOUR TEENS, 20s, 30s --AND NOW YOU ARE 60 OR SOMETHING.

OH, GOSH, WE USED TO DO ALL THE STUFF.

I COULD DRINK HIM UNDER THE TABLE AND NOW LOOK AT ME.

>> I THINK THERE'S A CERTAIN SHAME THAT COMES WITH THE QUENCHING OF SOME OF THE POWER CHAIN IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT LIKES TO KEEP US ISOLATED AND SEPARATE.

HANGING OUT WITH MY FRIEND MATTHEW IN KENTUCKY, I MENTIONED EARLIER, HE STARTED TAKING A PILL.

HE STARTED --WHAT'S THAT FOR?

BECAUSE I HAD A HEART ATTACK.

DUDE, YOU HAD A HEART ATTACK?

HOW DID I KNOW YOU HAD A HEART ATTACK 13 YEARS AGO.

YOU KNOW, AND HE WAS HELPING ME WITH SOMETHING.

AND I LIKE THAT HIM AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M KIND OF ASHAMED TO HAVE GOTTEN OLD AND FOR YOU TO SEE ME IN THIS WAY.

YOU KNOW, I WAS FEELING OLD AND HE JUST LOOKED AT ME LIKE -- WHATEVER.

YOU KNOW?

AND IT WAS NOTHING TO HIM.

THIS IS LIFE.

AND AGAIN --IN OUR OWN HEADS, IT'S A BIG DEAL BUT WHEN WE CONNECT WITH OTHERS, WE ARE HUMAN.

WHAT THE OTHER OPTION?

>> AUTHOR AND ACTOR, ANDREW McCARTHY, AUTHOR OF THE NEEDS FRIENDS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> FINALLY FOR US, THE PRIDE FLAG WILL FIGHT AGAIN AT THE STONEWALL NATIONAL MAINLAND.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THE SETTLEMENT ON MONDAY.

HUNDREDS TOOK TO THE STREET TO PROTEST.

>> WE WILL NOT BE ERASED.

WE WILL NOT GO BACK IN THE CLOSET.

NOTE TAKING DOWN OF ANY FIKE WILL REMOVE US FROM OUR NATION AND THE LEGACY THAT WE HAVE BUILT AS HUMAN BEINGS --AS CITIZENS.

>> A GROUP OF NONPROFITS ALSO FIVE FILING A LAWSUIT SAYING THE REMOVAL VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW.

THE MONUMENT SEPARATES THE STONEWALL INN, AND ICONIC MANHATTAN BAR CONSIDERED THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE MODERN LGBTQ IN AMERICA.

SPECULATIVE I KNOW IT'S COMING UP ON THE SHOW, SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AT PBS.ORG/AMANPOUR.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AMANPOUR AND COMPANY ON PBS.

JOIN US AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT.

>> AMANPOUR AND COMPANY IS MADE FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS.

CANDACE KING WEIR.

THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM, THE STRAUSS FAMILY FOUNDATION.

THE THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, CHARLES ROSENBLUM.

KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.