Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-02 at 02:02

HEADLINES
US Democrats pivot as anti-Israel left expands
Police clash 1000 days after Oct 7
Homeless youth run Venezuela quake shelters

The time is now 2:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Democratic Party drift: Primary victories show anti-Israel Left is no longer fringe - editorial, the editorial notes that the anti-Israel “Squad” in the US Congress has numbered four and wonders if history will look back with nostalgia at a time when that group was so small. After recent primaries in Pennsylvania, New York, and Colorado, that four-person squad is being portrayed as a reminder that political margins can shift. In Denver, voters ousted 15-term Democrat Diana DeGette in favor of 29-year-old Melat Kiros, described as a democratic socialist. Kiros, who immigrated to Colorado from Ethiopia as a baby, was fired from her law firm in 2023 after publishing an open letter arguing that calls for the elimination of Israel by student protesters should not be conflated with antisemitism and that the October 7 massacre needed contextualization because, in her view, the occupied have resisted with violence. She declined in a televised interview to label the Boulder firebombing that led to the death of 82-year-old Karen Diamond as antisemitic. The piece frames these dynamics as a sign the Democratic Party is facing a broader, and renewed, contest over Israel policy.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Israel Police clash with protesters commemorating 1,000 days since Oct. 7 outside Knesset, police clash reported as violent by demonstrators, with eyewitnesses saying officers moved to disperse them. Israelis nationwide marked the day with a moment of silence at 6:29 a.m. and protests at several junctions. Yellow-clad protesters carrying signs memorialized the attacks and pressed for a National Commission of Inquiry into October 7, a request rejected by the right-wing government. Protests also gathered around the homes of prominent figures, including Education Minister Yoav Kish in Hod Hasharon and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana in Tel Aviv, as demonstrators condemned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after remarks in a Channel 14 interview in which he suggested little had changed for him since October.

Also in Israeli Domestic Politics, TEMA Network presents report on Israeli society's attitudes towards Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At a Tel Aviv conference organized by the TEMA Leadership Network, more than 150 public figures gathered to hear a year-long study on Israeli attitudes toward the conflict. The study titled Spectrum of Worldviews maps how different groups in Israeli society understand the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and outlines efforts to foster inclusive dialogue and practical initiatives rooted in diverse values, identities, and aspirations across communities.

In Uplifting News, World's cutest minister? Sweden's climate minister brings three-month-old son to parliament. Swedish Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari brought her son, Adam, to an EU Council meeting in Luxembourg to highlight the benefits of parental leave policies funded by Sweden’s high-tax system. Pourmokhtari said she wanted to show that a parent can participate in government work without having to choose between family and profession, noting that her husband is also on parental leave. An EU Council official confirmed it was reportedly the first time a baby joined a meeting of EU ministers.

In Uplifting News, 'We go down with the ship': Meet the homeless youth running Venezuela's earthquake shelters. In La Guaira, a shelter for quake victims operates under the supervision of a youth wing of Venezuela's socialist party. A dozen or so volunteers manage the shelter, using a digital system to register residents and staffing the center around the clock. The volunteers, many of whom are themselves homeless, rotate shifts and sleep in a classroom filled with bunk beds supplied by the commerce ministry, coordinating medical staff, volunteers, and supplies to support families displaced by the twin earthquakes that killed more than 2,200 people.

In Uplifting News, אגם המכתש "עין העולם" באיסלנד. A Hebrew-language item titled אגם המכתש "עין העולם" באיסלנד appears, noting Iceland and a crater lake known as Eye of the World.

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.jpost.com/opinion/article-901139
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901174
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901173
https://www.jpost.com/omg/article-900869
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-901177
https://t.me/newssil/205735