Gleib's uncle Shmuel Brenner was high up in the Israeli Government. In the Oslo Peace Accords in 1995 he was the head of the Israeli Sub-commitee on Environmental Issues between the Israelis and Palestinians, eventually reaching a deal. While giving Ben a ride to the Israeli airport back in November they discussed if the damage to the environment is reversible, the difficulty of negotiating with religious zealots, the ongoing struggle of the Middle East peace process, and Matthew McConaughey. Brenner was also the Head and Co-Founder of the Environmental Institute at Tel Aviv University.