UK Green Party Adopts Anti-Zionist Stance, Sparks Outrage

The UK Green Party, holding five seats in the British Parliament, approved a series of resolutions at its annual conference on Sunday adopting a distinctly anti-Zionist line. Resolution E02, drafted by Palestinian activist Lubna Saffian, passed with 1,022 votes in favor and 813 against. It defines Zionism as a "racist ideology," rejects the two-state solution, and calls for a single Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem, guaranteeing equal rights for all groups. Additionally, delegates at the Brighton conference rejected an amendment intended to protect Jewish members active in Zionist organizations, including synagogues and prayer groups, from accusations of racism. The vote was 1,026 to 684.

Alice Benjamin of Jewish Greens, a party member for decades, expressed deep disappointment. The Movement for Reform Judaism in the UK condemned the decision, calling it antisemitic. The resolution also caused internal turmoil within the party. Adrian Ramsay, a former co-leader and current Member of Parliament, opposed Resolution E02, arguing it could alienate Jewish members and signal they are unwelcome. Jewish party chair Zac Polonsky specifically distanced himself from the rejection of the two-state solution, stating the party should focus on equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians.

In response, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a harsh condemnation, claiming the Green Party had ceased to function as a political party and had become a "terror-supporting body." The statement asserted that the decision "legitimizes armed struggle" and that the call for a Palestinian state from the river to the sea effectively means "the destruction of the State of Israel." The Foreign Ministry urged all British parties to immediately and unequivocally disavow the resolution. Major British Jewish organizations also issued a joint statement warning of the proposal's consequences, noting that its approval would create a hostile environment for British Jews.