Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-06-29 at 00:03

HEADLINES
West Bank health system collapses under sanctions
US support for Israel falls below half
Venezuela's Jewish communities raise earthquake relief funds

The time is now 12:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, Short of funds for drugs or doctors, West Bank health system falters under Israeli sanctions, a yearlong freeze on transfers of tax revenues has left the PA Health Ministry in deep debt and hampered patient care. The ministry is about NIS 3.5 billion in the red, a strain that touches nearly every part of the healthcare system, according to PHRI. A family physician in the West Bank city of Qalqilya, Dr. Aid Qudami, has stopped reporting to work along with the clinic’s other doctors, leaving the facility shuttered. The Palestinian Medical Association declared a strike on May 9, and, according to Physicians for Human Rights Israel, most government-run clinics in the West Bank have closed, with a minority open only once or twice a week. The result is worsening access to medicines and care as the health system struggles under debt and disrupted funding.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, I am preparing to board my flight to the West Coast of the United States ahead of our Alaska Cruise Prophecy Conference. This time, however, it feels different as I sense an America that has shifted in its approach to Israel. Observers point to the influence of Qatari funding on both Israel and the United States as a driver of broader anti-Israel narratives amplified by voices in media, academia, and politics. The piece notes that support for Israel among Americans has declined from about 90 percent to less than 50 percent, a change occurring even in the wake of Israel’s most severe terrorist attack and amid a confrontation with a major regional adversary. The author argues that anti-Israel perspectives have widened within parts of the Democratic Party and are beginning to show up in sections of the conservative movement, signaling a markedly altered political climate toward Israel.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Religious identity remains Israel's strongest political divide, new IDI study finds, according to the Israel Democracy Institute. An analysis of responses from more than 12,000 Jewish adults across 20 surveys conducted between November 2022 and October 2023 shows a tight link between religiosity and voting behavior in the 2022 Knesset elections. Among haredi voters, 97% supported parties that would form the governing coalition; 80% of national-religious voters did; 66.5% of traditional voters did, while 74% of secular voters backed the opposition. The study notes that the overall relationship between religious identification and political alignment remained largely stable since the previous election, though it highlights notable shifts between 2021 and 2022, including the expansion of the Religious Zionist-Otzma Yehudit alliance.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, California state senator harassed at pride parade, fellow democrats call out antisemitic hate. California State Senator Scott Wiener said he was harassed during the San Francisco Trans March over Gaza policy, with incidents that included aggressive remarks about his “Israeli handlers” and other hostile language that Wiener said crossed a line and made it unsafe for him to remain at the event. San Francisco Mayor London Breed condemned the harassment, calling the language used targeted, hateful, and antisemitic. In a separate development, President Isaac Herzog addressed a Romanian state ceremony marking the 85th anniversary of the Iași pogrom, warning of what he called an alarming surge of antisemitism in the present day. He linked Holocaust-era antisemitism to contemporary biases, noting the mass murder of Jewish residents in Iași in 1941 and stressing vigilance against renewed hatred.

In Uplifting News, Expanding Jewish education in the diaspora is a 'shared responsibility' - editorial, the government approved a NIS 200 million national initiative to strengthen Jewish education in Diaspora communities in partnership with The Jewish Federations of North America. Led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli, the plan targets North America, where about 1.8 million Jewish school-age children live in the United States. The effort aims to boost enrollment in Jewish schools, reinforce Jewish identity, deepen a sense of belonging to the Jewish people and the State of Israel, and address barriers such as tuition costs, geographic access, and support for students with learning disabilities. Digital tools and new educational frameworks will be part of the program, with JFNA’s Gary Torgow among those coordinating.

Venezuela's Jewish communities launch emergency fundraiser following devastating earthquake. After a powerful earthquake, approximately 80 Jewish families have lost their homes and another 200 are unsure about returning to their residences. The community has launched an emergency fundraising drive with a goal of $2 million and has raised about $176,000 so far. Officials note the Venezuelan Jewish population has dwindled significantly in recent years, down from about 20,000 to roughly 3,000, which compounds the challenge of providing relief. An appeal has gone out for international support via a GoFundMe campaign as leaders and volunteers work around the clock to aid those affected.

From treating soldiers to fighting for recovery: 'If I didn't treat myself, no one else would' describes IDF combat medics wounded in Gaza recounting how they continued to treat comrades under fire even as they became patients themselves. The accounts highlight the physical and psychological toll of their injuries, the lengthy rehabilitation process, and the determination of these medics to return to service.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.timesofisrael.com/short-of-funds-for-drugs-or-doctors-west-bank-health-system-falters-under-israeli-sanctions/
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/78057
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-900752
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-900758
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-900757
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-900748
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-900753
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hk39owcmgl