Democracy Now! Audio - Democracy Now 2026 01 09 Friday

Episode Date: January 11, 2026

Headlines for January 09, 2026; “What Are You Hiding?” Minnesota AG Keith Ellison Says ICE Killing of Renee Good Must Be Investigated; “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” Shortlisted for Oscar, Uses Audio of 6-Year-Old Girl Killed in Gaza; “Holding Liat”: Former Israeli Hostage Says “There Aren’t Any Conflicts That Are Unsolvable”

New York, this is Democracy Now. The precedent here is very simple. You have a federal law enforcement official engaging in federal law enforcement action. That's a federal issue. That guy is protected by absolute immunity. As nationwide protests over the fatal ice shooting of Renee Good continue, Vice President J.D. Vance claims the agent who shot her has absolute immunity. We'll go to Minneapolis to speak.

with the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Minnesota, Attorney General Keith Ellison. He oversaw the investigation and prosecution of former police officer Derek Chauvin and three others involved in the murder of George Floyd. Then the Oscar shortlist features five films on Israel and Palestine. We'll look at two of them. The voice of Hendr's job, about a six-year-old Palestinian girl, killed by Israeli forces in Gaza is up for the best international feature film. I'm scared.

They're shooting. Come get me, please. What's your name? Hind Rajab Hamada. Please don't leave me. I'm all alone. Matthew, I need an ambulance. We need to guarantee them a safe route.

She doesn't have time. The tapes are here. They're shooting at me. We'll speak with the director, Calthor Ben Chania. And we look at the film shortlisted for best documentary feature, Holding Liyat about the former Israeli hostage, Liyat Tzili. Who and I deal with problems differently? The struggle for peace and reconciliation is the best way to respect Liyadhna V

and provide the human side to this story. going to thank them for abducting my parents and murdering my acquaintances. The former Israeli hostage, Leotetsili, will join us in studio. All that and more coming up. Welcome to Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org, the Warren Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman. Protests broke out in Portland, Oregon Thursday after Border Patrol agent shot and wounded a married couple during a vehicle stop in a hospital parking lot. The incident came a day after an ice agent fatally shot a mother

of three in Minneapolis, Renee Goods, sparking nationwide protests. In Portland, local police said the man and woman survived the shooting, then drove two miles before calling 911 for medical help. Their identities and current condition have not been released. After the shooting, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson called for a halt to ICE operations. in the city. We know what the federal government says happened here. There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time is long past.

That is why we are calling on ICE to halt all operations in Portland until a full and independent investigation can take place. Our community deserves answers. Our community deserves accountability. And most of all, our community deserves deserves peace. This comes as protests continue across the United States over the killing of Renee Good, the mother of three, shot by an ice agent in Minneapolis Wednesday. Good was shot inside her car after she dropped her six-year-old son off at school. Video of the shooting

shows masked ice agents approaching her vehicle, screaming her for her to get out of the effing car using the profanity and attempting to force open her driver's side door. As Good attempted to drive past the officers, a masked agent pulled his gun out and fired three rounds at Good. On Thursday, Vice President J.D. Vance claimed Good had aimed her car at the officer, but the New York Times published a slow motion analysis showing how her vehicle was turning away from the officer when he opened fire and shot her in the face. Vance also claimed the ICE officer, who's been identified as Jonathan Ross, is, quote, protected by absolute immunity, unquote. Local officials in Minnesota have denounced the FBI

for preventing state authorities from being part of the investigation into Renee Good's death. On Thursday, Minnesota Governor Tim Wall said the FBI had blocked the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the BCA, from accessing case materials, seen evidence, or investigative interviews. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry wrote online, quote, let's call a spade a spade. Christy Noem watched the videos and doesn't want an impartial investigation because she knows her narrative about domestic terrorism is bulk, unquote. In related news, Illinois Democratic Congresswoman Robin Kelly's announced she's introducing articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Christy Knoem. Kelly said, quote, she wreaked havoc in the Chicagoland area and has brought her reign of terror to Minneapolis, one of her rogue ice agent shot and killed an innocent woman today.

