>>> AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, TRUMPS TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST THIS WEEK DOES NOT INCLUDE A STOP IN ISRAEL.

DOES THIS SIGNAL A GROWING DIVIDE BETWEEN THE TWO ALLIES OR SOMETHING ELSE COMPLETELY?

TOM FRIEDMAN SAYS THAT THIS ALLIANCE IS UNSURPRISINGLY FRAYED RIGHT NOW GIVEN THIS ISRAELI GOVERNMENT'S APPROACH TO THE WAR AGAINST HAMAS.

HE JOINS MICHEL MARTIN TO DISCUSS HIS RECENT OP-ED ON THIS TOPIC.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ONCE AGAIN.

YOU ARE A LONG TIME MIDDLE EAST WATCHER, MOST PEOPLE KNOW THIS FROM YOUR BEST-SELLING BOOKS, YOUR COLUMNS FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES, YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS REGION FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND YOU HAVE WRITTEN SOME VERY TOUGH NIECES.

I HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN YOU RIGHT.

YOU SAY THAT YOU HAVE A GOVERNMENT THAT IS NO LONGER BEHAVING AS AN ALLY.

THIS MOST RECENT COLUMN WAS AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP.

HE HAS GONE TO SAUDI ARABIA, TO THE UAE, BYPASSING ISRAEL ON THIS TRIP.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SAY ON THIS TRIP, THE FACT THAT YOU ARE TRAVELING THERE NEXT WEEK MEETING THE LEADERS OF SAUDI ARABIA AND HAVE NO PLANS TO SEE PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IN ISRAEL SUGGESTS TO ME THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A VITAL TRUTH, THAT THIS ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS BEHAVING IN WAYS THAT THREATEN HARD-CORE U.S. INTEREST IN THE REGION.

NETANYAHU IS NOT OUR FRIEND AND YOU GO ON TO SAY THAT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING THE ISRAELI PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SEE THEMSELVES AS STEADFAST ALLIES OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

THIS ULTRANATIONALIST ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS NOT AMERICA'S ALLY.

THESE ARE VERY STRONG WORDS.

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE THEM?

>> THIS IS A THEME I HAVE BEEN ON SINCE THE GOVERNMENT CAME TO POWER.

THE FIRST ISRAELI GOVERNMENT THAT HAS NOT MADE ITS PRIORITY WITH THE SURROUNDING ARAB STATES AND ISRAEL ITS NUMBER ONE PRIORITY HAS BEEN ANNEXATION OF THE WEST BANK.

THE FORMATION OF THIS COALITION.

THAT IN ITSELF IS A THREAT TO U.S.

INTERESTS.

SINCE RICHARD NIXON AFTER THE 1973 WAR ENGINEERED THE EVICTION FROM THE RUSSIANS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST.

THE GROUND WEEK FOR THE PEACE TREATY.

THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE PEACE PROCESS OF EVERY AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION.

THE U.S. IS BASICALLY SET UP AS A REGIONAL ORDER OF A PRO-U.S. GOVERNMENT IN ISRAEL THAT HAS SERVED OUR INTEREST QUITE WELL AND THE ECONOMIC INTEREST OF THE UNITED STATES AND PARTIES QUITE WELL.

THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTEMPT TO DRIVE PALESTINIANS OUT OF THE WEST BANK AND OUT OF GAZA IN PURSUIT OF A GOAL OF ANNEXATION TRENDS TO UPSET THAT WILL ORDER BUT ALSO TO DESTABILIZE TWO PILLARS OF THAT ORDER, JORDAN AND EGYPT.

THEY FEAR THAT THEY WANT TO DRIVE THE WEST BANK PALESTINIANS INTO THEIR COUNTRY.

THAT IS A FUNDAMENTAL PREDICTION OF U.S. INTEREST.

>> WHAT IS DRIVING THIS?

>> THIS IS THE MOST RIGHT-WING GOVERNMENT THAT ISRAEL HAS EVER HAD.

WHEN THIS GOVERNMENT WAS ANNOUNCED, I WILL RECALL FOR YOU, BACK IN LATE 2022, I ACTUALLY WROTE A COLUMN.

THE MORNING AFTER WAS ANNOUNCED.

THE ISRAEL THAT YOU KNEW IS OVER.

THE MEMORIES OF THIS GOVERNMENT, IF YOU ARE JEWISH- AMERICAN, YOU DID NOT GO TO JEWISH SUMMER CAMP WITH THESE PEOPLE.

THESE ARE JEWISH PROUD BOYS SUPREMACIST THAT WALK OUT OF THE SECOND TEMPLE.

