Quote of the Day: Aid Disarray Rends Gaza
SHIRA EFRON, from the research group Israel Policy Forum, on how recently deadly shootings highlight the risks of distributing aid.
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Newsweek
15 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Chuck Schumer Protest: Democratic Officials Arrested at Senator's Office
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Pro-Palestinian protesters, including two sitting Democratic New York officials, were arrested by police outside the offices of New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand on Friday afternoon, according to video posted to social media. Newsweek reached out to the offices of Schumer, Gillibrand, New York State Assembly Member Claire Valdez, New York City Councilor Tiffany Cabán, and the New York Police Department via email for comment. Why It Matters A humanitarian crisis in Gaza has started to turn the tide in the politics of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, many officials unequivocally backed Israel and its response; however, as images and video of mass starvation started to reach the West, many have questioned Israel and have spoken out in support of the Palestinian people. Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, one of President Donald Trump's allies, wrote on X this week that "genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation" are happening in Gaza. France last week announced that it plans to formally recognize a Palestinian state, and the United Kingdom threatened to do the same unless Israel agreed to take "substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also announced his country will recognize a Palestinian state, but Trump has made clear he does not intend to do the same. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest in the lobby of a Midtown Manhattan building that houses the offices of the two U.S. Democratic Senators from New York on August 1, 2025, in New York City. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators protest in the lobby of a Midtown Manhattan building that houses the offices of the two U.S. Democratic Senators from New York on August 1, 2025, in New York City. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images What To Know Protesters from the group Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) wearing shirts that said "Let Gaza Live" gathered in the lobby of the Manhattan office building that houses Schumer and Gillibrand's offices. The protesters, numbering in the dozens, sat on the floor with signs that read "Let Aid in NOW," "Never Again is Now," "Stop Arming Israel," and "Jews to Schumer: STOP Starving Gaza." They also chanted "Free Palestine" and "stop the genocide." As police started to detain the protesters with plastic zip ties, the protesters started chanting "Let Gaza Live" and "Stop Starving Gaza." Why Was There a Protest at Chuck Schumer's Office? The protesters gathered in response to the Senate's rejection of two resolutions introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an Independent, to block an arms deal to Israel. A majority of Democratic senators voted in support of the resolution, but neither Schumer, the Senate minority leader, nor Gillibrand joined them. One resolution that would block the sale of assault rifles to Israel received support from 27 Democrats, while one to block the sale of more than $675 million in arms sales received support from 24 Democrats. This marked record support from Democrats for the resolutions is an indication of shifting public opinion on Israel and the ongoing conflict with Hamas. HAPPENING NOW: Over 150 Jews and people of conscience are staging a sit-in at the offices of Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand in New York City to demand that the U.S. stop starving Gaza immediately. — Jewish Voice for Peace (@jvplive) August 1, 2025 State Assembly Member, City Councilor Arrested at Protest New York City Council Member Tiffany Cabán was among those detained at Schumer's office, with video capturing the moment police escorted her from the building. A reporter on the scene asked Cabán why she was choosing "today" to protest, to which she said: "Stop starving Gaza. The U.S. is paying for the starvation and bombing of Gaza. It's got to stop." The same video appeared to show New York State Assembly Member Claire Valdez escorted from the building, also with her hands tied behind her back. The NYPD told Newsweek that as of 3:20 p.m. ET, they had recorded 26 arrests but were not able to confirm that Cabán and Valdez were among those arrested. NYPD officers arrest Pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the offices of Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand in Manhattan on August 1, 2025. NYPD officers arrest Pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the offices of Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand in Manhattan on August 1, 2025. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images What Has Chuck Schumer Said About the Israel-Palestine Conflict? Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the U.S. government, said in March 2024 that the "fourth major obstacle to peace is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu." "As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become clear to me, the Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after October 7. The world has changed—radically—since then, and the Israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck in the past," Schumer said. "Five months into this conflict, it is clear that Israelis need to take stock of the situation and ask, must we change course. At this critical juncture, I believe a new election is the only way to allow for a healthy and open decision-making process about the future of Israel," he added. However, Schumer has faced backlash for inviting Netanyahu to address Congress in 2024, and earlier this year for saying that his job is to "keep the left pro-Israel." He told a New York Times columnist in March that "the greatest danger to Israel, long-term, is if you lose half of America," and has insisted that his caucus "is overwhelmingly pro-Israel." What People Are Saying A White House official told Newsweek: "As the President stated, he would be rewarding Hamas if he recognizes a Palestinian state, and he doesn't think they should be rewarded. So he is not going to do that. President Trump's focus is on getting people fed." Jewish Voice for Peace, on X: "Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, it's time for you to stop the blank check for Israeli genocide and forced starvation of Palestinians. As Jews, many of our own families were murdered or starved to death in a different genocide. We know the price of silence. We will not be silent now. STOP ARMING ISRAEL. STOP STARVING GAZA." President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that there was "real starvation" in Gaza, adding, "I see it, and you can't fake that." He promised the U.S. would do more to address it.