It must come to an end, she wrote. Minnesota Governor Tim Walls and other officials are also calling on immigration agents to stay away from schools in Minneapolis after armed mass border patrol officers came onto the property of Roosevelt's high school during dismissal on Wednesday. Agents deployed chemical weapons, tackled people, handcuffed to staff members, U.S. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was at the school during the operation, which took place just after the killing. of Renee Good. Minneapolis schools are closed again today for in-person classes. On Capitol Hill, the Senate advanced a bipartisan measure intended to block the Trump administration from conducting further military action in Venezuela following Saturday's U.S. attack and abduction of Venezuela and President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Five Republican senators backed the measure joining Democrats. They were Rand Paul,

Josh Hawley, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Todd Young. Democratic Senator Tim Cain sponsored the measure. Here is something I can guarantee you. No one has ever regretted. No one has ever regretted a vote that just says, Mr. President, before you send our sons and daughters to war, come to Congress. That is a vote that no one has ever regretted and no one will ever. a regret. In a social media post this morning, President Trump said he canceled a second wave of

attacks on Venezuela. After Venezuela's interim government agreed to cooperate with the U.S. and a number of issues on Thursday, a number of prisoners who were released, including Enrique Mace, a prominent opposition figure. President Trump's scheduled to meet with top oil executives from Chevron, ExxonMobil, Conoco Phillips, and other oil firms at the White House today to discuss the future of Venezuela. Trump has repeatedly said the U.S. plans to take control of Venezuela's vast oil reserves. Trump's claim big oil firms plan to invest $100 billion in Venezuela. Trump's also expected to meet next week with Venezuela an opposition leader, Maria Carina Machado, who won this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

On Saturday, Trump dismissed the idea of installing Machado as Venezuela's leader. The Washington Post reports Trump's refusal to support her stem from her decision. to accept the Nobel Peace Prize which Trump had wanted. One source told the Washington Post, quote, if she had turned it down and said, I can't accept it because it's Donald Trump's, she'd be president of Venezuela today, unquote. After the Washington Post article ran, Machado announced

she wanted to share her Nobel Prize with Trump. On Thursday, Trump appeared on Fox News and was asked about this by Sean Hannity. Do you have any plans to meet with her? And would you accept the Nobel Prize she wants to hand to you? Well, I understand she's coming in next week sometime. And I look forward to saying hello to her. And I've heard that she wants to do that, that would be a great honor. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced plans to meet next week with Danish officials to discuss the future of Greenland as the Trump administration explores ways to seize the Danish territory. Reuters reports the Trump administration is considering sending lump sum payments of up to $100,000

to each resident of Greenland to convince them to secede from Denmark. The U.S. has also not ruled out using military force to take over Greenland. Earlier this week, Trump told reporters at the New York Times, he wants to take ownership of Greenland. In the same interview, Trump dismissed the importance. of international law. Is there anything that could stop you if you wanted to? Yeah, there's one thing.

My own morality, my own mind. It's the only thing that can stop. Not international law. And that's very good. I don't need international law. I'm not looking to hurt people. Do you feel your administration needs to abide by international law on the global stage?

Yeah, I do. You know, I do. But it depends what your definition of international laws. President Trump was speaking to the New York Times in a wide-ranging two-hour interview. This comes as the German president, Frank Walter Steinmeier, has sharply criticized Trump's foreign policy. He warned the world's turning into a, quote, den of robbers where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want, unquote. Anti-government protests continue in a number of Iranian cities despite a new nationwide internet. blackout there. International calls are also being blocked. The Norway-based NGO Iran human rights

estimates 45 people have been killed since the protests began December 28th over Iran's economic crisis, which has been worsened in part by U.S. sanctions. Earlier today, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini said protesters are, quote, ruining their own streets to please U.S. President Donald Trump. On Thursday, Trump renewed his threat to attack Iran if security forces violently crush the protests. Trump said, quote, if they do it, we're going to hit them very hard, unquote. In news from Gaza, Israeli forces have killed at least 14 Palestinians over the past day and attacks targeting areas across the Gaza Strip, including homes in the Borej refugee camp.

Since they destroyed the house, I have nothing left. I sat like this leaning on the floor. I'm 63 years old. For 63 years, when I built this house, I put a shekel on top of a shekel to build it. And it was gone. Gone in seconds. They say there's peace and a truce. But there's neither peace nor truce.

Israeli forces have killed at least 425 Palestinians since the so-called U.S. brokered ceasefire with Hamas came into effect in October. Russia launched a massive overnight drone and missile attack on Ukraine. For just the second time, Russia fired a new hypersonic nuclear-capable ballistic missile that flies at roughly 10 times the speed of sound. Ukraine reported four people were killed in Kiev, including an emergency medical aid worker. At least 20 buildings were struck in Kiev, including the embassy of Qatar. recent Russian strikes have also cut off power and water to more than a million people in southeastern Ukraine.