YOU DO NOT KNOW THESE PEOPLE.

I WAS A NEW YORK TIMES CORRESPONDING BACK AND BE MID- 1980S WHEN THE ARCH RIGHT-WING ANTI-ARAB FIRST AMERICAN RABBI AND MEMBER OF THE MEMBER OF THE KNESSET, WHEN HE WOULD RISE TO SPEAK ON THE PODIUM, THE PRIME MINISTER USED TO WALK OUT.

TODAY, HIS IDEOLOGICAL HEIRS ARE NOT IN THIS CABINET, THEY ARE IN TWO KEY POSITIONS, FINANCE MINISTER AND MINISTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY.

>> WHEN YOU SAY THIS NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT MADE AN EXCEPTION OF THE WEST BANK ITS PRIORITY WHEN IT CAME INTO POWER WELL BEFORE THE VICIOUS INVASION ON OCTOBER 7, 2023, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, IT DOES SEEM THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WAS ACTING AS THE OLD ISRAEL WAS STILL IN PLAY.

THAT THEY CAN REASON WITH NETANYAHU AND HE WAS NOT GOING TO GO THIS FAR.

WHAT DID THEY NOT SEE THAT YOU SAW?

BLESS HIM, HE WOULD SAY, I LOVE YOU, I DISAGREE WITH YOU.

YOU KNOW.

I THINK THAT HE REALLY UNDERESTIMATED HOW MUCH NETANYAHU HIMSELF HAD CHANGED.

HE CHANGED, EVER SINCE HE WAS INDICTED ON THREE DIFFERENT COUNTS OF DIFFERENT FORMS OF CORRUPTION.

AND FACED THE PROSPECT OF GOING TO JAIL.

ISRAEL HAS PUT A PRESIDENT IN JAIL AND A PRIME MINISTER IN JAIL.

IT PUTS PEOPLE IN JAIL UNLIKE SOME OTHER COUNTRIES I KNOW.

IT PUTS LEADERS IN JAIL.

THIS WAS A VERY REAL PROSPECT FOR NETANYAHU.

HE HAD TO BE IN GOVERNMENT.

BASICALLY THAT CREATED A HUGE VULNERABILITY FOR HIM.

THE ONLY WAY HE COULD GET A CABINET COALITION TO RULE WAS BY BRINGING IT TO THE CENTER OF ISRAELI POLITICS, PEOPLE WHO HAD NEVER HAD THESE POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY BEFORE.

FROM THE NATIONAL RELIGIOUS FACTION AND THE FAR RIGHT NATIONALIST FACTION.

ONCE THEY WERE IN, THEY HAD HIM OVER A BARREL.

ANYTIME HE DID NOT FOLLOW THEIR DICTATES, THEY WOULD THREATEN TO TOPPLE HIM AND EXPOSE HIM TO THE PROSPECT OF JAIL.

HE WAS NEVER A STRAIGHT SHOOTER FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

HE WAKES UP EVERY MORNING AND THINKS ABOUT HIS INTEREST AND SOME DAYS THE FORMER WINS AND SOMETIMES THE LATTER WINS.

>> IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE THINKS HE IS RIGHT?

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE JUST THINKS THAT THIS REALLY IS, THE BRUTALITY OF THIS CAMPAIGN IN GAZA, THE AGGRESSIVE EFFORTS IN THE WEST BANK, THEY ARE JUST WHAT IT TAKES TO SECURE ISRAEL.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE THINKS HE IS CORRECT?

>> EXCELLENT QUESTION.

I OPPOSED THE INVASION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

THEY SHOULD MAKE THIS OPERATION FOLK --FOCUSED ON THE HOSTAGES AND USE THE SURGICAL TACTICS AFTER THE MUNICH MASSACRE.

NO, WE ARE GOING TO GO IN AND INVADE.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO THIS, THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS THAT WILL GIVE YOU TIME AND LEGITIMACY AND THE RESOURCES YOU NEED IS IF YOU HAVE A PALESTINIAN PARTNER AND MAKE CLEAR THAT YOU ARE GOING INTO GAZA NOT JUST TO WIPE OUT HAMAS AND LEAVE A BARREN WASTELAND.

NOT TO GO INTO GAZA TO RESETTLE IT BUT TO REPLACE TREADWAY FOR WITH A DECENT PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY THAT WILL ONE DAY BE A PARTNER FOR PEACE.

THAT HAS EMBRACED THE PEACE ACCORDANCE.

PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW INSANE THIS WAR HAS BEEN.

THIS WAS A WAR THAT WAS LAUNCHED WITH NO PLAN FOR THE MORNING AFTER.

