UK Green Party Leader Barred From Israel Over 'Antisemitic' Resolution

Israel has banned Zack Polonsky, the chairman of the UK's Green Party, from entering the country following a party resolution that officially defined Zionism as "racism." The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that the resolution, which equates Zionism with racism, legitimizes armed struggle against Israel, and calls for a Palestinian state from the river to the sea, constitutes "clear antisemitic text according to the IHRA definition, as it denies the right of the Jewish people to self-determination."

In response, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar declared Polonsky persona non grata as a first step. The ministry confirmed coordination with relevant authorities regarding this decision.

The Green Party's resolution passed with 56% of the vote among the 1,835 party members who participated out of over 200,000 registered members. The approved proposal describes Zionism as a "political ideology calling for the establishment of a Jewish state based on ethnic nationalism" that allegedly discriminates against the non-Jewish population. The document calls for a single Palestinian state with "equal rights for all," including the Jewish population, without mentioning Israel's existence or the two-state solution.