Follow Christiane on social media:
What time is Amanpour on CNN?
Check showtimes to see when Amanpour is on CNN where you are. Or watch online.
AmanPost: Catching my eye. And yours?
by Christiane Amanpour
This is my share and tell – the stories you need today and why they matter. Take a read and respond on Facebook or Twitter.
Journalism students explore the different perspectives and conflicting narratives and biases in some of the top stories of our time:
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/41522436 w=323&h=193]
Bahrain arrests human rights activist: http://reut.rs/JUXqRW
CHRISTIANE’S BRIEF: Austerity showdown
Two sides of the same coin
Guido Westerwelle, Germany’s Foreign Minister, appeared on Amanpour Monday, as Europe was still feeling the political aftershocks of Sunday’s elections.
Interviewed Friday, just prior to the elections, he was asked if the falling governments in France and Greece are a repudiation of the fiscal austerity policy championed by Germany.
“I think some of these governments came out of office because they worked too slowly,” said Westerwelle. “They didn’t do the reforms…Our policy is more than austerity and fiscal discipline. Our policy is both. Growth and fiscal discipline. These are two sides of the same coin.”
Westerwelle responded to the campaign promise of newly elected French President, Francois Hollande – that he would renegotiate the existing pact with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the other member states of the European Union.
“We cannot renegotiate this fiscal compact,” said Westerwelle, “because…this sends a signal, for example, to Italy, Spain, Portugal – they all implemented these reforms. They know they cannot survive…with always new debts.”
He added, “Our offer to France, to all our friends in the European Union, is to let us implement the fiscal compact because this is necessary to overcome the debt crisis.”
He rejected the idea that a choice must be made between austerity and spending: “Of course, we can spend more money. The only result will be more debt. And then we are once again in the same difficulty, in the same problem.”
Despite its defeat, he praised the Greek government for its attempts at reform: “I think this was a brave and courageous government,” said Westerwelle, “which brought through the reform. The problem for Greece is that they have a lack of competitiveness…They need companies – small and medium sized companies – which are the backbone of the economy.”
FULL-LENGTH EDITION: Ehud Olmert & an Israeli feminist
Part 1: Olmert on America's influence The second part of former Israeli Prime Minister's exclusive interview with Christiane Amanpour. Part 2: Israel's ultra-Orthodox Israeli feminist Anat Hoffman on the power of Israel's ultra-Orthodox. Part 3: Surviving cut-throats The survivor of a pirate attack talks about an eleven-day ordeal.
Part 1: Olmert on America's influence
The second part of former Israeli Prime Minister's exclusive interview with Christiane Amanpour.
Part 2: Israel's ultra-Orthodox
Israeli feminist Anat Hoffman on the power of Israel's ultra-Orthodox.
Part 3: Surviving cut-throats
The survivor of a pirate attack talks about an eleven-day ordeal.
Episode #15: Friday, May 4, 2012.
Schism over women’s rights in Israel
by Samuel Burke
Israeli feminist Anat Hoffman has just finished a tour in the U.S., campaigning for support over her arrest in the ongoing struggle between secular and Orthodox Jews in Israel.
Hoffman is the Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center and was arrested at the Western Wall in Jerusalem in 2010 for carrying a Torah at the holy site in Jerusalem. She told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “I was conducting a religious act that offends the feelings of others – and that’s against the law.” While women carrying a Torah in Reform Judaism is common place, it’s not sanctioned by Orthodox Jews, whose customs have become the norm at the Western Wall. Hoffman was never charged with a crime.
Hoffman said that even though women’s rights are a problem only within a very small group inside Orthodoxy, her arrest and the schisms between religious and secular Jews over women’s rights are indicative of the growing power of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel.
“Secular politicians in Israel make greater and greater concessions to the ultra-Orthodox,” Hoffman said, “because they are a very obedient crowd in a democratic game – they vote in a block, in one way.”
Hoffman is also a member of the so called ‘Freedom Riders,’ reminding Israeli passengers that public buses cannot be involuntary segregated, which the Israeli Supreme court ruled in a case brought by an Israeli woman in 2011.
As a matter of custom, on some Israeli bus lines women sit in the back of the bus, because the ultra-Orthodox avoid mixing of men and women. But in 2011, a woman named Tanya Rosenblit sat in the front of an inter-city bus bound for Jerusalem and was dubbed Israel's 'Rosa Parks' when she refused to give up her seat.
Hoffman and other ‘Freedom Riders’ post sings to remind riders of the Supreme Court’s decision. Hoffman told Amanpour, “We went to court representing a variety of Orthodox women. We won the case and [the sign] is hanging in every Israeli bus, right behind the driver.” The sign reads, “Passengers may sit in any seat of his or her choosing… harassing a passenger regarding his or her seating choice may constitute a crime.”
When asked how the rise of Orthodoxy and its political impact affect any possibility of a peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians, Hoffman said, “I look at Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu – deeply religious people that used religion to mend their country. When you think of South Africa, you see how religion can actually act not as an obstacle – the peace and reconciliation committees are drenched in religious rhetoric. You see religion at its very, very best.”
Olmert: Right-wing U.S. cash killed my peace plan
Highlights
- Ehud Olmert says extreme right-wing elements in the United States helped derail his peace plan
- They poured millions of dollars into efforts to topple him from office, he says
- Olmert, who quit as prime minister amid corruption allegations, does not name the right-wing figures
- His 2008 peace plan proposed a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders
By the CNN Wire Staff
(CNN) - Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said millions of dollars from the "extreme right wing" in the United States helped oust him from government and derailed a peace plan with the Palestinians.
In an exclusive interview aired Friday with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Olmert said his attempts to make peace had been "a killer" for him as prime minister.