THE REASON THERE WAS NO PLAN FOR THE MORNING AFTER IS BECAUSE NETANYAHU KNEW IF YOU EVER SAID TO HIS PARTNER AT THE P.A., THE RIGHT-WINGERS WILL BRING DOWN HIS GOVERNMENT.

THEY ABOUT THIS WAR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF WITH NO EXIT STRATEGY.

WHAT DID THEY DO?

THEY WENT IN AND DESTROYED A LOT OF HOUSES AND KILLED A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WENT OUT.

THEN THEY REAPPEARED AND WENT IN AND DESTROYED MORE HOUSES, KILLED MORE PALESTINIANS AND THEN WENT OUT.

THEN WE HAD THIS CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT AND THAT LED TO THE FIRST HOSTAGE EXCHANGE AND THEY SAID NO, WE WILL RESUME THE WAR AND NOW THE PLAN IS TO GO IN AND STAY IN.

AND END OF THE WAR ONCE AND FOR ALL.

I WILL TELL YOU, AS A VETERAN OF THE STORY, THE FOUR MOST DANGEROUS WORDS IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE , ONCE AND FOR ALL.

REMEMBER, ISRAEL HAS BEEN IN THE WEST BANK FOR 58 YEARS.

IT STILL DOES NOT CONTROL THE WEST BANK ENTIRELY.

THEY WILL DO THAT IN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK.

7 MILLION JEWS TRYING TO CONTROL 7 MILLION PALESTINIANS.

>> WHY IS THERE NOT MORE OF A MOVEMENT TO COUNTERACT THIS ULTRANATIONALIST BOOM AS YOU DESCRIBE IT?

>> THE ANSWER, BASICALLY, GOES TO HAMAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS.

ONE OF MY PROUDEST MOMENTS IN JOURNALISM WAS WHEN I INTERVIEWED THE SAUDI CROWN PRINCE.

HE LATER BECAME THE ARAB PEACE INITIATIVE.

BASED ON THE PALESTINIAN STATE IN THE WEST BANK IN JERUSALEM AND GAZA.

IT WAS AN AMAZING INITIATIVE.

THE INTERVIEW IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I'VE EVER DONE.

IT WAS ADOPTED IN MARCH.

I DID THE INTERVIEW IN FEBRUARY AND THEN THEY HAD THE ARAB SUMMIT.

YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AT THE FIRST NIGHT OF THAT SUMMIT?

IT COINCIDED WITH THE FIRST NIGHT OF PASSOVER.

AND A HAMAS SUICIDE BOMBER WALKED INTO A HOTEL AND BLEW HIMSELF UP WITH A SUICIDE VEST KILLING, I DON'T REMEMBER HOW THAT WAS HAMAS ANSWER TO THE FIRST ARROW PEACE INITIATIVE.

I HAVE NO BE FOR THESE PEOPLE.

THIS IS A TERRIBLE ORGANIZATION.

FOR THE STUDENTS ON CAMPUS THE MORNING AFTER OCTOBER 7th, PUT UP SIGNS, GLORY TO THE MARTYRS, SHAME ON YOU.

THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT DESTROYED THE PALESTINIAN FUTURE MORE THAN ANYBODY.

I HAVE NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT THAT AT ALL.

I AM SAYING TO ISRAEL, IF THAT IS WHO YOU HAVE GOT OUT THERE, YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS.

PERMANENT WAR AGAINST THEM OR YOU TRY, TRY, TRY AGAIN TO NURTURE AN ALTERNATIVE.

THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE THERE, IT IS THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, IT IS CORRUPT.

IT HAS ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS.

NURTURING THAT ALTERNATIVE RATHER THAN A FOREVER WAR WILL BE MUCH BETTER, I BELIEVE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND PALESTINIANS.

>> THE U.S. IS NO LONGER DEMANDING THAT SAUDI ARABIA NORMALIZE TIES WITH ISRAEL AS A CONDITION TO FURTHER THE CIVIL NUCLEAR OPERATION TALKS.

AS MANY PEOPLE MAY REMEMBER, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MADE NORMALIZATION A KEY PART OF A BROADER DEAL.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CLEARLY, SEEMS TO BE WALKING AWAY FROM THAT, WHAT DOES THAT SAY TO YOU?

MAYBE IT SAYS THEY GOT FED UP WITH NETANYAHU.

FOR A YEAR, HE TRIED TO COME UP WITH SOME EMULATION TO SATISFY THE SAUDIS.

FOR A BIG U.S. SAUDI PROGRAM AND WE WILL AGREE TO DO THAT IF ISRAEL AGREES TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS ON A CLEAR PATHWAY TO A PALESTINIAN STATE.

