Tuesday's US midterm elections delivered political setbacks for both the Trump administration and the Netanyahu government, which lost its majority in the Knesset following the October 27 election.
Voters in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Colorado elected a record number of democratic socialists to Congress, including anti-Zionist candidates, despite aggressive campaigning by pro-Israel lobbying groups, according to Haaretz.
Abdul El-Sayed, who became the first Muslim elected to the US Senate, faced repeated opposition from pro-Israel groups. Daria Liza Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez, two democratic socialists elected to Congress, also faced opposition from pro-Israel groups.
Meanwhile, a binding divestment vote in Providence, Rhode Island, signals growing opposition to the Netanyahu government's policies in Gaza and its illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, in one of America's 13 original states.
“Voters in Providence, Rhode Island, overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative requiring the city to divest from Israel, making it the largest US city to adopt such a measure,” according to a report by Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement was launched in 2005 by more than 170 Palestinian civil society organisations to pressure Israel through political, economic and cultural measures to comply with its obligations towards Palestinians under international law.
A stinging defeat
Although Providence's divestment measure, known as Question 7, did not explicitly mention Israel, campaigners made clear that it was aimed at Israeli policies.
"Shall an Ordinance divesting from foreign countries conducting severe violations of human rights such as ethnic cleansing, apartheid, illegal military occupation, or genocide be approved?" the ballot question asked.
Providence's divestment measure received 75 percent support from city voters, who also elected David Morales, a democratic socialist, as mayor.
Morales, who defeated incumbent Mayor Brett Smiley in the Democratic primary, celebrated the measure's passage.
"These victories are deeply connected, both reflect a shared vision for a Providence that puts people before profit, stands for justice, and ensures that our public resources reflect our values," he said, praising Jewish Voice for Peace, a Jewish-led, anti-Zionist organisation that played a key role in campaigning for the measure.
Max Pitchon, a local Jewish member of the group, also described Providence's divestment vote as a "watershed moment" for the pro-Palestinian movement, according to Haaretz.
"The Yes on 7 campaign has not only demonstrated overwhelming popular support for Palestine and opposition to wars and genocide everywhere, but also that regular people are capable of reclaiming political power and making change," Pitchon said.
How the divestment could be implemented
Providence could redirect at least $2.5 million from companies linked to human rights violations under the divestment measure, according to estimates by Providence for Palestine, a local advocacy group.
The measure requires the city to review its investments and restrict certain holdings, although its implementation could face legal challenges.
Under the measure, Providence can rely on findings by US courts and international bodies, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN's principal judicial organ, to identify countries involved in serious human rights violations.
Since October 7, 2023, a UN Human Rights Council-appointed commission of inquiry has concluded that Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has also issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Supporters of the measure argue these findings give Providence grounds to implement the divestment policy under incoming Mayor David Morales, who backs the initiative.
Two years ago, then-Mayor Brett Smiley opposed a similar divestment proposal, describing it as antisemitic.
