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UK Green Party Leader Pledges Support for Jews Amid 'Zionism is Racism' Vote Controversy
The Green Party of England and Wales has adopted a controversial resolution defining Zionism as a form of racism, leading to a strong backlash, internal resignations, and an entry ban on its leader by Israel. The motion passed at the party's conference in Brighton on Sunday by a vote of 1,022 to 813, representing less than one percent of the party's 230,000 members. The resolution declares the party officially anti-Zionist, advocates for a single Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, and supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement alongside a full arms embargo against Israel.
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What happened
- 01The Green Party of England and Wales passed a resolution defining Zionism as a form of racism by a vote of 1,022 to 813 at its Brighton conference.
- 02Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar banned UK Green Party leader Zack Polanski from entering Israel following the vote.
- 03The European Green Party distanced itself from the resolution, reaffirming its support for a two-state solution and Israel's right to exist.
- 04The controversial motion advocates for a single Palestinian state, the right of return, and a full arms embargo against Israel.
- 05Sandy Ruthven, the chair of Amnesty International UK, resigned from the Green Party, stating it had failed to confront prejudice.
- 06More than a dozen Labour MPs reported the Green Party to Sussex Police and the Equality and Human Rights Commission over potential hate speech.
In response to the vote, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar banned Green Party leader Zack Polanski from entering Israel, with the Israeli foreign ministry labeling the motion clear antisemitic text. Following the controversy, Polanski pledged to protect the British Jewish community and stressed the need to distinguish between criticism of Israel and antisemitism. The party's deputy leader, Rachel Millward, opposed the motion.
The European Green Party has strongly distanced itself from the UK counterpart, reaffirming its support for a two-state solution and Israel's right to exist. Within the UK party, prominent figures have resigned, including Sandy Ruthven, the chair of Amnesty International UK, who stated the party had failed to confront prejudice. Additionally, over a dozen Labour MPs have reported the Green Party to Sussex Police and the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate whether the conference events constituted criminally actionable racial or religious hatred.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 3 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Haaretz English. Read Haaretz English’s originalThe coverage
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