FOR A YEAR, NETANYAHU PLAYED AROUND WITH ALL KINDS OF LANGUAGE AND WHATNOT THAT WOULD THREAD THE LIDO SO HE COULD SAY THAT AND NOT BLOW UP HIS CABINET.

ADMINISTRATION NEVER BOUGHT IT AND DROP NEVER BOUGHT IT.

HE GOT FED UP WITH IT, FORGET ABOUT IT.

WE WILL DO THIS DEAL WITH SAUDI ARABIA AND I WILL GET IT THROUGH CONGRESS AND I WILL NOT WORRY ABOUT YOU NORMALIZE WITH ISRAEL.

THINK ABOUT WHAT NETANYAHU SACRIFICED .

HE TRADED THE PIECE WITH THE FAR RIGHT MEMBERS OF HIS CABINET FOR PEACE WITH SAUDI ARABIA, THE BIGGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT MUSLIM NATION, THE HOME OF THE TWO HOLY LAND SITES OF MECCA AND MEDINA.

IT WOULD NOT ONLY OPEN ISRAEL TO THE WHOLE MUSLIM WORLD FOR INVESTMENT, TRADE AND OPPORTUNITY AND FOR MUSLIMS TO GO TO ISRAEL, IT WOULD'VE DIFFUSED TENSIONS BETWEEN JEWS AND MUSLIMS THAT HAVE BEEN THERE SINCE THE BIRTH OF ZIONISM.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE CHANGE.

AND NETANYAHU BASICALLY TRADED HIS POLITICAL INTERESTS PEACE WITH SAUDI ARABIA.

>> AGAIN, YOUR COLUMN WAS WRITTEN AS AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP.

YOU WROTE THAT IN THE MIDDLE EAST YOU HAVE SOME GOOD AND INDEPENDENT INSTINCTS.

DOES HE REALLY?

IS IT MORE THAT HE TENDS TO POSITION HIS FOREIGN POLICY IN OPPOSITION TO WHATEVER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DID?

IF THAT IS THE CASE, THAT IS NOT REALLY A STRATEGY, THAT IS A REACTION.

>> BASICALLY, DEALING WITH TRUMPS INSTINCTS AND WHATNOT IS A PERILOUS ADVENTURE.

WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SUGGEST, HIS WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE DIRECTLY WITH HAMAS FOR THE RELEASE OF AN AMERICAN HOSTAGE TO HIS INTEREST AND REFUSAL TO NEGOTIATE WAS A GOOD THING.

IT HAS SHAKEN UP ISRAELI POLITICS WHICH IS IN TURMOIL TODAY BECAUSE OF THAT.

HIS ABILITY TO DO A DEAL WITH THE --WAS, ONE COULD MAKE A GOOD ARGUMENT WITH THAT.

HIS WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE WITH IRAN, WE WILL HAVE TO SEE, DEPENDS ON WHAT THE DEAL LOOKS LIKE.

BIDEN WAS IN THE SITUATION AND FAIRNESS TO BIDEN, IF YOU TRIED ANY OF THESE THINGS, NETANYAHU WOULD HAVE GONE TO REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEY AND TRUMP WOULD'VE BLOCKED EVERYTHING BIDEN TRIED TO DO.

TRUMP HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT HE IS NOT BIDEN.

REPUBLICANS ARE BASICALLY A TRUMP COLT THAT WILL DO WHATEVER HE TELLS THEM TO DO.

HE IS NOT WORRIED ABOUT BEING OUTFLANKED ON HIS RIGHT BY REPUBLICANS OR EVANGELICALS.

IT HAS GIVEN HIM MORE FREEDOM OF ACTION.

WELL, LET'S WAIT AND SEE.

>> AS YOU AND I ARE SPEAKING NOW, THE PRESIDENT IS STILL IN THE REGION.

HE HAD THIS LAVISH WELCOME CEREMONY.

AND IS TOUTING HIS ABILITY TO MAKE DEALS.

A LOT OF THESE ARE ARMS DEALS.

IT IS ASSERTED THAT THERE WILL BE INVESTMENT DEALS FROM THE GULF STATES IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO, HOW DO YOU READ THAT?

>> TRUMP IS ALL ABOUT, HE IS A TRANSACTIONAL PERSON.

HE THINKS LIFE IS ABOUT LEVERAGE AND LEVERAGE COMES FROM HAVING MORE MONEY THAN THE OTHER GUY WHICH GIVES YOU MORE LEVERAGE TO GET MORE MONEY.

SO, I AM ALL FOR TRADE DEALS.

