Full Breakdown
Green Party adopts “Zionism is racism” motion, sparking internal split and diplomatic fallout
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On October 4 2026, Green Party members voted 1,022 to 813 to define Zionism as “an ethnonationalist political project” and treat it as a form of racism. The motion also commits the party to supporting a single democratic Palestinian state with equal rights and the right of return for Palestinians and their descendants. Party leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, did not vote, having left the Brighton conference to campaign in the Holborn & St Pancras by-election.
Background & Context
Drafted by Greens for Palestine, the motion was delayed from a spring conference vote. The Greens had previously labelled Israel’s actions as apartheid (2024) and endorsed BDS. Membership rose after criticism of the UK Labour government’s Gaza stance, and the Brighton conference saw protests from both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine demonstrators.
Data & Statistics
- Vote: 1,022 for, 813 against.
- Membership: ? 230,000.
- MPs: 5 of 650 Commons seats.
- 2024 election vote share: 6 %; recent polls show ? 10 % support.
- Legal challenge: party lawyers, including barrister Adam Wagner KC, see a strong chance of success under the Equality Act 2010.
Official Statements & Responses
- Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the motion “a disgrace” and defended Zionism as the Jewish national liberation movement.
- The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council warned the motion “stokes anti-Jewish hatred.”
- Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said British Jews should not have to renounce self-determination to be accepted by a UK party.
Criticism & Opposition
Jewish organisations labelled the motion “poisonous antisemitism.” Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis called it “a dangerous lie” first promoted by the Soviet Union. Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats condemned the motion as undermining inclusivity. Four Green MPs—Ellie Chowns, Adrian Ramsay, Carla Denyer and Siân Berry—publicly opposed it, citing division and damage to the party’s peace advocacy.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The motion sets out the Party's opposition to Zionism, defined as an ethnonationalist political project, and states that anti-Zionism should not be equated with antisemitism.” — Green Party spokesperson
- “The Green Party voted to define Zionism as racism and formally establish itself as an anti-Zionist party,” — Shannon Seban, European Affairs
What's Next
- October 8 2026: Polanski will stand in the Holborn & St Pancras by-election while the party prepares for possible legal action under the Equality Act 2010.
- The Israeli foreign ministry’s ban on Polanski remains, and Israeli officials have urged other UK parties to denounce the resolution.
- Green Party lawyers are expected to file a judicial review challenging the motion’s compatibility with anti-discrimination law.
The adoption of the motion marks a pivotal moment for the UK Greens, linking internal ideological battles with diplomatic repercussions and raising questions about the party’s electoral future.