Greens make ‘Zionism is racism’ party policy as Polanski skips vote
Green Party members have decided to define Zionism as racist in a vote skipped by party leader Zack Polanski.
Mr Polanski did not take part in the vote on the “Zionism is racism” motion, having left the party conference after his speech on Friday to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
In a statement with Green MPs and his deputies, he said there is “no conflict between supporting the rights of Palestinians and the rights of Jewish people”.
Members still in Brighton backed the motion with 1,022 votes in favour and 813 against.
It declares the Greens to be an “anti-Zionist party” and sets into its policy that Zionism, the movement to develop and protect a Jewish state in Israel, will be “treated as any other form of racism”.
It also supports the establishment of a “single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital”.
Supporters chanted “say it loud, say it clear, Zionists are not welcome here” as the campaigners behind the motion, Greens for Palestine, gathered to speak to the media.
Asked if the new stance meant Zionists would be kicked out of the party, former councillor Salma Yaqoob said “absolutely not”.
“We’re saying that if you want to champion Zionism, it will be called out as racism.
“But, no, this is not a disciplinary issue. Nobody will be removed, challenged, disciplined, suspended because they put forward or articulate their belief in Zionism.”
This type of motion does not have a “material impact on governance or disciplinary procedures”, a Green Party spokesperson 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. So too does our deeply-held commitment to equality, justice and human rights for all, and opposition to racism in all its forms.”
The members voted against adding a clause to make clear the motion should not be used to “pressure, proscribe or discipline” party members for their affiliation to synagogues or other Jewish groups that describe themselves as Zionist.
Israel’s foreign ministry said the Greens were giving “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.”
They added: “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.”
Jewish leaders said the failure of the Green Party leadership to oppose the move “shows a staggering indifference to the welfare of British Jews”.
The chief executives of the Board of Deputies, Community Security Trust and Jewish Leadership Council wrote a letter to Green Party leaders ahead of the conference airing their concerns and referring back to a warning they issued over the motion earlier this year.
“We also emphasised the implications for the safety and welfare of all British Jews, and our belief that this motion would make the Green Party the first electorally significant UK political party in living memory to adopt what appears to be an overtly antisemitic political platform,” they said.
Two senior Rabbis said the motion was “antisemitic in its formulation and intention”.
Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy said: “By adopting it, the Green Party has made antisemitism party policy and become a racist party.”
The vote has exposed divisions within the party as four of its five MPs – Ellie Chowns, Sian Berry and ex-leaders Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer – came out to publicly reject the motion.
Ms Chowns said in a social media post that she was concerned the motion “risks fuelling division and risks undermining the party’s ability to advocate effectively for justice and peace”.
Afterwards, party leader Mr Polanski and the five MPs released a joint statement saying they would “always uphold universal human rights”.
“We will never tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment.
“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.”
The position will become party policy but the Greens do not require all their politicians to back it.
Party leader Mr Polanski is running to become an MP in Sir Keir Starmer’s former seat and the Greens had encouraged members to leave Brighton to support his campaign in London.
Mr Polanski said he believes that the “displacement and genocide of the Palestinian people” is “clearly racism” in an interview with the BBC earlier this week.
But he said he wanted an amendment to call for one Palestinian state in the motion, “because what I want to see is equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians”.
Chair of the Labour Party Bridget Phillipson described the decision as “fundamentally wrong”.
She said: “It is shameful to vote against a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine and to condemn the vast majority of British Jews and Jews around the world as racist for supporting Israel’s right to exist.
“It is fundamentally wrong and the leadership of the Green Party must make clear that this will not be their position moving forwards.
“The Labour Party has always been clear that criticism of the policies of the Israeli Government is not antisemitic, and the Labour government has condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank. But today’s vote at the Green Party Conference crosses a line and should be condemned across the political spectrum.
“This vote underlines how important it was that we changed the Labour Party from top to bottom and ripped out the scourge of antisemitism from within the party.”
The Conservatives said it showed the Green Party is “toxic to its core”.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp 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.”
Published: by Radio NewsHub