On the 4th of October, the UK Green Party voted to classify Zionism as a form of racism, sparking condemnation from British Jews and anger from the Israeli government—which stated it now views the party as an organization that supports terrorism, reports Reuters.The party, which garnered 6% of the vote in the 2024 parliamentary elections, stated that it regards Zionism as an ethno-nationalist political project and reiterated its call for the UK Labour government to end arms sales to Israel. Zionism is a religious-nationalist political movement advocating for the gathering of all Jews in their historical homeland, the re-establishment and strengthening of a Jewish state, Jewish immigration to Israel, and the displacement of Arabs from the region.In its statement, the Green Party also noted that the proposal underscores the party’s support for the right to self-determination and calls for the creation of a single democratic state within the territory of historic Palestine.The definition of Zionism—which inspired the founding of the modern State of Israel and addresses the rights of other peoples within Israel and adjacent territories—is a subject of controversy. Jewish groups sometimes describe this as the right to self-determination.Despite objections from several high-ranking representatives, the Green Party’s proposal received majority support within the party: 1,022 members voted in favor, while 813 voted against. Party leader Zack Polanski did not participate in the vote.Several British Jewish groups have already condemned the vote. The Progressive Judaism movement stated that the Green Party has made antisemitism part of its policy and has become a racist party. The movement added that the fact that some Jews supported the proposal does not mean it will not be used against others.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has decided to ban Polanski from entering Israel. The ministry stated that, according to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition, the party’s proposal constitutes antisemitic rhetoric because it denies Jews the right to self-determination.On the 3rd of October, Green Party Deputy Leader Mohtin Ali—a supporter of the proposal—told Sky News that the main driving force behind it was the high number of Palestinian casualties in Israel’s war against the terrorist group Hamas. He pointed out that the proposal clearly defines Zionism, describing it as an ethno-nationalist movement, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.The British government regards the actions of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank as ethnic cleansing, though it has noted that the question of whether Israel is committing genocide is a matter for the courts to decide. Israel—which denies both ethnic cleansing and the commission of genocide—called on other British political parties on the 4th of October to condemn the Green Party’s vote, stating that the Green Party had adopted not only the color green from Hamas but also an ideology calling for the destruction of the State of Israel through armed struggle.Polanski and other Green Party representatives said they would continue to speak out against the heinous crimes of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, emphasizing that there is no contradiction in supporting the rights of both Palestinians and Jews.
UK Green Party votes to equate Zionism with racism
