Britain’s Green Party votes to class Zionism as a form of racism

Key Points:

• The UK Green Party voted to classify Zionism as a form of racism, describing it as an ethnonationalist political project and calling for a single democratic state throughout historic Palestine, which sparked strong criticism from British Jewish groups and the Israeli government.
• The motion passed by a narrow margin despite opposition from senior party members, with party leader Zack Polanski abstaining from the vote; Polanski has since been barred from entering Israel by its foreign ministry.
• Israeli officials condemned the motion as antisemitic under the IHRA definition for denying Jewish self-determination, and accused the Green Party of legitimizing terrorism and aligning with Hamas ideology.
• The Green Party deputy leader cited recent Palestinian casualties in the Israel-Hamas conflict as a key factor influencing the vote, framing Zionism as linked to ethnic cleansing and genocide, a characterization rejected by Israel.
• Despite the controversy, Green Party leaders emphasized their commitment to opposing Israeli government policies while asserting support for both Palestinian and Jewish rights.