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Voters in Providence, Rhode Island, have a chance to express their view of the war in Gaza. A binding question on next week's ballot would prohibit the city from doing business with Israel. Here's David Wright of Ocean State Media.
DAVID WRIGHT, BYLINE: The divestment movement helped bring about the end of apartheid in South Africa back in the 1990s. It has yet to reach critical mass with respect to Israel, but Zack Kligler of the group Providence for Palestine hopes Question 7 will help change that.
ZACK KLIGLER: When Providence divests, we will be the largest city in the country to divest and also the first to do so directly by popular vote.
WRIGHT: Question 7 doesn't mention Israel by name, but it would require the city to, quote, "divest from countries and companies profiting from genocide, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and prolonged military occupation," as determined by U.N. experts and other international authorities.
KLIGLER: It's very cleverly written. Of course, nobody is in favor of genocide.
WRIGHT: Mayor Brett Smiley, a staunch supporter of Israel, is urging voters to reject Question 7.
BRETT SMILEY: Neither Benjamin Netanyahu nor the American Defense Department really care what Providence, Rhode Island, passes on the ballot. But what it is going to do - it will do harm to the city's finances and harm to our neighbors.
WRIGHT: Smiley converted to Judaism in office. He claims the initiative poses a threat to the city's Jewish community.
SMILEY: Because we know that antisemitism is on the rise, and something targeting Israel will, in effect, target our Jewish community here in Providence.
WRIGHT: But the man who defeated Smiley in the primary calls that fearmongering. Democratic mayoral nominee David Morales wholeheartedly supports Question 7.
DAVID MORALES: I believe it sends a message that our values are reflected in the ways in which we choose to invest taxpayer dollars.
WRIGHT: Morales is part of a new generation of elected officials who say supporting the Jewish community does not require bankrolling hardline Israeli policies.
MORALES: And I always believe it's important for us to frame it from the perspective of humanity and less so around the politics. But to also be absolutely clear that the atrocities and the genocide happening in Gaza in no way, shape or form ever justify any form of antisemitism.
WRIGHT: If it passes, Question 7 is certain to be challenged in court. Israel vehemently denies it is committing genocide, and, safe to say, the financial impact for Israel would be a drop in the bucket. But Maria Friedman, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel, says she's worried about the snowball effect.
MARIA FRIEDMAN: We're definitely nervous that if this passes here, it will encourage other cities all over the country to do the same. That's when it starts having a huge impact on Israel.
WRIGHT: At least nine U.S. cities have adopted Israel investment restrictions, including Hayward, California, Iowa City, Iowa and Portland, Maine. Most are just advisory resolutions, not full-fledged laws. This measure, put straight to the voters, is binding. Here's Zack Kligler.
KLIGLER: It will absolutely send a large message, both to Israel and also to our own government - they are out of step with the American voters, and they have to start taking action from the local to the federal.
WRIGHT: That's why he hopes the voters will say yes.
For NPR News, I'm David Wright in Providence. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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