In 2008, Olmert sought a "full comprehensive peace between us and the Palestinians" - a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. But the plan was never realized and Olmert was forced from office accused of corruption, which he denies.
"It was a killer for me, not only because of the opposition in Israel. I think that, by the way, in Israel, the majority of the Israelis would have supported my plan, had it come for elections," Olmert said.
"But I had to fight against superior powers, including millions and millions of dollars that were transferred from this country (the United States) by figures which were from the extreme right wing that were aimed to topple me as prime minister of Israel. There is no question about it."
Pressed to name names, Olmert replied: "Next time."
FULL-LENGTH EDITION: Advising Chen Guangcheng
Part 1: Advising Chen Guangcheng Jerome Cohen is a lawyer, adviser and friend of Chen Guangcheng. He talks to CNN about the Chinese activist. Part 2: Madeleine Albright on Chen Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says she thinks Chen Guangcheng will come to America. Part 3: Press freedom in China In certain parts of China, many people do not know about Chen Guangcheng.
Part 1: Advising Chen Guangcheng
Jerome Cohen is a lawyer, adviser and friend of Chen Guangcheng. He talks to CNN about the Chinese activist.
Part 2: Madeleine Albright on Chen
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says she thinks Chen Guangcheng will come to America.
Part 3: Press freedom in China
In certain parts of China, many people do not know about Chen Guangcheng.
Episode #14: Thursday, May 3, 2012.
Friend of Chen: He wants his rights
Flesh and bones
Jerome Cohen, an American lawyer and friend of Chen Guangcheng, appeared on Amanpour today. He has been in contact with the Chinese dissident ever since his escape from house arrest, advising him on how best to secure his freedom and safety with the help of U.S. authorities.
According to Cohen, “Chen’s first choice was to stay in China…to study law, to take part in China’s further legal development, and to have free communication.” Cohen quoted him as saying, “I want simply the rights of every other Chinese citizen.”
At first, it seemed that the Chinese had agreed to let Chen remain in the country. Said Cohen, “We know the bare bones of the agreement. How flesh would be put on those bones remains to be seen.”
Cohen added, “China is evolving. This is the twenty-first century. The political system lags behind the rest of China’s progress. The time is right for legal progress.”
FULL POST
FULL-LENGTH EDITION: Rushing for Afghan exit?
Part 1: America rushing for Afghan exit? Will America's time in Afghanistan be seen as a success or is their military handover premature? Part 2: Mitt Romney's foreign policy Foreign Policy adviser Richard Williamson lays out U.S. presidential candidate, Mitt Romney's vision Part 3: A war at the top of the world Since 1984 Pakistan and India have fought in Siachen, the Himalayan glacier one thousand feet above sea level.
Part 1: America rushing for Afghan exit?
Will America's time in Afghanistan be seen as a success or is their military handover premature?
Part 2: Mitt Romney's foreign policy
Foreign Policy adviser Richard Williamson lays out U.S. presidential candidate, Mitt Romney's vision.
Part 3: A war at the top of the world
Since 1984 Pakistan and India have fought in Siachen, the Himalayan glacier one thousand feet above sea level.
Episode #13: Wednesday, May 2, 2012.
'U.S. & China relations no longer center on human rights'
by Christiane Amanpour
The Shawshank Prevention – “Blind man,” and “U.S Embassy” are among the terms vanishing from China’s censored social media – the Chinese are resorting to code words like Shawshank. CNN broadcasts specifically dealing with issue on AMANPOUR. and AC360 are blacked out at times. http://bit.ly/JRLukT
U.S. & China relations no longer center on human rights, look at what Nancy Pelosi told me just a a couple of weeks ago (watch around 2:30 into the video, or see text just below):
AMANPOUR: What do you make of the fact that you were very vocal, that there shouldn't be, you know, the most favored nation relations between the United States and China, until they cooperated properly on human rights?
And it's not really a key plank of the Obama administration or any administration, (inaudible).
PELOSI: No, it hasn't been for any president, Democrat or Republican. But in Congress, there is –was bipartisan support for saying we want intellectuals to be treated the same way as you treat intellectual property.
We were willing to say that the Chinese, unless you stop violating our intellectual property, we're going to have some trade adjustments. But we didn't say that about human rights and intellectuals who were being persecuted.
AMANPOUR: Would you prefer to see a stronger admonition from the administration?
PELOSI: I think it's after the fact. I think 20 years ago, the United States decided to ride the Chinese tiger and China will decide when we don't any more.
Is America rushing to leave Afghanistan?
Well, look, Christiane, this is Afghanistan
Ryan Crocker, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, appeared on Amanpour today, just hours after President Obama’s surprise visit to Afghanistan and in the immediate aftermath of an insurgent attack on the capital.
Ambassador Crocker responded to reports that a security breach some hours before the President’s plane touched down at Bagram Airfield might have come from inside Afghanistan itself, potentially compromising Mr. Obama’s security.
“The leak, such as it was, was incorrect,” said Ambassador Crocker, “and our collective judgment was that it did not propose a sufficient threat to the president.”
However, he did acknowledge that “there is always a risk.”
In a memorable phrase, he seemed to encapsulate the years of American involvement since 2001: “Well, look, Christiane, this is Afghanistan.”
Ambassador Crocker also addressed the suicide bombing in the heart of Kabul that occurred just after President Obama flew home to Washington. While admitting all the facts aren’t in, he didn’t think the attack was timed with the President’s visit.
“We looked at all aspects of that,” he said. “Everybody was comfortable. It went precisely according to schedule. We regret the loss of innocent Afghan lives. But overall, Kabul is a pretty normal, pretty secure city.” FULL POST
@camanpour on Twitter
