Conference Vote Establishes Anti-Zionist Policy
Members of Britain's Green Party voted on Sunday to adopt a motion declaring that "Zionism is racism" as official party policy. The decision was made during the party's annual conference held in Brighton.
The motion, proposed by the Greens for Palestine group, passed with 1,022 votes in favor and 813 against. It states that Zionism should be "treated as any other form of racism" and claims it is "based upon European settler-colonial systems of domination and oppression." The text further asserts that these systems have created "racial hierarchies between Jews of different ethnicities in Palestine."[1]
The vote concluded a significant debate within the party, which has increasingly focused on Middle Eastern politics alongside its traditional environmental platform. Party spokespersons described the Green Party as an anti-racist entity that opposes the "illegal occupation of Palestinian and Syrian land" and maintains a commitment to equality.[2]
Rejection of Leadership Amendments
Before the final vote, members rejected two amendments to the motion. The first amendment would have created an exception for Jewish members attending synagogues or other institutions espousing Zionism. The second amendment sought to remove language advocating for a "single Palestinian state."[3]
Both amendments were favored by Green Party leader Zach Polanski, who is of Eastern European Jewish heritage. However, Polanski did not attend the vote on Sunday. He was campaigning in the Holborn & St Pancras by-election, where he is standing for Parliament.[4]
Polanski described himself as an "anti-Zionist" and stated that if Zionism involves the displacement of the Palestinian people, it is racist. He identified this view while speaking as a Jewish leader of a political party.[5]
Polanski outlined his focus on material actions to address the conflict, stating the party should "stop selling arms to Israel, stop sharing intelligence, and boycott, divestment, sanctions."
Internal Divisions and External Criticism
The adoption of the policy has drawn sharp criticism from Jewish advocacy groups. The Campaign Against Antisemitism argued that the motion would "impose a litmus test on Jewish people," noting that the vast majority identify as Zionist. The group highlighted that 89% of British Jews consider anti-Zionism to be a form of antisemitism.
Former party leader Caroline Lucas also voiced serious concerns regarding the decision. She stated there is no single definition of Zionism and warned that irrespective of the intentions behind the motion, it risks being divisive. Lucas expressed fear that the policy could be seen as a sign that Jewish people are not welcome in the party, leading her to refuse support for the measure.
In response to the controversy, a Green Party spokesperson characterized the event as a "serious and deeply felt debate within our membership." The spokesperson emphasized that members value the ability to bring forward and decide party policy, noting that the conference has now made its final decision on the matter.