Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at Background Briefing.org. I'm Ian Masters,

and today we'll look into a number of stories and issues in the news.

We'll begin with the first phase of the peace deal between Israel and Hamas underway,

with a Palestinian prisoner release and a release of 20 Israeli hostages and 28 remains scheduled for Monday when President Trump will apparently be in Israel for the return of the hostages.

Joining us to assess the peace deal is Mitchell Plitnik, the president of rethinking foreign policy,

and a former vice president at the Foundation for Middle East Peace.

A political analyst and frequent writer on the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy,

he served as director of the U.S. officer of Bitsilem and as co-dire East and U.S. foreign policy. He served as director of the U.S.

officer Bitsilem and as co-director of Jewish Voice for Peace. He's the co-author of Except

for Palestine, The Limits of Progressive Politics, and Has an article at Mondo Weiss,

Apex and Israel's influence is falling in Congress to opposing letters show just how much.

Then we'll examine how close we are to Trump invoking the Insurrection Act, with reports emerging

from the White House that Trump and Miller are no longer discussing if, but now when.

Joining us is Michael Clare, the Nation magazine's defense correspondent,

Professor Emeritus of Peace and World Security Studies at Hampshire College,

and a senior visiting fellow at the Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C.

His books include The Race for What's Left, The Global Scramble for the World's Last Resources,

and All Hell Breaking Loose, the Pentagon's perspective on climate change, and we'll discuss

his latest article at the nation, Trump and Hague Seth's plan for the war within.

Then finally, we'll speak with Denny Goldberg, the author of five previous books, including

In Search of the Lost Chord, 1967 and The Hippie Idea, and the national bestseller,

Serving the Servant, Remembering Kirk Cobain.

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