Full Breakdown
Zack Polanski Becomes First Major British Party Leader to Call Himself Anti-Zionist
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Anti-Zionist Declaration at Holborn and St Pancras Hustings
The remarks sparked boos and shouted interjections, including “It is, it is!” and “Where do the Jews go?” Polanski, who is Jewish, is the Green Party’s candidate for the London seat that is scheduled to be contested on 8 October.
Background & Context: Historical Links Between British Politics and Zionism
Zionism emerged in the late-19th century amid widespread antisemitic pogroms in Europe. British administration of Mandatory Palestine (1918-1948) saw the Jewish population rise from roughly five-six percent to a majority, aided by London’s immigration policies. The 1948 establishment of Israel led to the Nakba, during which more than 750,000 Palestinians were displaced. Previous leaders of major British parties—including Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn and former prime ministers Clement Attlee and Herbert Asquith—have expressed varying degrees of opposition to Zionism, but Polanski is the first to label himself explicitly “anti-Zionist.”
Official Statements & Responses
Polanski framed his stance as a critique of policies he described as “apartheid and genocide,” arguing that labeling Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide is not antisemitic. He warned that conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism endangers Jewish safety. Other candidates answered the same “Are you a Zionist?” question: Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali endorsed a two-state solution; Liberal Democrat Patrick Stillman affirmed support for a Jewish state’s right to exist; Conservative Ewan Cameron and Reform Pete Newman identified as Zionists.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’m an anti-Zionist, which I know is difficult for people in this room to hear… I think countries have always been ideas and I think things change over time.” — Zionist
- “Many genocide scholars around the world recognise it as a genocide, and calling it that is not antisemitic,” — Zack Polanski
- “I think as the Jewish community we need to come together to recognise when we call that antisemitic, we are making ourselves as Jewish people less safe,” — Zack Polanski
- “We cannot hold Jewish people responsible for what happens in Israel,” — Zack Polanski
- “I believe in a two-state solution.” — Liberal Democrat Patrick Stillman