Chicago Couple Separated By Ban On Flights To Israel

(CBS) -- For the second day in a row, American planes aren't flying to or from Israel and that means a Chicago husband and wife are now separated, and they don't know when they'll be reunited.

The flight ban started Tuesday after a Hamas rocket landed in a city near Israel's main airport for the first time since the current fighting started.

CBS 2's Dana Kozlov met a Chicago man who is trying to get to his wife in Israel but can't.

Joseph Glimer was scheduled to be in Jerusalem with his wife Wednesday. Instead, and just by chance, he was watching her here - speaking about being at an Israeli-American soldier's funeral in Israel.

"When I go back and speak to my students, you will say I lost a cousin," said Barbara.

"She just loves the country and it's inspiring," said Joseph.

The Chicago art gallery owner was on an Air Canada plane Tuesday - ultimately headed for Tel Aviv when take-off was abruptly aborted.

"I was actually inside the plane ready to go when the stewardess told me, 'I am sorry your flight was canceled,'" said Joseph.

It was one of dozens of flights grounded after the FAA and some foreign carriers put a 24 hour stop on flights to Tel Aviv. That 24 hour ban was extended today - a decision Glimer does not back.

"It's really pretty safe," said Joseph.

Glimer, who was born in Israel and fought in two wars, finds the violence in Gaza heartbreaking.

"I really feel bad both for Israel and for the Palestinian people. I definitely don't feel sorry for Hamas."

He isn't sure when he'll get to Israel now.

Officials say nearly 700 people have died since this latest round of fighting began. There is no indication yet if the FAA will end the flight ban Thursday or extend it yet again.