Zionism is racism, Green Party says

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Add us as preferred source !Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, skipped the vote to campaign for the upcoming Holborn and St Pancras by-election Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, skipped the vote to campaign for the upcoming Holborn and St Pancras by-election Credit: Jacqueline Lawrie/LNP Sabrina Miller Whitehall Correspondent. Genevieve Holl-Allen Political Correspondent Updated 04 October 2026 3:42pm BST Published 04 October 2026 3:00pm BST Israel has accused the Greens of giving “legitimacy to terrorism” after Zack Polanski’s party adopted a controversial policy stating that Zionism is racism. The Israeli foreign minister said that the “shocking resolution” passed at the party’s autumn conference in Brighton legitimises “the elimination of the State of Israel through armed struggle”. Israel urged all other British political parties, including Labour, to “unequivocally reject this twisted resolution”, adding: “Today, the Green Party in Britain ceased to act as a political party and became a body that gives legitimacy to terrorism.” Some 1,022 Green members cast their votes in favour of taking up the motion on Sunday, with 813 voting against it. Mr Polanski skipped the vote to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, a move that would have angered those on both sides of the debate. The outcome means that Zionism, the right to Jewish self-determination in their ancestral homeland, is now considered racist by Zack Polanski’s party. !Pro-Israel campaigners outside the Green Party conference centre in Brighton Pro-Israel campaigners outside the Green Party conference centre in Brighton ahead of the vote Credit: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph The motion called for the abolition of the state of Israel and the establishment of a “single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital”. It backs the “right of the Palestinian people to resistance and liberation from Israeli occupation”, and recognises the right of “oppressed colonial peoples to defend themselves against foreign oppression”. Supporters of the motion, which was voted on at the Greens’ party conference on Sunday, have also called for the “removal of Palestine Action from the list of proscribed organisations”. On Sunday, a spokesman for the party said: “This has been a serious and deeply felt debate within our membership. Our members value the ability to bring forward and decide party policy, and conference has now made its decision. “The Green Party is an anti-racist party and has consistently opposed the illegal occupation of both Palestinian and Syrian land, called for an end to arms sales to the Israeli government and spoken out fearlessly about the devastating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. Those positions remain central to our approach.” ‘A stain on the history of the United Kingdom’ However, the Israeli foreign ministry said: “The Greens have adopted not only the green of Hamas, but also its ideology: the elimination of the State of Israel through armed struggle. “The shocking resolution adopted today legitimises armed struggle, calls for a Palestinian state ‘from the river to the sea’ – meaning the destruction of the State of Israel – and labels as “racist” the aspiration of the Jewish people for self-determination. “This goes far beyond the boundaries of legitimate political debate. As long as this resolution remains in place, it will stand as a stain on the history of the United Kingdom. “Every political party in Britain, first and foremost the governing Labour Party, must unequivocally reject this twisted resolution.” !Pro-Palestine protesters outside the Greens' party conference centre Pro-Palestine protesters outside the Greens’ party conference centre before the result was announced Credit: Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph Lord Austin, former Labour MP and independent peer, suggested the Green Party had echoes of the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn. “The Greens are going to discover - just as Labour did when antisemitism poisoned the party under Corbyn - that whilst most ordinary decent British people might never have met a Jewish person, they can spot antisemitism and they don’t vote for antisemites,” he said. Lubna Speitan, who put forward the motion, said that naming Zionism as racism “was not a theoretical debate or distraction from the genocide of Palestinians”. “We Palestinians were not the persecutors of Jews, yet we have been forced to pay a price for crimes we did not commit,” she added. Attempts to water down the motion were thwarted after two of the four amendments submitted, which proposed the option of more than a single Palestinian state, were blocked by more than 100 votes each. The fourth amendment, which re-emphasised the party’s commitment to a single Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, passed. A third amendment, which would have provided additional protection for Jewish Greens by ensuring they would not be disciplined for any affiliation with Zionist communities, also fell, with 1,064 members voting against it. !Jewish anti-Zionist groups also protested outside the conference centre Jewish anti-Zionist groups also protested outside the conference centre Credit: Geoff Pugh for the Telegraph Mr Polanski skipped the vote