Following Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, President Biden emphasized his support for Israel’s war effort and sent weapons to Israel for its campaign against Hamas. Recently, his administration has pressured Israeli leaders to scale back their military operations. That strategy has been disapproved by many voters in both parties, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll.
Overall, 57 percent of registered voters disapprove of Biden’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, while just 33 percent approve. The voters said that they would trust Donald Trump more than Biden on the issue by a margin of eight percentage points, 46 percent to 38 percent. Even young voters, who typically lean heavily Democratic, appear to have drifted away from Biden, with a plurality of them preferring Trump in general, and a majority saying that Israel has not done enough to prevent civilian deaths in Gaza.
The electorate appears to be of two minds on what should come next. Voters said they sympathized more with the Israelis (47 percent) than the Palestinians (20 percent). But a narrow plurality, 44 percent, said that Israel should stop its military campaign to avoid further civilian casualties, while 39 percent thought Israel should continue its course.
In Israel, many have abandoned the political left since the start of the war, increasing their support for settlers in the West Bank and the re-establishment of a military occupation of Gaza.
El Paso County sued Texas over its new migrant law
El Paso County and two immigrant rights groups sued Texas officials today in an effort to block a sweeping new law that allows state and local police to arrest migrants who cross from Mexico.
The lawsuit argues that the legislation, signed yesterday by Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican in his third term, violates the Constitution because the federal government has exclusive authority over immigration. The American Civil Liberties Union is representing the plaintiffs in the suit, which could give the Supreme Court an opportunity to revisit a 2012 decision that favored the federal government’s authority.
A year of chaos in Congress
Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democrat from New York who is the majority leader, acknowledged today that Congress would not be able to agree on a border deal or aid for Ukraine until 2024. The disagreement between Republicans and Democrats signaled that the dysfunction that has gripped a grossly unproductive Congress may continue.
This year, the House, which is led by Republicans, passed only 22 bills that became law, according to an analysis by the Bipartisan Policy Center, despite holding 724 votes. That is more voting and less lawmaking than at any other time in the last decade.
Housing needs have increased, but aid has shrunk
Homelessness is at a record high, and rising housing costs have made it so that almost two-thirds of renters in the bottom income quintile spend more than half their income on shelter. But unlike other safety net programs, such as for food stamps and Medicaid, that automatically rise with need, federal housing aid now serves nearly 300,000 fewer people than it did two decades ago.
More top news
Middle East: Drought has reduced traffic through the Panama Canal, and now ships are avoiding the Suez Canal because of the war between Hamas and Israel.
Washington: President Biden and Chief Justice John Roberts were among those who honored Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, at her funeral service.
Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky pushed back against doubts about his country’s battlefield prospects and about the support of allies.
Health: Key chemotherapy drugs have been in short supply, part of a deep crisis in the generic drug industry.
New York: Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill that will create the nation’s third statewide task force on reparations for slavery.
Weather: Parts of New England could spend days without power after a storm brought rain and flooding across the region.
Iceland: After weeks of anticipation, a volcanic eruption in the country’s most populated area sent lava spewing into the night sky.
Russia: Allies of the imprisoned dissident Aleksei Navalny, who has not been heard from for two weeks, are trying desperately to find him.
New York City: The Tenement Museum will feature a Black family’s apartment for the first time.
Nature: Colorado released five gray wolves onto public land, part of an effort to restore a permanent population.
TIME TO UNWIND
A year in pictures
This has been a year of violence and tragedy, but also a year of hope and celebration. Those themes can be hard to reconcile, but our photo editors managed to do so in one big, intense presentation. It begins with a New Year’s celebration in Ukraine and ends yesterday with an image of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s coffin in Washington.
Is it bad to eat late at night?
For many of us, a late-night snack can be a soothing end to a long day. Research, however, has found that it’s best to avoid eating late too often. It’s linked to heartburn, disrupted sleep, metabolic issues and other problems. My colleague Alice Callahan spoke with experts and explained the science behind nighttime snacking.
UNWIND DURING THE HOLIDAYS
We are asking readers to share tips about the ways they unwind during the holidays. Many of you have written in, and over the coming weeks we will pass along the helpful advice. If you would like to participate, you can fill out this form.
“I have what I like to call Tea Time with my friends. I invite 7-8 people over, make a big pot of spiced tea, and pass out cups as they arrive. I turn all the lights off except for a few warm lamps, play some guitar music, and we just talk. I close the door behind the last late leaver feeling more warm and relaxed than ever.” — Nicholas Chrapliwy from Durham, N.C.
Dinner table topics
Cows need holiday cheer, too: Every December, carolers flock to a dairy farm in New York to serenade the herd.
One hulking, one giant: Two equally impressive new productions of “Macbeth” are taking divergent paths.
Christmas in the cosmos: Astronomers have a long tradition of finding holiday cheer in outer space.
Biological age: New tests promise to tell you if you have the cells of a 30-year-old or of a 60-year-old. Here’s what to know about them.
WHAT TO DO TONIGHT
Cook: These baked stuffed clams are juicy and full of flavor.
Watch: We updated our list of the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.
Read: “The Revolutionary” is one of the best new paperbacks to check out.
Listen: These podcasts go deep on lies, scams and con artists.
Socialize: There’s no shame in feeling lonely. Here are some tips for finding connections.
Pack: If you're traveling soon, Wirecutter picked out some gear that could help.
Compete: Take our quiz to see if you can identify these literary cocktails.
Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.
ONE LAST THING
Predicting the future with cookie cutters
Every year, the holiday season is a boon for the cookie cutter industry; gingerbread men and Christmas trees are annual classics. But the industry’s biggest company, Ann Clark, has succeeded in part by anticipating less obvious trends.
In the spring, the company sold lots of guitar and musical-note shapes as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour took off. By the summer, the company was ready for Barbie mania with lipsticks and convertible cars. Heading into next year’s election, Ann Clark is making a cookie cutter resembling President Biden’s signature aviator shades. Sales figures have proved to be an uncanny bellwether, the company’s chief executive said.
Have a shape-shifting evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.