Times of Israel, on UK Politics, 25 October 2026

7.3out of 10Serious

Top UK Jewish group declares Green Party racist after it rules Zionism is racism

Tap a highlight to see why it matters.4 findings

The Board of Deputies of British Jews has voted overwhelmingly to declare the Green Party of England and Wales a racist party, following the party’s approval of a resolution describing Zionism as racism and calling for Israel to be replaced with a Palestinian state. The board, an umbrella group for British Jews, passed the motion 118-1 at its October plenary meeting on Sunday. It means that the country’s representative Jewish body will treat the Greens as it would other parties it considers racist, and that political parties cooperating with the Greens would be seen as lax in fighting antisemitism.

The decision follows the Greens’ October 4 adoption of a resolution equating Zionism with racism, . Green Party leader Zack Polanski, the most prominent Jewish critic of Israel in mainstream UK politics, .

“Today’s decision reflects the profound concern across the Jewish community at a policy which brands a central element of Jewish identity as racist,” the Board of Deputies said in a statement. “For many British Jews, the connection to Israel is expressed through religious practice, family relationships, language, culture, and the belief that the Jewish people have the same right to national self-determination as any other peoples. Declaring that connection racist has consequences for Jewish participation in public life and the treatment of Jewish communal institutions.”

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms In its resolution, the Board of Deputies said it will view any party that cooperates politically with the Greens as “failing to take antisemitism with the requisite seriousness.” However, it “will engage with and support” any member of the party who rejects the “Zionism is racism” resolution and calls for it to be reversed, it added.

Britain’s Green Party leader Zack Polanski attends a Green Party conference in Brighton, Britain, October 2, 2026. (Carlos Jasso/Reuters) The resolution comes as the UK struggles to rein in antisemitism in its hospitals , universities , and other institutions. Last week, the UK adopted sweeping measures to combat antisemitism in English schools. The resolution passed by the Green Party on October 4 claims that Zionism “privileges one ethnic group on the basis of the subjugation of others.”

Advertisement According to its text, Zionism “will be treated as any other form of racism, and this motion will be implemented by the anti-racism policy working group as appropriate and in accordance with its ordinary practice.” The motion also said that the “Green Party supports the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital, equal rights for all, and the right of return for Palestinians and their descendants.”

The resolution “brands much of our community, including our synagogues and communal organizations, with that slur [of racism],” said Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg. “” Is our live election coverage important to you? Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the 2026 Israeli election? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will: Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock to report political developments as they unfold; Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and podcasts; and Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including our DocuNation series and weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.

Join The Times of Israel Community JOIN NOW Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this You're a dedicated reader We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world. So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.

For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE , as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members. Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel Join Our Community Join Our Community Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this Most Popular 1 Ex-Netanyahu confidant Lauder breaks years of silence, warns against PM’s reelection 2 Netanyahu: Israel should ready for global sanctions, use blockchain to circumvent them 3 Final polls before election show both blocs short of majority, small parties out of Knesset 4 IDF op in Hebron after soldiers’ killing displaces 2,000, Katz says; PM vows ‘big surprise’ for PA 5 2 soldiers killed in West Bank shooting; IDF believes Palestinian gunmen planned larger attack 6 After years studying Haredi Jews, Israeli researcher feels at home amid the Amish 7 Hungary’s abandoned synagogues are finding new life — and attracting new congregants 8 ‘In three days, we can start writing a different story’: Masses at anti-gov’t rally demand Oct. 7 inquiry read more: Jewish Times Board of Deputies of British Jews Greens party antisemitism in the UK If you’d like to comment, join The Times of Israel Community.

JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY Already a member? Log in here close popup Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community Sign in or Register Paying ToI Community members are invited to comment on articles Email address * Please use the following structure: example@domain.com Continue Or Continue with By joining you agree to the terms and conditions Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition back close popup Register to continue Email address * Change REGISTER Or Continue with back close popup Log in to continue Email address * Something went wrong.

Please try again in a few minutes.. Continue back close popup Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community Sign in or Register You are currently registered. Please join The Times of Israel Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits Only ToI Community members can comment below articles Email address * Password * Incorrect password. Please try again or choose an option below. Forgot your password? / Send me a login link Continue Sign in without joining Or Continue with close popup Check your email We sent an email to you at .

It has a link that will sign you in. Click the link in that email to complete registration so you can comment. back close popup Join The Times of Israel Community Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits. Email address * Please use the following structure: example@domain.com JOIN NOW! close popup Thank you! Now check your email You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community!

We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.

Read the original article on timesofisrael.com (opens in a new tab)
What we found (4)

The Times of Israel attributes the Board of Deputies' statements, but it never says why Zack Polanski did not speak or vote: other coverage reports he had left the conference to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. The outlet gives the Green Party no reply and ends on the Board's charge, though the party rejected it. In its own voice it also uses the loaded phrase 'erasure of Israel' for the motion.

  1. Leaves out what changes the picture

    Serious

    “neither spoke against the motion nor voted on it”

    Why this matters
    The outlet says Polanski 'neither spoke against the motion nor voted on it' and gives no reason.
    The impression it gives
    A reader concludes that the Jewish party leader chose to sit silently through the vote and let the motion pass.
    The context
    Other coverage of the same event reports that he did not take part because he had left the conference early to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. This outlet covered that by-election itself.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Green Party leader Zack Polanski did not speak or vote on the motion, having left the conference early to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.

  2. Gives a contested claim the last word

    Serious

    “It gives prejudice against Jews a political license.”

    Why this matters
    The outlet ends its report on Phil Rosenberg's charge that the Green motion 'gives prejudice against Jews a political license'.
    The impression it gives
    A reader is left believing the Greens have no answer to the charge of racism and have not disputed it.
    The context
    The Green Party rejected the Board's condemnation. A spokesman said the party does not discriminate against people who identify as Zionists and rejected the Board's characterisation of the motion and the party. The article gives the Greens no reply at all.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Rosenberg said the policy 'gives prejudice against Jews a political license'. The Green Party rejected the Board's characterisation of the motion and of the party, saying it does not discriminate against people who identify as Zionists.

  3. States one side's claim as fact

    Minor

    “while effectively calling for the erasure of Israel”

    Why this matters
    In its own voice the outlet describes the Green motion as 'effectively calling for the erasure of Israel'. No party is named as making this claim.
    The impression it gives
    A reader takes it as established fact that the Greens voted to wipe out Israel and its people.
    The context
    The motion, as the article itself quotes it, calls for a single democratic state with equal rights for all and a right of return. 'Erasure' is a contested reading of that text, the Board's side of the dispute, presented here as the outlet's own description.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital, equal rights for all”

    Show it in the article

  4. One side gets the space

    Minor

    “The resolution has been condemned by Jewish and Israeli leaders , along with the European Green Party and some members of the Green Party itself.”

    Why this matters
    The outlet lists only the motion's critics: Jewish and Israeli leaders, the European Green Party and dissenting Green members.
    The impression it gives
    A reader sees a motion opposed on every side, with no one defending it.
    The context
    The motion passed a vote of Green members, yet no supporter of the motion and no Green Party spokesperson is quoted anywhere in the piece. The Board of Deputies gets three quoted passages.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

How other outlets reported it

Spot something we missed? Report this article

More from Times of Israel

Everything we scored from Times of Israel