Green Party Adopts Motion Calling Zionism a Form of Racism, Exposing Deep Internal Divisions

Green Party members have voted to adopt a policy motion that declares Zionism to be a form of racism, a decision that has laid bare sharp disagreements among the party's most senior figures and sparked condemnation from Jewish communal organisations and the Israeli government. The motion was approved by activists at the party's conference in Brighton by a margin of 1,022 votes to 813, following an intense debate that dominated proceedings across the three-day gathering.

The motion, which was brought forward by a group of party members, characterises Zionism as an ideology supporting what it describes as "an ethnonationalist Jewish state." It further endorses the establishment of "a single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine." In its text, the motion argues that the "real, material, manifestation of Zionism has been the historic and ongoing dehumanisation, displacement, dispossession, disenfranchisement and destruction of Palestinians."

The vote has proven divisive at the highest levels of the Green Party. Joint deputy leaders Mothin Ali and Rachel Millward have taken opposing positions, with Ali expressing support for the motion while Millward described its wording as "problematic." The split reflects broader tensions between the party's recently expanded membership base, which has grown significantly under leader Zack Polanski, and its parliamentary representatives elected at the last general election.

Polanski himself did not participate in the vote, having departed the conference early to campaign in Holborn and St Pancras, where he is seeking election as an MP. Speaking before the ballot, he attempted to stake out a nuanced position, saying: "If your Zionism is the displacement of the Palestinian people then that is clearly racist, and I say that as a Jewish leader of a British political party." However, he also indicated he wanted the motion amended to remove the reference to a single Palestinian state, arguing that neither the Green Party of England and Wales nor the British government should determine the parameters of a future settlement.

Polanski had additionally sought an amendment specifying that the motion should not be used to discipline Jewish members who attend synagogues identifying as Zionist. Both amendments he favoured were ultimately rejected by party members, leaving the leadership's preferred version of the motion unaltered. The leader has not clarified whether he personally supports the final motion, though he did add his name to a joint statement issued by the party's five MPs and deputy leaders following the vote.

That statement committed the party to ensuring it remained "an anti-racist party in every way" and asserted that there was "no conflict between supporting the rights of Palestinians and the rights of Jewish people." A Green spokeswoman also insisted that Jewish members would be protected and would not face persecution for attending synagogues that define themselves as Zionist.

The motion has drawn strong criticism from Jewish representative bodies. The Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council, which had written to the party before the vote to express concerns, issued a statement on Sunday evening describing the motion as an "attack on the Jewish community." They argued that "Zionism is anti-racism, creating a refuge for Jews in their ancient homeland after millennia of persecution outside it." The organisations warned that labelling most British Jews and Jewish institutions as racist would inflame anti-Jewish hatred, pointing to a year in which British Jews had been murdered at synagogue, stabbed in the streets, and seen community buildings firebombed.

The Israeli government also responded forcefully. Israel's Foreign Ministry said the motion exceeded "the boundaries of legitimate political debate" and constituted "a stain on the history of the United Kingdom." Later on Sunday, the ministry announced that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar had barred Polanski from entering Israel in retaliation for the vote.

Within the party, four of the five Green MPs had publicly opposed the motion prior to the ballot. Ellie Chowns, Adrian Ramsay, Carla Denyer and Sian Berry all came out against it, with Denyer cautioning that it risked "alienating a significant proportion of Jewish people." During the conference debate, Chowns and former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas both spoke in opposition. Lucas urged members to reject what she called "the over-simplification at the heart of this motion," warning that a "refusal to accept complexities" was causing many Jewish members to feel frightened and unwelcome within the party.

By contrast, deputy leader Mothin Ali argued that the motion was ultimately calling for a democratic state that guarantees rights for all. Lubna Speitan, the member who presented the motion, said its supporters were motivated by a desire to oppose "racist systems of oppression," adding: "We stand united against all forms of racism and discrimination - no exemptions."

The controversy has also prompted personal reflection among some party members. Vivien Lichtenstein, chair of Jewish Greens, told the BBC following the result that she might reassess her future within the party, underscoring the emotional toll the debate has taken on Jewish members. The Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council singled out Polanski for "particular criticism," noting that he neither spoke against the motion nor voted on it, although they did welcome the cross-party condemnation that followed.

The conference took place against the backdrop of a substantial increase in Green Party membership following Polanski's election as leader in September last year. The debate over the Zionism motion, alongside discussion of the conflict in Gaza, featured prominently throughout the event. On Saturday, pro-Israel activists demonstrated outside the conference venue, waving Israeli flags alongside Union Jacks, while police maintained a presence in the area.

The outcome highlights the challenge facing Polanski as he attempts to balance the priorities of a rapidly expanding grassroots membership with the responsibilities of leading a parliamentary party. It also raises questions about how the Greens will handle internal discipline and whether the motion's passage will affect the party's standing among Jewish voters and the wider British public. With the Israeli government having imposed an entry ban on Polanski and Jewish groups expressing alarm, the episode seems likely to reverberate well beyond the Brighton conference hall.