Providence voters back divestment measure targeting Israel

Providence, Rhode Island, became the largest U.S. municipality to vote for divestment from Israel on Tuesday. The Rhode Island Board of Elections recorded a 75% approval rate for the ballot measure, with 25% voting against it. These figures are based on partial results from 81 of the city's 82 polling locations, according to local media reports.

The ordinance does not name Israel directly. Instead, it directs the city to avoid investing in foreign nations that engage in ethnic cleansing, apartheid, illegal military occupation, or genocide. Pro-Palestinian groups, including the local chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, campaigned vigorously for passage. Conversely, some Jewish and pro-Israel organizations opposed the measure, arguing its implications for Israeli-linked investments were the central issue in the debate.

The vote signals a potential shift in the city's financial policies. A representative of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the group would explore legal options to challenge the ordinance if it passed. Progressive Jewish organizations held a different stance, supporting the proposal as a step toward addressing the conflict.

Providence now follows Somerville, Massachusetts, which voters backed a nonbinding divestment proposal in 2025. The city has an estimated Jewish population of 15,000, which represents about 7% of its residents. The result comes after Mayor Brett Smiley, a progressive supporter of Israel who converted to Judaism during his term, lost a primary election to a democratic socialist. That defeat served as an early indicator of the city's political direction regarding the divestment vote.

The local decision occurs amid increased activist efforts to challenge U.S. financial support for Israel since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. On Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would stop nearly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026. Trump characterized the aid as a political liability.