New York Times
15 minutes ago
- New York Times
Gaza War Protesters Arrested at Offices of Schumer and Gillibrand
Dozens of demonstrators protesting Israel's war in Gaza were arrested Friday at the Midtown Manhattan offices of New York's senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, days after they broke with many of their fellow Democrats by voting against a resolution to halt U.S. arms sales to Israel. Pressure has mounted on Democratic lawmakers to press Israel to end its military activity in Gaza, where famine and starvation have spread in recent weeks, and allow in a flood of aid. On Friday, more than 100 protesters, who were organized by the antiwar group Jewish Voice for Peace, chanted and banged pots and pans in the lobby of the Third Avenue building where both Mr. Schumer, the Senate minority leader, and Ms. Gillibrand have office space. 'New Yorkers are heartbroken, America is heartbroken,' said Alexa Avilés, a city councilwoman who protested on Friday. 'We want an end to the war, we want peace.' The traditional bipartisan consensus in support of Israel among American lawmakers has collapsed over the course of Israel's nearly two-year war in Gaza, which has killed more than 60,000 people, according to Gazan officials. Support for the war has plunged into the single digits among Democratic voters, and on Wednesday 27 Democratic senators voted to halt American weapons transfers to Israel in protest of the war and the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Fox News
37 minutes ago
- Fox News
Zelenskyy urges direct talks with Putin as Trump sets peace deadline
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put out a statement praising President Donald Trump's efforts to broker peace and calling for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We see and support President Trump's efforts to end Russia's war, to stop the killing, and to achieve a dignified and lasting peace. We are grateful to everyone around the world who supports peace efforts and helps us protect lives," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "We understand who makes the decisions in Russia and who must end this war. The whole world understands this too. Ukraine calls for moving beyond the exchange of statements and technical-level meetings to talks between leaders. The United States has proposed this. Ukraine has supported it. What is needed is Russia's readiness," the Ukrainian leader added. Trump also announced on Friday that he was repositioning two nuclear submarines after a "highly provocative" conversation with former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. "Based on the highly provocative statements of the former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that. Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Zelenskyy's message comes as Putin has just one week to meet Trump's deadline for ending the three-and-a-half-year war. Acting U.S. Representative John Kelley announced the deadline at a United Nations Security Council briefing on "Threats to International Peace and Security." Trump, who has consistently voiced his desire to end the war, recently said Russia's actions against Ukraine were "disgusting." "Both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace. It is time to make a deal. President Trump has made clear this must be done by August 8. The United States is prepared to implement additional measures to secure peace," Kelley said. Kelley reiterated the U.S.'s support of Ukraine's right to defend itself in the face of Russian attacks. "Our support for Ukraine's defense cannot be compared to the supply of arms and material to Russia, which enables Russia to continue its full-scale invasion and occupation of Ukrainian territory," Kelley said. "Last week, we called on all UN Member States to help bring the war to an end by ceasing any and all support to Russia's war efforts. We do so again today." The American diplomat explicitly named North Korea, China, and Iran as countries that have helped Russia both directly and indirectly. He said that while Beijing has not directly provided Moscow with weapons, it has acted as a "decisive enabler" by "being the most important supplier of Russia's war industrial machine." It seems unlikely that Russia would come to the negotiating table as it carried out a deadly airstrike against Kyiv and its representatives at the U.N. appeared to double down on Moscow's desire to retake Ukraine. "We are not seeking to destroy [Ukraine], its culture or its identity. We would like Ukrainian [and] Russian cultures coexist in this country, as it used to be for decades without any problems or conflicts," Russia's Mission to the U.N. wrote on X. In the early hours of Thursday, Russia launched more than 300 drones and eight missiles that hit residential areas in Kyiv. On Friday, Ukraine mourned after 31 were killed in the strike, which was the deadliest air attack carried out by Moscow this year. The death toll includes five children, one of whom was just two years old, according to Reuters. Additionally, more than 150 people were wounded, including 16 children.
