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Gaza military ‘pause,’ escalation on northern border inflame divisions in Israel

“Jerusalem Minute” with Middle East correspondent Josh Hasten, Ep. 22

A daily “operational pause“ in Israel Defense Forces counterterrorism operations along a key southern road in Gaza, announced on Sunday, has angered swaths of the Israeli public and government officials.

Meanwhile, full-scale war seems imminent with Hezbollah in Lebanon as its rockets continue to cause widespread damage and forest fires in northern Israel.

JNS CEO and Jerusalem bureau chief Alex Traiman and Middle East correspondent Josh Hasten also discuss other hot topics, including the arrival of White House envoy Amos Hochstein in Israel to calm tensions on the northern border; new U.S. sanctions on Israeli “settlers“ in Judea and Samaria; and polls showing that Hamas’s popularity is soaring.

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Alex Traiman is the CEO and Jerusalem bureau chief of the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) and host of “Jerusalem Minute.” A seasoned Israeli journalist, documentary filmmaker and startup consultant, he is an expert on Israeli politics and U.S.-Israel relations. He has interviewed top political figures, including Israeli leaders, U.S. senators and national security officials with insights featured on major networks like BBC, Bloomberg, CBS, NBC, Fox and Newsmax. A former NCAA champion fencer and Yeshiva University Sports Hall of Fame member, he made aliyah in 2004, and lives in Jerusalem with his wife and five children.
Josh Hasten is a Middle East correspondent for JNS. He is co-host of the JNS podcast “Jerusalem Minute,” as well as the host of the JNS podcast “Judeacation.” He also hosts the weekly radio program “Israel Uncensored” on “The Land of Israel Radio Network.” An award-winning freelance journalist, he writes regularly for JNS and other publications. He is also a sought-after guest for television and radio interviews on current events in Israel, having appeared on CNN, BBC, Sky News, Fox, APTV, WABC, ILTV, i24News, and many others.
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