On Capitol the Hill, the House has passed a bill to restore subsidies for the Affordable Care Act for three years. 17 Republicans joined with Democrats to pass the measure, but it's unclear if the bill will pass in the Senate. Health insurance premium soared this month for millions after the subsidies expired. Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Thomas Massey and Democrat Ro Khanna are urging a federal judge to appoint a special master to oversee the process of releasing files under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Massey and Kana said, quote, put simply, the DOJ cannot be trusted with making mandatory disclosure. under the act, unquote. And New York Governor Kathy Hokel and New York City mayor, Zoran Mamdani, have announced plans to launch a new program to provide free child care for two-year-olds in New York City

and expanding pre-K programs statewide. The announcement comes a week after Mamdani was sworn into office and as he ran a campaign vowing to deliver universal child care to every New Yorker. To those who doubt the power of the people to make their own destiny, to the cynics who insist that politics is too broken to deliver meaningful change, to those who think that the promises of a campaign cannot survive once confronted with the realities of government, today is your answer. And those are some of the headlines. This is Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org, the Warren Peace Report. I'm Amy Goodman. More details are emerging about Renee Good, the mother of three, the award-winning poet who was shot and killed in her car by a federal immigration agent Wednesday during a surge of immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, prompting peaceful vigils and protests for the past two days in Minneapolis and around the country. Good's family and neighbors say she'd persevered after the death of her second husband, who was a military veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and found a new home.

community in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, Vice President J.D. Vance addressed the killing of Good during a White House press conference Thursday. I can believe that her death is a tragedy while also recognizing that it's a tragedy of her own making and a tragedy of the far left who has marshaled an entire movement, a lunatic fringe against our law enforcement officers. Vice President Vance claimed Renee Goode had aimed her car at the IE. agent. But the New York Times published a slow motion analysis showing how her vehicle was turning away from the officer when he opened fire shooting her in the face. Vance also claimed the

ice agent who shot and killed Rene Good is protected by absolute immunity. The precedent here is very simple. You have a federal law enforcement official engaging in federal law enforcement action. That's a federal issue. That guy is protected by absolute immunity. He was doing his job. The idea that Tim Wals and a bunch of radicals in Minneapolis are going to go after and make this guy's life miserable because he was doing the job that he was asked to do is preposterous. The ICE agent, who's seen on video shooting good, was wearing a mask but has now been identified as Jonathan Ross. Court records show that during a traffic stop last year, he was pulled about 100 yards while firing a stun gun at the driver's head.

This comes as Minnesota state investigators say the FBI is blocking them from accessing, quote, case material, seen evidence or investigative interviews necessary to complete a thorough and independent investigation, unquote, into the ICE shooting of Renee Good. On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristy Noem said the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the BCA, does not have the jurisdiction to investigate the shooting. That unit was set up. up after the police murder of George Floyd in 2020. The move prompted outrage among Minnesota state officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim

Walls, who posted this video Thursday night on social media. Just in Minnesota yesterday, a tragedy, the death of Renee Good on the streets at the hands of a federal agent. You also witnessed last night a beautiful visual, a peaceful visual, people expressing their constitutional and First Amendment rights in a peaceful manner. And for that, I say thank you. I've been very clear. We need a couple things here. We need Minnesota to carry out this investigation to make sure that the professionals at the BCA and that local law enforcement, who's in charge of law enforcement, make sure we do the investigation. And then to pull back

this unnecessary surge. And so with that, I would ask for all of us to continue to do this peacefully, continue to raise our voices, but do so in a manner that brings about that sense community. In Minnesota, I'm declaring tomorrow at 10 a.m. on January 9th, I'd ask everyone to pause for a moment of silence. To remember Renee Good, also to remember all that's good and right about this nation. Meanwhile, on Thursday in Portland, Oregon, ICE agents reportedly shot and injured two people. This prompted the Oregon Attorney General to announce his own investigation focused on, quote, whether any federal officer acted outside the scope of their lawful authority, unquote. This where in Philadelphia, District Attorney Larry Krasner, had this warning for ICE agents.

If any law enforcement agent, any ICE agent, is going to come to Philly to commit crimes, then you can get the F out of here. Because if you do that here, I will charge you. For more, we're joined in Minneapolis by the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Minnesota, Attorney General Keith Ellison. He oversaw the investigation and prosecution of former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, and three other police officers involved in the murder of George Floyd. Welcome back to Democracy Now, Attorney General Keith Ellison.

If you can start off by explaining what has taken place, first responding to the killing of Renee Good. And then while at first the FBI was cooperating with the state and investigating her death, Now they have pulled out? Yes. At this point where there is no joint investigation as that we started out and that there was happening, we've been notified that at this point federal authorities have claimed exclusive authority over the evidence. And that is certainly a problem for a multitude of reasons.

