UK Prime Minister Condemns Green Party Motion Equating Zionism with Racism

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has strongly condemned a motion passed by the Green Party that equates Zionism with racism, calling it "completely wrong" and demanding its withdrawal. This statement comes as the Labour Party secured a victory in a London by-election against Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is known for his strong criticism of Israel. The controversial motion, adopted by the British Greens this week, states that "Zionism is racism." Burnham rejected this equation and urged the Green Party to reverse its decision amid political tensions surrounding antisemitism and Israel's role in public discourse. In the by-election for Holborn and St Pancras, a seat vacated by former Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali won with 12,292 votes, surpassing Zack Polanski's 8,928 votes. This result is seen as a political success for Burnham's party, which faced significant competition from the Greens. Despite a notable campaign, Polanski failed to win the historically Labour stronghold. Polanski, who is Jewish, is a prominent critic of Israel in British politics. He did not participate in the vote on the motion, which passed at the Green Party's conference in Brighton with 1,022 votes to 813. The resolution also advocates for a single Palestinian state across the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. The motion has drawn sharp criticism from several British Jewish organizations, who view it as a challenge to the Jewish people's right to self-determination, and has caused internal divisions within the Green Party. In response, Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced that Zack Polanski would be banned from entering Israel.