US town votes for divestment from companies linked to Israel over Gaza genocide

Somerville town in the US state of Massachusetts voted for its local government to "divest from companies supporting Israel’s actions in Palestine," American media reported. 

The ballot question presented to residents of Somerville passed overwhelmingly on Tuesday night and is non-binding. 

The initiative was forwarded by the local pro-Palestine advocacy group Somerville for Palestine, and won 11,489 votes with 7,920 against.  

The move comes as Zohran Mamdani, who has publicly opposed Israel's actions in Gaza, won the mayoral elections of New York in record turnout. Polling numbers released in July showed that his open support for Palestinian rights was the issue that "supercharged" his campaign.

Polls in the US have shown growing discontent amongst young Americans of the country's unconditional support to Israel.

In August, poll conducted by The Harris Poll and HarrisX found that 60 percent of Gen Z voters back Hamas over Israel in Gaza war.