Green Party votes on Zionism

Green Party members passed a motion at their Brighton conference on Sunday defining Zionism as an ethnonationalist political project and therefore racist.

The vote and the caveat

The motion passed by one thousand twenty two votes to eight hundred thirteen. The party caveated that anti-Zionism should not be equated with antisemitism.

Party policy on Palestine

The motion commits the Green Party to Palestinian liberation, the right of return, Boycott Divestment and Sanctions, and a full arms embargo against Israel.

Four MPs reject the motion

Four of the party's five MPs publicly rejected the motion. Carla Denyer said it risks alienating Jewish people and distracting from material action for Palestinians.

“If this motion passes as written, I am concerned that elected Greens will be forced to spend our time and energy debating and defending definitions, at the expense of focusing on the essential actions that only we can take to make things materially better for people in Palestine.”

Members reject safeguard clause

Members voted against adding a clause to protect party members from pressure or discipline for affiliating with synagogues or Jewish groups describing themselves as Zionist.

Jewish leaders condemn decision

The chief executives of the Board of Deputies, Community Security Trust and Jewish Leadership Council said the Green Party leadership's failure to oppose the motion shows staggering indifference to British Jews.

“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.”

Party leader's position

Party leader Zack Polanski, on the campaign trail for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, reportedly did not cast a vote on the motion.