Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib were not elected to serve in the US Congress because they are Muslims but even before January’s swearing-in ceremony, their political leanings, which are claimed to emanate from their Islamic faith, are already in the spotlight.

Reportedly, the first two Muslim women ever in Congress deceived voters about their positions on Israel. It is claimed that both women, at some point during their rise in electoral politics, led voters — especially Jewish voters — to believe that they held moderate views on Israel. After being elected, both women supposedly reversed their positions.

These reports are false. From day one to the day of the elections on Nov. 6, Omar of Minnesota and Tlaib of Michigan never changed course. They have always supported the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. Omar in particular has fought to make sure people’s right to support BDS isn’t criminalized. Both are opposed to continuing military aid to Israel. As late as May this year Omar referred to Israel in a tweet as an “apartheid regime,” and has focused on providing financial support for Palestinians in Gaza. Tlaib’s acceptance speech, delivered with a Palestinian flag, credited her victory to the Palestinian cause.

So, armed with positions that stress justice as a precursor to peace in the Middle East, that call for ending the blockade on Gaza as well as the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, what potential impact might Tlaib and Omar have in Washington? Two lawmakers in the 435-member chamber are unlikely to have a big influence on US politics. Omar, who came to the US from Somalia more than two decades ago as a refugee, and Tlaib, the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, are likely to encounter varying degrees of antipathy towards Palestinians when they get to Washington. They will find themselves in a Congress that mostly supports Israel and is reluctant to criticize the occupation.

They may speak out and dissent on US foreign policy issues, including on Palestine, but that does not mean that they will bring about change. Still, they could articulate a Palestinian perspective in Washington. Their election may represent an opening for a new discourse on issues related to the Middle East.

While the pair may not be able to affect US foreign policy in the near term, their victory — in spite of their Muslim identity and criticism of Israel — reveals a shift on Palestine within the Democratic base. A poll by the Pew Research Center released early in 2018 showed that only 27 percent of Democrats sympathize more with Israel than Palestinians, compared with 79 percent of Republicans. Both women are not only Democrats but have also embraced the progressive left-wing base of the Democratic Party and progressive Democrats are more likely to criticize Israel.

Apart from Palestine, the elections of these two women to Congress also pushes back against the narrative that immigrants are a threat to America rather than a part of America. Tlaib and Omar are clear proof that immigrants are part of the fabric of America.

And while the election of two Muslim women won’t necessarily make things better for Muslim Americans, especially within a political milieu where Islamophobia has become a fixture in public discourse, it might cause people to think again about some of the stereotypes that are being propagated about Muslims. They can present underrepresented viewpoints.

Changes in tone on Israel in Democratic circles will not soon be translated into new US foreign policy towards Palestine. If anything, Omar and Tlaib’s willingness to challenge bipartisan orthodoxy has put them on a collision course with the Donald Trump administration which tilts heavily in favor of Israel. However, these two young women are more to the left on Israel than perhaps any previous members of Congress. As such, their victories are more than symbolically important.