One is that this case must be independently investigated. There must be a fair, transparent investigation of all of the facts. Homicides, and this clearly is a homicide. And I'll just note for your readers, homicide and murder are not exactly the same thing. Murder is a legal conclusion. Homicide really just says death by the hands of another. This is clearly a homicide. And because of that, the states traditionally, historically, have had priority in jurisdiction

over these kind of matters. It's certainly the right thing for local authorities, state authorities, to be intimately involved in conducting this investigation. So the fact that the federal authorities have said, this is our case, not yours. And when you add on that the president, vice president, and the Secretary of Homeland Security have already exonerated the Jonathan Ross in this case, the ICE agent,

that's deeply disturbing. And my thought is, what are you hiding? I mean, if you feel that the ICE agent operated within the law, then let there be an investigation so that that can be revealed. But if you just exclude state authorities, stop, frustrate, undermine a fair, transparent investigation, then any result you come up with will look simply like a whitewash and, you know, covering up, you know, what could well be nefarious bad activity. I just want to say to your listeners too, of course I have my own eyes that have seen the tape,

but I, because of the role I play in our state, have to maintain a position that the case needs to be investigated before I jump to and declare an outcome. I'm trying to not do what I believe is irresponsible rhetoric by the president, vice president, and secretary by simply stating a conclusion before we've been able to do an investigation. I got common sense and I got good vision. This is an outrage, but I think those of us who are responsible for delivering meaningful justice, as we did in the Floyd case, it's our job to not prejudge the facts, but to gather them, examine them, and then

determine charging decisions. That's not what the federal authorities are doing. and I'm calling on them to reconsider their very poor policy decision and to stop their rhetoric that has the prejudges the facts. And please stop smearing the name of Renee Good. This woman lost her life trying to look out for the most vulnerable of her neighbors. That is how she died as a legal observer, trying to make sure the most vulnerable. vulnerable of her neighbors were safe and secure in their lives. She was a good person. She was a mother of three, a mother of a six-year-old who, according to reports, she had just dropped off from school. And I urged these leaders in our federal government to knock off the smear tactics on this woman's life.

And how do you respond to Vice President Vance saying that the ICE agent who killed Renee Good has immunity? That is a misstatement of the law. It simply is untrue. It's wrong. And I don't know what law school he went to, but he sure didn't go to. He sure wasn't paying attention if he was there. Clearly, state authorities can, in the right circumstances,

subject to the requirements of the something called the supremacy clause, state authorities can charge and investigate criminal acts by federal authorities. There's a lot of precedent in it. There's plenty of case law on it. There's no question that it is absolutely something the state has the authority to do. Now, again, there is an immunity, but it's not absolute. And essentially, if the state can meet the burden of the supremacy clause, which are a two-pronged test, legal test, those prosecutions can certainly go forward. It's possible that you may end up trying the case in federal court.

Certainly possible. I'm not saying that that is what will happen. I'm not prejudging the facts or the circumstances of the case. I'm simply saying that Mr. Vice President advanced is wrong on the law or he's deliberately misrepresenting it to the American people. And the Hennepin County District Attorney also said that he could be arrested and charged. If you could explain how do you conduct an investigation if the FBI is withholding their, what they have accumulated so far? And do they have hold of the bullets? Do they have the casings, the car? Who's got control of all of this?

It's in the Fed's possession. And they're saying they're not going to include. the state authorities or local authorities and that it's only the up to them to conduct the investigation. And so how do you ask, how do you do it? Well, it's very hard, isn't it? You know, I can assure the people of the state of Minnesota and the United States that we are leaving no stone unturned, either from an investigative or from a legal standpoint. We are working around the clock to make sure justice is served.

And justice is not an outcome. It is a process. So I just want to be, you know, as the Attorney General for the state of Minnesota, you know, of course I'm an individual person, can have my individual points of view. Again, as I said, my eyesight is good. I saw the same video as all of you are watching, but I'm not going to declare what happened in this. But I can tell you this. Clearly, the federal authorities have made the investigative process infinitely more difficult by the action. that they've taken. I'm urging them publicly now to reverse this incorrect and improper

decision. Let me just say theoretically, possibly, let's just say that there's some evidence out there that would somehow exonerate this, Mr. Jonathan Ross. If you don't have a independent investigation, then no one will ever believe that there was evidence that would exonerate. And I'm not saying he should be exonerated. I'm not saying he shouldn't be. I'm simply saying having a closed-off, exclusive investigation when top authorities in the federal government have said the state is excluded from the investigation is a recipe for no confidence in whatever outcome they have. They need to reverse this very bad decision. Let justice the process of justice unfold, including the state of Minnesota, fully as a partner in this

investigation, and then just let accountability go where it goes. You know, the fact is that this is essential for public confidence, and public confidence is essential to public safety and trust. So this is an urgent and worrisome matter that the federal government has taken this position. And so I just say to your question, good question. The federal government is taking the wrong tact here, and they need to reverse their decision. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was set up after George Floyd's murder. The BCA is now FBI's refusing to cooperate with them. You know well how to take over an investigation. In fact, as Attorney General, when Hennepin County wasn't going to charge the police officers in George Floyd.

