Green Party adopts motion labeling Zionism as racism, sparking diplomatic and internal tensions
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The Green Party of England and Wales voted to declare Zionism a form of racism, prompting Israel to ban party leader Zack Polanski and exposing divisions between the party’s grassroots and its elected officials.
The Green Party of England and Wales adopted a motion at its Sunday conference that describes Zionism – the belief in a Jewish homeland – as a form of racism. Israel’s foreign ministry responded by announcing a ban on the party’s leader, Zack Polanski, from entering the country.
The motion was put forward and approved by party members, but Polanski, who was not an MP, sought amendments that were rejected, and he abstained from the debate and vote. Four of the party’s five MPs opposed the resolution, with former co-leader Adrian Ramsay being the most vocal critic.
Party officials noted that the decision highlights a shift in the Greens’ activist base under Polanski’s leadership toward a broader left-populist agenda that includes anti-imperialist foreign policy, moving beyond its traditional environmental focus. The Greens’ internal democracy allows MPs and councillors to vote independently, meaning the parliamentary group can maintain positions that differ from the conference policy.
Labour leaders condemned the motion, with the party chair describing it as “shameful” and the communities secretary saying it “crosses a line.” The controversy may influence ongoing debates within Labour about electoral reform, as a more proportional system could increase Green representation in future parliaments.