Providence directs city funds away from nations practicing apartheid

Providence residents voted to pull public money from foreign governments that commit human rights abuses, a decision that effectively targets Israel. The Rhode Island Board of Elections reported that 75% of voters supported the measure while 25% opposed it. These figures came from 81 of the city's 82 polling locations, meaning the final count was not yet complete when the results were announced.

The new ordinance does not name Israel specifically. Instead, it instructs the city to avoid investing in countries that carry out ethnic cleansing, apartheid, illegal military occupation, or genocide. Advocates for an Israel boycott viewed this language as a direct path to divestment. Local media outlets, including the Rhode Island Current and the Boston Globe, confirmed that the proposal passed.

Jewish groups in the area split on how to handle the vote. The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that it would look for legal ways to challenge the measure. On the other side of the aisle, progressive Jewish organizations campaigned for the ballot question. The local chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace actively supported the proposal.

This vote makes Providence the largest city to support a form of divestment from Israel. It follows a similar nonbinding vote in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 2025. Providence has an estimated Jewish population of 15,000, which makes up about 7% of the city's residents. The decision aligns with a trend seen in other municipalities seeking to change their financial relationships with Israel.

The outcome also reflects a shift in local leadership. Mayor Brett Smiley, a progressive who supports Israel and converted to Judaism during his term, lost a primary election to a democratic socialist. That defeat signaled the political direction of the city before the divestment vote took place.

The local campaign fits into a wider effort by activists to reduce American financial support for Israel. These groups have become more active in the years following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza. The debate over funding for Israel has intensified as these initiatives gain traction in cities across the United States.

The vote occurred just before a major federal announcement. On Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump stated that the United States would stop providing nearly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026. He described the assistance as a political liability for the administration.