death, you took that over. So what lessons have you learned for how you're going to deal with this today when they've got the evidence, but you've got to conduct an independent investigation? Well, Amy, I wish I could tell you and your audience every single thing that I'm working on right now. Unfortunately, I can't do that. But I want to just tell you and your listener audience that I'm doing every single thing I can to make sure that there's a full, fair, and independent been an investigation, and if charges are warranted, they will be filed. I just want to let you know that. But in terms of the inner workings of our investigative process, I will just ask you in the

public for a little bit of difference for us to do the work that we do. But please know, no one on this planet needs to push me to seek justice, as you just pointed out. You know, we went after justice in the issue of the murder of George Floyd. We prevailed. We were able to achieve convictions in those cases. And we will do the same whenever we're called upon to play a role in the process of justice. So people can rest assured we're going after it and we're pursuing the law to the degree.

I mean, fully we're pursuing the facts to the degree that we are able and not blocked by the feds. So I'm just assuring the people of that. asking for deference that you not make me just quote chapter and verse on every single step we're taking because it's not to the advantage of the case. Last question, this isn't on the killing of Renee Good, but what happened hours after? Minnesota Governor Tim Walls and other officials are calling on ICE agents to stay away from schools in Minneapolis after armed mass border patrol officers came onto the property of Roosevelt High School during a dismissal during dismissal on Wednesday. Agents deployed chemical weapons, tackled people, handcuffed to staff members.

U.S. Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino was at the school during the operation. Minneapolis schools closed again today for in-person classes. I want to play a clip of the former Minnesota governor, independent, Jesse Ventura. He's a former Navy SEAL who spoke to Fox 9 after visiting his alma mater, Roosevelt High School. As a graduate of Roosevelt High School and as the former governor of Minnesota, I'm so proud of Roosevelt High School and how they stood up for what is supposed to be America and freedom. And freedom is not arresting people without warrants. We have a system here. It's called a Constitution. And we have a party, the Republicans, who don't seem to want to abide by the Constitution.

That's former governor Jesse Ventura wearing a seal team hat. Attorney General Keith Ellison, what about what's happening at the schools? These students and teachers being hit with chemical weapons with being sprayed at recess? It's third-right stuff, Amy. And I fully embrace the sentiments expressed by Governor Ventura. but it's schools, but it's also daycare centers, it's shopping malls, mercados, it is religious institutions, it's everything. This is an unprecedented attack on American institutions. And let me just tell you, linking your question to what happened to Renee Good.

and leaving aside whatever happened in those critical seconds when Jonathan Ross shot her and killed her, the surge in escalation in the tactics directed by the president are directly responsible for the upheaval and interruption of education and the death of Renee Good. The escalation, the unwarranted, I believe unconstitutional escalation, illegal escalation. escalation is why these tragic events are unfolding. Absent this escalation, I believe Renee Good is taking her six-year-old to school again. Absent this, the children of Roosevelt higher going to take algebra and math and gym. And so this is what it is.

This is third-right stuff. This is reminiscent of every authoritarian, tyrannical leader is reminiscent of this kind of behavior. Governor Ventura is absolutely right. And I'm asking Minnesotans exactly what Tim Walz is asking them for. Protests, it is your right. You must protest. Do it peacefully. Let's not give the president the excuse he's looking for, but you must raise your voices.

Let's do it in a peaceful manner in a way that demonstrates our outrage and disgust with this, but in a way that keeps everybody as peaceful as possible. But I got to tell you, I agree with the governor, Governor Ventura on this one. Governor, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, thank you so much for joining us from Minneapolis. Thank you. Next up, the Oscar shortlist features five films on Israel and Palestine. And we'll look at two of them, starting with the voice of Hen Verjab, about a six-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. It's up for the best international feature film. Stay with us.