to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, a move that would have angered those on both sides of the debate. The motion has completely overshadowed the party’s three-day conference in Brighton, driving deep splits within the Greens. Several senior Greens spoke out against the motion in the hours leading up to the debate, including Caroline Lucas, the party’s former leader, who described it as “divisive”. Rachel Millward, one of the party’s deputy leaders, said it was “problematic”. Addressing members on Sunday, Ellie Chowns MP said: “If this motion passes, our party risks alienating many people, including the Jewish communities. “It risks hugely weakening our ability as a party to advocate for justice, whether we’re speaking to people on the doorstep, in Parliament, or in the media – we will risk being perceived as an anti-Semitic party, and that will not help the Palestinian cause,” she added. Greens are ‘legitimising terrorism’ Responding to the motion’s passing, one Jewish Green member fashioned a yellow star out of her “inclusion” card, similar to those used to mark Jews during the Holocaust. Elise Benjamin said: “I’m petrified. The motion basically says Jewish members will have to decide between membership of a synagogue or of the party. I fully expect vexatious complaints against me now. I don’t understand how this helps Palestinians? All this is, is an attack on Jews.” David Urban, 35, another Jewish Green member, said he would leave the party following the vote. In a statement, the Israeli foreign ministry said: “Today, the Green Party in Britain ceased to act as a political party and became a body that gives legitimacy to terrorism. The Greens have adopted not only the green of Hamas, but also its ideology: the elimination of the State of Israel through armed struggle.” It called on every other political party in Britain to “unequivocally reject this twisted resolution”. !An amendment which would have provided additional protection for Jewish Greens by ensuring they would not be disciplined for any affiliation with Zionist communities was voted down An amendment which would have provided additional protection for Jewish Greens by ensuring they would not be disciplined for any affiliation with Zionist communities was voted down Credit: Geoff Pugh for the Telegraph The Movement for Progressive Judaism condemned the adoption of the Zionism is racism motion, calling it “anti-Semitic in its formulation and intention”. “By adopting it, the Green Party has made anti-Semitism party policy and become a racist party,” a spokesman added. “Jewish self-determination is a right. Declaring it racist is an attack on Jews.” The Green Party’s five MPs said they would “continue to call out the heinous crimes of the Netanyahu government”. “We will never tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment,” they said. “We will continue to stand in opposition to genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and the illegal occupation. We will continue to call out the heinous crimes of the Netanyahu government. And we will continue to work to ensure that the Green Party is an anti-racist party in every way. “We know there is no conflict between supporting the rights of Palestinians and the rights of Jewish people.” Recommended Inside the Greens' civil war over Zionism Read more Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said: “British Jews should not have to disclaim a belief in Jewish self-determination and the existence of Israel in order to be accepted by a British political party. “One look beneath the surface of Zack Polanski’s Green Party shows a party toxic to its core. It is clear the Green Party cannot bring itself to stand unambiguously against those who hate Jews. “Antisemitism has no place in our society. The Conservatives will always stand with British Jews. The next Conservative Government will put 10,000 extra police officers on the streets and give forces the powers they need to keep every community in this country safe.” The Green Party has been blighted by accusations of anti-Semitism, factionalism and infighting since Mr Polanski became party leader in September last year. In May, Mr Polanski was forced to apologise for criticising police officers over their response to the Golders Green terror attacks. He had shared a post on X that attacked the officers for kicking the suspected knifeman in the head after he had been Tasered. Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, accused Mr Polanski of sharing an “inaccurate and misinformed” social media post. More than 24 hours after sharing the post, Mr Polanski said: “Everyone in leadership has a responsibility for lowering the temperature at a time of such tension, and I apologise for sharing a tweet in haste.” However, he declined to apologise for previous comments suggesting that there might be a “perception of unsafety” among the Jewish community instead of a real threat. His comments came after a number of attacks on synagogues and an arson attack on Jewish community ambulances in Golders Green in north-west London. Join the conversation Show 1889 comments The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. Copy link

The Telegraph values your comments but kindly requests all posts are on topic, constructive and respectful. Please review our commenting policy. Related Topics Green Party, Zack Polanski, Israel, Anti-Semitism, Racism

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