European Greens Condemn UK Party's 'Zionism is Racism' Resolution

The European Green Party (EGP) has sharply criticized the decision by the Green Party of England and Wales to define Zionism as racism, stating it contradicts the agreed-upon positions of European Green parties. Senior figures within the German Green Party also voiced strong criticism, emphasizing their support for Israel's right to exist and for the self-determination of both Israelis and Palestinians. The UK party's resolution, passed at their conference in Brighton with 1,022 votes to 813, declared the party anti-Zionist and stated that Zionism, described as an ethno-nationalist political project, would be treated as any other form of racism. The resolution also called for a single democratic Palestinian state in historic Palestine.

Ciarán Cuffe, Co-Chair of the EGP, revealed that the party had previously expressed deep concern to the UK Green Party, as the resolution was out of step with European Green consensus. Cuffe noted that the proposal received support from less than one percent of the UK party's members and expressed satisfaction that a significant portion of the parliamentary group and leadership voted against it. The EGP plans to discuss the matter with the UK party's leadership to understand if this will become official policy and how the party now positions itself regarding the right of self-determination for Israelis and Jewish people, as well as the protection of Jewish party members.

German Green Party MP Sven Giegold condemned the resolution, calling it a contradiction of the EGP's principles, which advocate for a two-state solution and peaceful coexistence. He stated that the German Green Party clearly supports Israel's right to exist, the self-determination of Palestinians, international law, and human dignity. Giegold also pointed out that the UK Green Party's voting rights within the EGP will soon expire anyway due to the UK no longer being part of the European Union.

The Austrian Green Party also expressed disapproval, issuing a statement that antisemitism has no place in society and that they unequivocally oppose it. The Austrian Greens clarified they had not been in contact with the UK party prior to the decision and have always held a different stance. They reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution, Israel's right to exist and security, and highlighted the ongoing threat to Israel demonstrated by the October 7th Hamas attack. The party also stressed its commitment to international law, civilian protection, and universal human rights, stating they will continue to criticize actions by any party, including the current Israeli government's conduct in Gaza, that do not uphold these principles.