Sabalya, you know, he lowered his eyes, a funeral song performed by the New York City Palestinian youth choir. This is Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org. I'm Amy Goodman. We spend the rest of the hour looking at two of the five films. on Israel and Palestine that have been shortlisted for this year's Academy Awards. We first go to the Voice of Hinders-Jab, the critically acclaimed docudrama, about the six-year-old Palestinian girl who's killing by Israeli forces in Gaza in January 2024 reverberated around the world. The film shortlisted for the 26 Oscars in Best International Feature Film category. It incorporates the real audio recordings of phone-corporated.

calls from Little Hind as she was trapped under Israeli fire for hours pleading with Palestine Red Crescent dispatchers who were dozens of miles away from Gaza in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, pleading with them to be rescued from a car where her aunt, uncle, and four cousins lay dead. It was January 29, 2024. Israeli forces had ordered the evacuation of Gaza City's neighborhood of Tel Al-Hawah. So Hinn's aunt and uncle, attempted to flee the city with Hind and her four cousins. But before the family could escape, their car came under fire by Israeli soldiers outside a gas station. This is the trailer for the voice of Henraja.

You have to stop the bleeding. An ambulance is on its way, based on real events. Red Crescent emergency room, Ramallah. This is Omar. How can I help you? The voices in the phone are real. I'm scared. They're shooting. Come get me, please.

What's your name? Hind Rajabhamada. Please don't leave me. I'm all alone. Mati, I need an ambulance. We need to guarantee them a safe room. She doesn't have time. The tanks are here.

They're shooting at me. See all these people. people, we've lost them all. Without coordination, those eight minutes can cost them their lives, Omar. Please come. They are shooting at a car with a little gear inside. Can you imagine that? So do something. Save me. Are you in preschool? I'm in the butterfly class.

Ben? Yes. We're coming to get you. Please don't leave me. I'm afraid of the dark. There's a few photos. There's still some light left. We still have some time. That's the trailer for the voice of Hindra Shab.

As the Red Crescent dispatchers speak with HEND, colleagues are trying to get an ambulance to her, which require coordination with an approval by Israeli authorities. The Palestine Red Crescent Society later said Israeli forces also targeted its ambulance as it arrived on the scene. The emergency workers, Yusuf Zaino and Ahmed Ahmad al-Dun, had found their way to Hennin, but were killed by Israeli forces just yards away from Henn's family car. The bullet-riddled vehicle was found with more than 300 holes from Israeli fire, according to forensic architecture.

For more, we're joined by Katha Ben-Hanilla. The Academy Award nominated Tunisian filmmaker and the director of the voice of Hindrajab. The film received a record-breaking 23-minute standing ovation at its Venice Film Festival premiere last year. Calder's other films include the Oscar-nominated four daughters and a man who sold his skin. Welcome to Democracy Now. It's an honor to have you with us. Thank you. This is Tunisia's official entry into the Oscars.

You actually filmed this in Tunisia, though it is. And so that people, except for Hinn's voice, are actors who are actors who are. playing the Red Crescent workers. Explain why you did this when you did it. It started with the voice of Hendrajab, obviously, because I heard a small extract on internet published at the time by the Red Crescent, Palestinian Red Crescent.

During those 12 days, you know, of siege, when they had no news from their paramedic and from Hent, you know. This was after they were killed. Nobody know, yeah, after the paramedic killed, but nobody knows, you know, what happened to her, but she was killed. But they have to wait 12 days. So when I heard her voice, you know, this is, I was in a period asking myself about what does it mean to tell stories when the unthinkable is happening, you know. I was glued to the news following what was happening in Gaza.

and for me it was very important to take this voice out of the social media, busyness and forgetness and amnesia, and to put it in a cinematic form where people can sit and listen. Because when you hear her voice, you can't hear it. At least for me, it haunted me, and I had this feeling of helplessness. and I thought I hate it when I feel helpless. What can I do? I can do movies, you know.

So I did this movie to honor her voice, but also to tell this incredible story of those heroes, you know, trying to save lives in impossible condition. Describe what it was like on the set. I mean, you have these actors who are also human beings, and they are playing the Red Crescent workers. You had the transcripts. You also had them talking to each other.

and writing to each other in the office in Ramallah. They're trying to coordinate to get her help. The ambulance was what, like eight minutes away. But there was also the fighting of even if they get approval from the Israelis, explain the difference between approval and what it meant to get the green light, to know that these ambulance workers wouldn't be killed on their way to her. Yeah. I mean, you know, I did this choice to have actors because I needed to,

to do this movie in the presentance, to go back when this moment when Hind was alive, and as you say, the ambulance was eight minutes away, so it was possible to save her, you know. The access was denied. Those paramedic were killed. And I remember when I started working on this movie, everything was in the recording. It's a movie started with the sound, you know. So you have all the killing of Lyon, the cousin, the 15-year-old, in the... She was one who first called the Red Press, and she was 15. What's astounding is that once she's killed with her family, little Hind is then describing everything she sees.

