UK Green Party's Anti-Zionism Resolution Sparks Outrage

The UK Green Party has officially adopted a policy labeling Zionism as racism and calling for the replacement of Israel with a single Palestinian state. This decision has ignited internal controversy within the party.

Vivian Lichtenstein, leader of the Jewish Greens, announced she is considering resigning from the party, calling the resolution a "terrible shame." She stated that it is not the party's role to define Zionism or decide the future of Israelis and Palestinians, warning that the resolution could endanger Jewish members and others within the party. Lichtenstein, whose family has members in Israel, has been a peace and human rights activist for over 40 years, participating in protests against settlements and with Palestinians against war. She expressed sadness at the current situation, noting that some within the Green Party do not recognize her as part of the anti-occupation movement because she supports Israel's right to exist.

The adopted policy states that "Zionism should be treated as a form of racism." An amendment that would have prevented the policy from being used to pressure or discipline party members for their affiliation with Jewish community institutions was rejected.

The proposal was promoted by a group called Greens for Palestine, which encouraged non-members to join to ensure its passage. The party leader who is Jewish and a critic of Israel, was not present for the vote. Following the resolution's approval, Israel's Foreign Ministry declared the leader of the Green Party banned from entering the country.

In response, the Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation, stating the Green Party "has ceased to function as a political party and has become a supporter of terrorism." The ministry labeled the decision "antisemitic" and "appalling," asserting that it "legitimizes an armed struggle" against Israel. The Board of Deputies of British Jews also issued a statement denouncing the resolution, arguing that Zionism is anti-racism and provides a refuge for Jews in their ancestral homeland after millennia of persecution. The board warned that labeling most British Jews and Jewish institutions as "racist" fuels hatred against Jews, citing recent antisemitic attacks in the UK.