Lawmakers in Somerville, Massachusetts, are considering an ordinance that would bar the US city from awarding contracts to companies accused of complicity in Israel’s violations of international law, amid growing pressure to sever financial ties with firms linked to Israel's genocide in Gaza.
The proposal follows a November 2025 ballot measure backed by 55.7% of voters, calling for the city to end existing business with, and prohibit future contracts and investments in, companies linked to Israel’s “apartheid, genocide, and illegal occupation of Palestine”.
The City Council has delayed a decision to assess the ordinance’s scope and financial impact, with a vote expected on 27 October, according to local reports.
Following renewed discussions on Tuesday led by Somerville’s Legislative Matters Committee, councillors said more time was needed to assess which businesses would be affected and the potential financial implications for the city.
Two Jewish councillors have raised concerns about the proposal, particularly over which companies would fall within its scope.
If enacted, Somerville would join a growing number of US cities adopting divestment measures in line with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to hold Israel accountable for its violations of Palestinian rights through economic pressure.
However, the passage of last year's ballot measure prompted a backlash from pro-Israel groups, which have been pressuring the city to reject the proposed ordinance, citing Somerville’s longstanding Jewish community, which is made up of around 84,000 residents.
Jewish opposition to Israel's policies has grown in the US, with many challenging attempts to portray criticism of Israel or support for Palestinian rights as inherently antisemitic.
An October 2025 survey, reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, found that 39% of American Jews believed Israel was committing genocide in Gaza.
More recently, a July 2026 Associated Press-NORC poll highlighted deep divisions within Jewish communities over Israel's military actions. Around four in ten religiously unaffiliated Jewish respondents believed Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, compared with around a quarter of religiously affiliated Jewish respondents.
A separate September 2026 survey by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that 61% of American Jewish voters held an unfavourable view of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while 60% wanted him replaced.
The findings underline the diversity of Jewish opinion on Israel, even as pro-Israel groups continue to challenge divestment campaigns.
Somerville for Palestine (S4P), a local organisation that spearheaded both the ballot initiative and the proposed ordinance, has continued to press the council to implement the measure.
The group supports the BDS movement, which has long called for boycotts and divestment from companies it considers complicit in Israeli apartheid and genocide in Gaza.
Pro-Palestine activists have accused the city of maintaining financial ties with companies targeted by the BDS movement.
They point to city records showing that its pension fund has more than $500,000 invested in Lockheed Martin, a weapons manufacturer whose fighter jets and Hellfire missiles have reportedly played a significant role in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
Activists have also highlighted more than $1.7 million in contracts Somerville has awarded to Hewlett-Packard over several decades.
According to the BDS movement, HP-linked technology has been used in biometric surveillance systems at Israeli checkpoints in the occupied West Bank, which Palestinians and rights groups have condemned as part of Israel’s system of apartheid.
The ballot initiative and proposed ordinance have received backing from several Somerville councillors, including Ben Ewen-Campen, Ben Wheeler, Wilfred N. Mbah and Jon Link. Jewish Voice for Peace Boston has also voiced support for the measures, demonstrating that Jewish organisations are among those backing efforts to hold Israel accountable through divestment.
The campaign comes amid growing calls for local councils across the US, North America and the wider Western world to recognise the Gaza genocide and sever financial ties with companies accused of facilitating violations of international law.
Pro-Palestine campaigners are urging councils to divest from arms manufacturers supplying Israel with weapons and military technology, as well as companies involved in financing or constructing illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory.
Somerville’s debate follows a decision by Montreal’s city council in Canada to pass an amended motion in August expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and civilians affected by hostilities across the Middle East.
The move followed a backlash from pro-Israel groups against an earlier proposal calling on the city to recognise and condemn “apartheid” and “genocide” in Palestine and immediately suspend institutional ties with the Israeli government, its institutions and municipalities.