She's six. Yeah, exactly. She's not even six, you know. She's younger than six. And then we have in the recording the voice of Yusuf Zainu talking to Mahdi and saying, here the ambulance, here the car, here she is, you know. So he was meter away from the car, and then we hear the bombing. So for me, the main idea in the beginning was to explain why you can send an ambulance eight minutes away, you know,

because for, you know, for me it's completely insane, you know, we have a child begging for life. So then when I talked to the real Red Crescent person, they explained to me the system of coordination. Quote, coordination. Yeah, exactly. and how they did everything, you know, in their power to respect those imposed rule, those rules done, you know, like not to be respected. Those rules were not respected by the Israeli army because they did everything by the book, they sent the ambulance and the ambulance was bombarded.

And at this moment, since I did this movie with this form where actors are portraying real people, I knew for the audience that I need to have a clear contract. Those are actors, and even actors can't act this, you know, story. And this is why in the movie you have them stopping acting by moment, you know, and listening to their prospective character. They are portraying, talking to him, you know. Till this incredible moment, I remember when I heard it, I said, not true when they bombarded the ambulance coming to rescue little hand. It was true. So for me,

it was very important at this point to go to something archival documentary and we see in the movie that we have the actors acting, but at the same time I had a lot of chance to have an archive of this moment because one of their colleague in their crescent filmed them. So I did this scene to go out of the acting to go to the archive. moment. And in the office, in the Ramallah Red Crescent office, are the pictures of the past dead ambulance and paramedics to remind them how dangerous it is even for them. I want to end with this clip of voice of Hindra Jab, where we hear two Palestine Red Crescent dispatchers in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Again, they are actors who answer Hendri Jabs' call. The call is real,

as she pleads to be rescued. What is your name? There's no one with me. What's your name? There's no one with me. I can't hear your name. I'm Omar. What's your name?

My name is Hanud. What's your name? Hanood? Come get me. Your sister's name? Come get me. Where's your sister? I will, but where's your sister?

I don't have one. Mahdi. A six-year-old girl is still hidden in the car. A six-year-old girl in the car? And the others? The others, I don't know. She said she's alone. She's on the line with me.

Who's on the line with you? The girl. Is she a member of the Hamada family? Yes. And ask her. What's your full name? Hide under the seat. Don't let anyone see you. Stay with her.

Okay? Yes. Another clip from the voice of Hind Rajab, you got the blessing of Hinn's mother, who was not in the car, to do this film. Yeah, it was one of the first things I did before even taking the decision to make this movie, because it's her daughter and I need. her approval, not only her approval, but also her blessing. So I called her and she was at the time stealing Gaza. Thanks God, she's been evacuated and she was mourning, but also she was moving

from one house to another. She couldn't, you know, but she's for me the example of resilience and she told me my daughter is not the only child killed this way in Gaza. I want justice for my daughter. And if your movie can help, please do it. And for me, it was very important to do this movie. And I want just to say that we met recently with Hind Mother at Dawha Film Festival. They invited the four real Red Crescent employee with my accent. actors and we gathered around Hind Mother and she was so feeling so, how to say, a lot of courage

because she was meeting audience after every screening. And for her, it was like a funeral, you know, because she didn't have a proper funeral for her daughter in Gaza at the time. So in every screening she arrives when the credit role to talk with the audience and to talk with the audience and to see that they are sharing her pain? Carl Thor Benhani, I want to thank you so much for being with us. The renowned filmmaker, the director of the Voice of Hindbrajab, up for the Best International Feature Film, the Academy Awards. It's opening at Film Forum tonight and then moving on to Los Angeles and beyond in the

United States. Next up, we look at another film shortlisted for an Academy Award. This one for Best Documentary Feature. It's called Holding Liat, about former Israeli hostage, Lehatt Tzili, who will join us in the studio with the film's director. These are films, and they are real life. Stay with us. Well, Black Jack Day became a walking girl that sings her lad and gayly. He was listening to the wildwood's ran.

each arm the heart of a lady charm the heart of a lady each arm the heart of a lady charm how old are you answered once with a pretty little smile I'll be 16 acts on the Nora Brown performing at the Brooklyn Folk Festival. This is Democracy Now, Democracy Now.org.

