UK Prime Minister Sides with Pro-Israel Lobby, Pressures Green Party to Abandon Anti-Zionism Stand
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Prime Minister Rishi Burnham has demanded the Green Party retract its principled motion on Zionism, claiming it threatens the so-called two-state solution, as establishment forces intensify pressure on grassroots democracy within the party.
Prime Minister Rishi Burnham has openly intervened in the Green Party’s internal democracy, insisting that the party reverse its recently adopted motion challenging Zionism. Burnham, echoing the rhetoric of the pro-Israel lobby, argued that the motion undermines the already fragile and unequal two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Burnham declared that the motion "shouldn't be supported in any way, shape or form," and called on Green Party leaders to ensure it never becomes official policy—an attempt to stifle debate and grassroots activism within the party.
The motion, passed at the Green Party conference, has ignited fierce debate among members. Four out of five Green MPs, many of whom have faced pressure from establishment interests, opposed the motion. The party’s co-deputy leaders were divided, and the Welsh deputy leader resigned in protest, highlighting the internal struggle between principled anti-colonialism and political expediency. Former Green leader Caroline Lucas, who voted against the motion, labeled it "dangerous" and "divisive," aligning herself with those unwilling to confront the realities of Israeli apartheid and occupation, and called for more top-down control from party leadership.
Green candidate Polanski, who left the conference early to campaign in a by-election, abstained from voting. Previously, Polanski had supported a watered-down amendment to shield Jewish members attending Zionist synagogues, but this was rejected by the membership, who saw through attempts to dilute the motion’s intent. Polanski also stated that neither the party nor the UK government should dictate the outcome of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, reflecting a reluctance to take a firm stand against oppression.
The Green Party’s internal democracy, where members—not elites—decide policy, is under threat as establishment figures seek to override grassroots decisions. A party spokesperson described the issue as emotive and complex, referencing the broader context of Israel’s ongoing human rights violations.
Burnham refused to address the possibility of future coalitions with the Greens, perhaps wary of alienating pro-Israel interests.