UK Green Party adopts 'Zionism is racism' policy; Israel responds

The Green Party of England and Wales voted to adopt a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism and backing a single democratic Palestinian state. The decision exposed splits with senior figures and drew criticism from Jewish groups and Israel.

In Short

• Members approved the conference resolution by 1,022 votes against 813 in Brighton
• The policy describes Zionism as privileging one ethnic group through others' subjugation
• Motion backs a single democratic Palestinian state with equal rights

The Green Party of England and Wales has adopted a policy declaring Zionism a form of racism and calling for a single democratic Palestinian state across historic Palestine, in a decision that has exposed deep divisions within the party.

Members backed the motion by 1,022 votes to 813 at the party's annual conference in Brighton on Sunday.

The UK's Green Party, a relatively small but increasingly influential political force in British politics. The Green Party of England and Wales currently has four MPs in the 650-member House of Commons. It made its biggest breakthrough at the July 2024 general election, winning four seats, which was up from just one previously. Green parties across the UK secured 6.7 per cent of the vote, almost double their 2.7 per cent share in 2019. The party's four MPs were elected in Brighton Pavilion, Bristol Central, North Herefordshire and Waveney Valley.

MOTION REJECTS TWO-STATE VISION

The motion, titled "Zionism is racism", defines Zionism as an ideology supporting an "ethnonationalist Jewish state". It argues that Zionism "privileges one ethnic group on the basis of the subjugation of others" and says the ideology should be treated by the party as "any other form of racism".

The resolution also backs the creation of a "single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine", with equal rights for everyone living there.

It says the policy is directed at the political ideology and practice of Zionism rather than the religious or ethnic identity of people who identify as Zionists. It also states that not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jews.

The motion was pushed by Greens for Palestine, a group that encouraged people to join the party and support the proposal ahead of the conference. According to The Guardian, the group had urged supporters to become Green Party members specifically to help get the motion debated and adopted.

Green Party of England and Wales leader Zack Polanski has taken a nuanced position on the controversial motion. Polanski, who has led the party since September 2025, has said he believes Zionism amounts to racism as defined by the motion. Speaking to the BBC, he said: "Well, in the motion, it is defined as the displacement and genocide of the Palestinian people. I think that is clearly racism."

At the same time, Polanski had backed amendments intended to change parts of the motion.

One proposed amendment would have removed or changed the reference to a single Palestinian state. Polanski argued that neither the Green Party nor the British government should determine what the eventual political settlement between Israelis and Palestinians should look like.

Another amendment sought to make clear that the policy could not be used to pressure, proscribe or discipline Green members because of their affiliation with Jewish community institutions, including synagogues that identify as Zionist.

Both amendments were rejected.

Polanski, who is Jewish, was campaigning in Holborn and St Pancras, where he is standing in a parliamentary by-election, and therefore did not vote on the motion.

The vote has revealed a significant divide between Green Party members and some of its elected representatives.

According to local media, four of the party's five MPs had opposed the motion. Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas also spoke against it during the debate, while MPs including Carla Denyer, Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns raised concerns about its wording and potential impact on Jewish members.

JEWISH GROUPS RAISE CONCERNS

The decision has drawn strong criticism from Jewish organisations in Britain.

Ahead of the vote, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council wrote to the Green Party expressing concerns about the motion. They argued that Zionism emerged partly as a response to antisemitism and the persecution of Jews in Europe, with the movement seeking a Jewish refuge in the historic homeland.

The organisations also raised concerns about the safety and position of Jewish members within the party.

After the vote, the Movement for Progressive Judaism condemned the decision, describing the motion as antisemitic in its formulation and arguing that Jewish self-determination is a legitimate right.

A Green Party spokeswoman said Jewish members would continue to be protected and would not be disciplined simply for attending synagogues that describe themselves as Zionist.

ISRAEL CONDEMNS GREEN PARTY VOTE

Israel's Foreign Ministry also condemned the decision.

Following the vote, it said the motion went beyond the "boundaries of legitimate political debate" and described it as "a stain on the history of the United Kingdom".

The Green Party, meanwhile, said the conference debate had been "serious and deeply felt". In a statement after the vote, it reiterated its opposition to the occupation of Palestinian and Syrian territory, and called for an end to arms sales to the Israeli government.

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