I'm Amy Goodman. We end today's show with another film that's been shortlisted for the Academy Awards in the best documentary feature category, holding Liat. On October 7th, 2020, during a Hamas' attack on Israel, the Israeli-American Liat Penin Azzili, was taken hostage, along with 250 others,

at least 12 of them U.S. citizens. Holding Liat is an intimate lens into the heart-wrenching fight by Liyat's family to free her. The film follows her parents, Yehuda and Chaya Bainan, as they cope with the fear and uncertainty of their daughter's captivity, while witnessing Israel's war on Gaza unfold in real time. This is the trailer for holding Liat. Our intelligence says your daughter Liat is being held by terrorists in the Gaza's Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

It is so hard not knowing what's going on with her. My biggest worry is that she's not with us anymore. We're being led by crazy people, whether it's on the Israeli side or whether on the Palestinian side. And the result is all this death and destruction. Yehuda and I deal with problems differently. The struggle for peace and reconciliation is the best way to respect Liyadh-Naviv and provide a human side to this story. I'm not going to thank them for abducting my parents and

murdering my acquaintances. Let's just figure out where Liyadhnav are. Let's just focus on that Abba. We want to be supportive of the family and on the other hand, I'm here and I disagree politically. Sometimes it's better to just be quiet. Because you know what, forgetting Liatnavieve. in the feedback, but a yama can't hear it. No, I'm not going to run away. I'll stand my ground. There's no way of knowing how much longer this is going to go on. Who's holding her? Is she in a house? Is she in a cave? Is she being fed? Does she have her glasses? The longer it takes, the harder it is, to stay positive.

There's no guarantee that either of them are cutting out of this alive. We just got the list, and unfortunately, Viat is not on today's list. In this clip of holding Liat, Liyat's father, Yehuda-Beyn, travels to Washington, D.C., to advocate for Liat, his daughter's release. Whatever happens with Avivin Liat, it's not in my hands. But it's not in my nature just to sit around and to wait for things to happen. This is not a future that I envision for either of my children. When has war ever ended well? Leot, actually, because she's smarter than me, understands this, understood this a long time ago, much before, much before me.

For more, we're joined by Leot Benin, Etzili, high school history teacher subject of the field of Holding Leot. She was held hostage in Gaza for 54 days released in November, 23. And Brandon Kramer, director of Holding Leot, which has been shortlisted for the Oscars and Best Documentary Feature category. welcome you both to Democracy Now, and my condolence is Liat on the death of your husband. You were both taken from the kibbutz near Oz. You did not know during that whole 54 days that he had been killed? I didn't know. And thank you.

I didn't know what had happened to him, and I didn't know what had happened to my two sons who were on the kibbutz. I have a daughter, my youngest, who wasn't on the kibbutz on that day, so I knew that at least she was alive. That was what kept me going during those days. And talk about who held you? I was held at first by a family for about 36 hours. They were the family of the person who took me from my house. He was a member of Hamas.

I don't know what his family's politics were, but they treated me very well. I have to say that. It was his mother? Yeah, his mother. and a sister. And after about 36 hours, I was transferred to a different place where at first there were about 10 Hamas people, and eventually I stayed with two men.

With two men who were with me until I was released. You and another hostage? Me and another hostage, yes. How did they treat you? They told us from the beginning that we were very isolated, which is a little bit different than what most of the other hostages experienced. And we didn't see anybody other than each other. And they kept telling us that they had no idea what was going on with other hostages and that it was their job to keep us safe and to keep us healthy until we were released in a hostage deal. and that's what they did.

And we go through the agony of your family. We interviewed your uncle, Stanford Professor Joel Vainan, well known as a deep critic of the Netanyahu government, talking about you, but wanting you to tell your own story here, which is why it is an honor for you to be here. And Brandon Kramer, in the little time we have left, why you decided to do this film about Liat? Yeah, I mean, Liat and Aviv, they're relatives of mine.

And when we found out that Leatt and Aviv her husband, and when we found out that Leatt and Aviv were taken, we felt this responsibility to pick up our camera and start documenting what their family was going through. And as we started to film, you know, we were documenting Leot's father, who within days of Leot being released was very vocal saying, I don't want my daughter and son-in-law's captivity to be used as justification. or weaponized to perpetuate violence against Palestinians in Gaza. I want the opposite. I want peace. I want reconciliation. And in that moment in time, that was not a story that was being told. The narrative was very different, and that's why we made the film.

And Leah, your message to the world two years later, your feelings today. Well, it's very difficult speaking after watching parts of the film. the voice of Hindra Jab really is so moving and touching. And I think that the most important thing that people remember is that there aren't any conflicts that aren't, that there aren't any conflicts that are unsolvable. It's just a matter of people wanting to speak to each other and wanting to listen and to understand each other's stories. And that if we don't do that,

We're just allowing violence to take over. And like my dad says, in the film and the parts that we saw, three seconds. More violence and more killing aren't going to get us anywhere. We're going to do part two and post online at DemocracyNow.org. Liat Benin Etzili, held by Hamas for 54 days. Brandon Kramer, director of holding Liat.