chapotraphouse

It may not have an effect on public policy, but public opinion has shifted in a big way. The occupation has been going on for a very long time and until pretty recently supporting Palestine felt like a fringe position. The propaganda machine has been consistently pushing in that direction and replaying the lie that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism so much that it's official state department policies, and there are laws trying to criminalize BDS. That people are pushing back against that narrative is a big step - it shows skepticism of the media and politicians, international solidarity, and a willingness to accept being accused of shit.

But the chances of the US government doing anything to stop the genocide in the foreseeable future are basically zero. Biden is extremely Zionist, he literally once said, "If Israel did not exist, the US would have to invent an Israel to protect its interests in the region." Pretty much all of the people in government were elected in an environment where supporting Palestine was pushed to the fringe and many of them worked hard to get it there. Old people are a crucial voting bloc and they're much more likely to support Israel.

It is an effective wedge to drive in between people and the media/politicians, but it's hard to imagine things changing through the political system. Electoral politics seems like a dead end on this issue, because it's decided at a high enough level that they'll just never give people an opportunity to vote on it. Imo economic pressure such as BDS is more likely to be effective, and getting people on board with the cause means various tactics can carry more weight.