‘This Week’ Transcript: Attorney General Eric Holder

ByABC News
July 13, 2014, 10:55 AM
Pierre Thomas speaks with Attorney General Eric Holder in London on Friday, July 11th, 2014.
Pierre Thomas speaks with Attorney General Eric Holder in London on Friday, July 11th, 2014.
Jack Date/ABC News

— -- Below is the rush transcript of "This Week" on July 13th, 2014. It may contain errors.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: Breaking overnight: Israeli commandos storm Gaza. Gunfire exchanged in the midnight raid as the death toll in Gaza continues to rise. Is this the start of a fullscale ground war? Martha Raddatz leads our team coverage from an explosive Middle East.

Homeland threat...

ERIC HOLDER, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: It's more frightening than anything I think I've seen as attorney general.

ANNOUNCER: Pierre Thomas goes one on one with the attorney general.

Plus, a special report from beyond the border.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you afraid?

ANNOUNCER: We're in Central America following the children heading north.

And homecoming...

CROWD: LBJ.

ANNOUNCER: What a week for Cleveland and King James.

From ABC News, This Week with George Stephanopoulos begins now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, HOST: Good morning, let's get right to that breaking news.

After days of rocket fire and air strikes, Israeli commandos engage in their first combat in Gaza. The big question now, is this leading to an all-out ground war, or can a ceasefire take hold before more rockets are fired, more civilians are killed.

Martha Raddatz starts us off from the border of Israel and Gaza. Good morning, Martha.

MARTHA RADDATZ, ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, George.

I am standing near what is essentially the front line in this conflict. I am in Israel and just behind me a few miles is Gaza. There has been a constant exchange of fire. Hamas rockets and Israeli air strikes. But for the very first time last night, Israel sent in a small number of ground troops, the first time they have done so since 2009.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RADDATZ: It was in the dead of night when several dozen navy commandos, Israel's equivalent of the navy SEALs approached the Gaza shore from the Mediterranean Sea in small boats. Surveillance planes and attack helicopters providing cover.

The commandos destroyed a number of Hamas long range rockets and launchers that have been targeting Israel's major cities. But Hamas militants spotted the team and opened fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a huge engagement and we took out the capabilities and the terrorists.

RADDATZ: The Israelis have been pounding Hamas from the air for days.

We watched on this stunning hillside with several dozen residents of the Israeli town of Sderot, which has been hit frequently by rocket fire from Gaza over the years. Now the residents gather every day to watch the Israeli air force strike back.

You saw missiles right there?

Oh, you shot it.

And you don't have to wait here very long.

How often does this happen?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actually this is...

RADDATZ: We can see one outgoing from Gaza right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the direction of Tel Aviv.

RADDATZ: Last night, three rockets made it near or above Tel Aviv where they were intercepted by the Iron Dome, Israel's multi-billion dollar defense system, which we saw first hand.

It has saved countless lives. Not a single Israeli has been killed during this operation.

In Gaza, it is another story. This is what the air strikes look like from the ground.

The Israeli warn residents that their building has been targeted with what they call a knock on the roof to get them to evacuate.

Just minutes later, watch as a powerful missile completely destroys this house.