DISAPPOINTED THAT IT HAS TO BE ALL WEAPONS SYSTEMS.

WELL, THAT IS TRUMP.

WE HAVE HEARD THESE THINGS BEFORE, HOW MANY OF THEM ACTUALLY COME THROUGH.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, PRESIDENTS ARE NOT JUDGED BY HOW BIG THE ARMS THE SALES ARE THAT THEY MAKE TO THE MIDDLE EAST.

THEY ARE JUDGED BY THEIR ABILITY TO ADVANCE THE PEACE PROCESS THERE.

WHEN IT COMES TO TRUMP, THAT IS STILL TBD.

HIS WILLINGNESS TO THINK UNCONVENTIONALLY.

YOU KNOW, CAN BE A REAL ASSET HERE.

I'M NOT SURE, HE HAS THE PATIENCE OR INTEREST OR PEOPLE THE HARD WORK THE MORNING AFTER TO ACTUALLY CREATE A DIFFERENT REALITY IN THE REGION.

>> BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, YOUR ENDED YOUR COLUMN, CITES THE FACT THAT NINE CHILDREN WERE KILLED EARLIER IN THE WEEK.

BETWEEN THE AGES OF THREE AND 14.

THE ISRAELI MILITARY SAID THAT THE TARGET WAS A HAMAS TARGET CONTROL CENTER AND STEPS WERE TAKEN TO MITIGATE THE RISK OF HARMING UNINVOLVED CIVILIANS.

THEY GO ON TO SAY, WE CAN CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE NUMBER OF PALESTINIANS THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED, MORE THAN 52,000, AROUND 18,000 CHILDREN TO QUESTION THE CREDIBILITY OF THEIR FIGURES TO USE ALL OF THE MECHANISMS OF NORMALIZATION AND JUSTIFICATION .

NONE OF THIS WILL CHANGE THE BITTER FACT THAT ISRAEL KILLED THEM.

OUR HANDS DID THIS.

WE MUST NOT AVERT OUR EYES.

WE MUST WAKE UP AND CRY OUT LOUDLY, STOP THE WAR.

I WANTED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHETHER YOU THINK THAT SOMETHING IS CHANGING IN ISRAEL IF IT IS DIMINISHING?

>> THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THERE IS A SORT OF SOLIDARITY THAT WAS APPARENT IN ISRAEL FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR, HAS FRACTURED.

RESERVISTS ARE REFUSING TO WORK BECAUSE THERE IS A FEELING THAT ALL THE ARMY IS DOING NOW IS GOING AFTER HER SECOND TARGETS AND LEADERS AND JUST KILLING A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I THINK AS MUCH AS THAT HAD NOT GONE THROUGH EARLY ON, IT HAS GONE THROUGH TO AT LEAST PART OF THE ISRAELI POPULATION.

ENOUGH OF IT THAT THE MAJORITY IN ISRAEL NOW ARE VIEWED AS, STOP THE WAR, GIVE US OUR HOSTAGES BACK AND IF HAMAS WANTS TO RUN THE PLACE, LET THEM RUN IT.

YOU OBSERVE THE CABINET IN OPPOSITION OF THAT WHICH SAYS, WE WILL RESTART THE WAR.

RESTARTED IN A WAY WHERE WE HEARD ALL OF THE PALESTINIANS TO A QUADRANT OF THE GAZA STRIP AND WE WILL PERMANENTLY OCCUPY THE PLACE.

THE GOVERNMENT IS COMPLETELY AT ODDS WITH THE ISRAELI MAJORITY RIGHT NOW AND YOU CAN SEE THAT TENSION EVERY DAY THAT YOU PICK UP THE ISRAELI PAPERS.

THESE ARE ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TOO LONG AT WAR.

THERE IS BEEN A HUGE OUTCRY IN THE ARAB MUSLIM WORD ABOUT THE JEWISH CASUALTIES IN THE FIRST WEEK.

YOU KNOW, MY VIEW IS THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE AWFUL THINGS TO EACH OTHER FOR WAY TOO LONG.

MY OWN PHILOSOPHY IN APPROACHING THIS WAR, I AM NOT HERE TO KEEP SCORE WHO IS AWFUL.

I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 50 YEARS.

I AM HERE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY OUT.

ALL OF MY THINKING IS DEVOTED TO FIGURING OUT HOW WE STOP THIS AND GET BACK TO TWO STATES FOR TWO PEOPLE.

THAT IS WHAT IS MOTIVATING ME FROM THE START AND TODAY.

>> TOM FRIEDMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

THANK YOU.

IT'S MY PLEASURE.