UK Green Party backs ‘Zionism is racism’ policy

Britain’s Green Party has voted to adopt a policy defining Zionism as racism, prompting strong criticism from Jewish organisations and Israel.

The motion was approved at the party’s annual conference in Brighton, with 1,022 members voting in favour and 813 opposing it. The policy states that Zionism should be treated like other forms of racism and supports the creation of a single democratic Palestinian state across historic Palestine.

The party said the issue had generated a serious debate among its members. Green Party leader Zack Polanski and other senior figures later said the party would oppose discrimination while continuing to criticise Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.

In a joint statement, the party leadership said it opposed genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and the Israeli occupation. It also maintained that supporting Palestinian rights was compatible with protecting the rights of Jewish people.

The decision has intensified divisions within the party. At least three of its five members of Parliament reportedly opposed the motion, while Polanski did not attend the vote. The Green Party currently holds five seats in Britain’s 650-member House of Commons.

Several British Jewish organisations had urged party members to reject the proposal before the vote. They warned that the policy could contribute to antisemitism and raised concerns about its potential impact on the safety of British Jews.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the decision, saying the policy crossed the boundaries of legitimate political debate and calling on British political parties to reject it.

The Green Party has gained support in recent elections under Polanski’s leadership, particularly among voters dissatisfied with the Labour government’s approach to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

United Nations investigators have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, while Israel has rejected the allegation.