Green Party members passed a contentious motion defining Zionism as racism at their annual conference in Brighton, triggering immediate condemnation from political leaders, a travel ban from Israel, and intense fallout for party leader Zack Polanski ahead of an upcoming by-election.
The resolution, approved by 1,022 votes to 813 on a Sunday vote in Brighton, describes Zionism as an ethnonationalist political project
while asserting that anti-Zionism should not be equated with antisemitism. It further commits the party to Palestinian liberation, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, a total arms embargo against Israel, and the establishment of a single democratic state across historic Palestine.
Party leader Zack Polanski did not cast a ballot on the measure, having left the conference early to campaign in London for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Members rejected an amendment he supported that sought to protect Jewish members from disciplinary action over synagogue affiliations, deepening internal friction.
Israel Responds With Travel Ban and Strong Condemnation
Within hours of the conference result, Israel’s foreign ministry responded by barring the Green leader from entering the country. Officials in Jerusalem sharply criticized the resolution.
Today, the Green Party in Britain adopted a resolution equating Zionism with racism, legitimising armed struggle against Israel, and calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state “from the river to the sea” – meaning the destruction of the State of Israel
Israel’s foreign ministry, via Source 6
Israeli President Isaac Herzog also condemned the measure on social media, stating that claims equating Zionism with racism deliberately endanger Jews everywhere, while opposition leader Yair Lapid accused the party of siding with terrorists and antisemites. Labour Party chair Bridget Phillipson also branded the Greens’ conference motion as shameful and fundamentally wrong.
Rank-and-file membership of the party has nearly tripled in size over the past year following the election of Zack Polanski and left-wing voters leaving the Labour Party over its stance on Gaza. Socialist activist Charlie Hore explained to Truthout that the Palestine solidarity movement has transformed UK politics, adding that the Greens have chosen the side of Palestine.
Burnham and Blair Criticize Green Party Motion
The vote opened deep rifts within British politics, drawing sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Andy Burnham called the motion completely wrong and indicative of terrible judgement, urging Polanski to reverse it. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair warned in an article for The Free Press that the Greens had crossed a dangerous line by effectively denying Israel’s right to exist. Sir Tony urged Labour not to be tempted by a Labour-Green alliance to unite the British Left.
In response to Sir Tony’s article, a Green Party spokesperson stated that they would not take lectures from a man who took the country into a catastrophic illegal war in Iraq justified by fabricated intelligence. Inside the Green Party itself, prominent figures including Caroline Lucas and Adrian Ramsay criticized the proposals, with Caroline Lucas expressing serious concerns that the motion carries a real risk of being divisive and signaling that Jewish people are not welcome.
Jewish Leadership Denounces the Party Platform
Mr Polanski stated earlier in the week that he believes the displacement and genocide of the Palestinian people is clearly racism.
In response to the mounting backlash, a party spokesperson defended the internal democracy of the organization, noting that members value deciding policy directly. Polanski himself issued a later statement insisting that he would not accept anyone being excluded from the party because of the religious or communal body they are part of.