Providence Voters Overwhelmingly Pass Historic Municipal Divestment Ordinance From Israel

Providence Passes Binding Divestment Ballot Measure

As Truthout covered, residents in Providence, Rhode Island, cast a decisive majority on Tuesday for an ordinance forcing the municipality to pull funds from businesses supporting human rights abuses, apartheid, and genocide. The measure, listed on the ballot as Question 7, passed with 74.99 percent of the vote after a months-long grassroots campaign led by the Providence for Palestine Coalition.

Across the United States, this legislation marks the inaugural binding municipal divestment law achieved through a public ballot vote for the Palestine solidarity movement. It also makes Providence the largest U.S. city to vote to divest from Israel. The policy directs the city to cut ties with entities profiting from prolonged military occupation, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid systems.

Grassroots Organizing Trumps Mayoral Opposition

The campaign for the ballot initiative materialized following sustained advocacy from area organizations, namely Reclaim RI, American Muslims for Palestine MA/RI, AFT Local 6516, the Democratic Socialists of America-RI, and Jewish Voice for Peace-Rhode Island. Organizers initially pursued legislative channels, but allied city councilors saw their proposals stall due to opposition from outgoing Democrat Brett Smiley.

To bypass the political gridlock, the coalition utilized local charter rules allowing for direct democracy. Although Providence residents must collect 1,000 signatures to put an ordinance before the city council, organizers collected over 10,000 signatures to force a direct public vote when the council failed to act.

“It was regular people who said, ‘we are going to create this ordinance, we are going to get enough signatures to get this on the ballot, we are not waiting for our elected officials to do something, we are going to do that work ourselves to make it happen,’” said Jackie Goldman, a Jewish Voice for Peace organizer and city councilor-elect.

Goldman noted that organizers drew inspiration from similar efforts in Pittsburgh and Somerville, Massachusetts, which was the first U.S. city to vote to divest from Israel last year. The Providence initiative coincided with municipal elections that brought a wave of progressive and democratic socialist candidates into office, including mayoral victor David Morales, who at age 28 will become the city’s youngest mayor.

Providence Municipal Funds Tied up in Military Campaigns

According to Jewish Voice for Peace-Rhode Island, millions of dollars in municipal funds are currently tied up in companies facilitating military campaigns in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Iran. Providence maintains a 20-year history of investing millions in Israel Bonds, which operate as direct loans to the Israeli government and military.

Activists connected the local divestment push to broader community movements, including campaigns for rent stabilization, Black Lives Matter, and local resistance against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. With a newly elected city council majority and a supportive incoming mayor aligned with the platform, organizers expect the ordinance to face enforcement.

More on this story: Providence voters overwhelmingly Approve divestment measure

More on Providence: Providence Reshapes $469M School Rebuild Plan · 2026 Providence Mayor Voter Guide: David Morales vs. Dave Talan · Morales: Providence Public Schools Will Seek New Superintendent