The Green party of England and Wales has become engulfed in conflict following a membership vote on a controversial policy regarding Zionism and Israeli-Palestinian affairs. The motion, which passed with 1,022 votes to 813, characterizes Zionism as a racist ideology rooted in European settler-colonial systems and calls for the establishment of a single Palestinian state with equal rights for all residents.
The fallout has been swift and significant. Vivien Lichtenstein, head of the Jewish Greens, announced she is considering leaving the party, and other Jewish members are reassessing their participation. The Chief Rabbi described the motion as “poisonous antisemitism,” while the Israeli government barred the party’s Jewish leader, Zack Polanski, from entering the country. The Israeli foreign ministry condemned the decision as a stain on British history. Additionally, the umbrella organization representing European Green parties expressed disappointment, noting the policy contradicts their commitment to a two-state solution.
Internal criticism has focused on Polanski’s handling of the situation. He avoided participating in the debate to campaign for a byelection seat, prompting accusations of absent leadership during a pivotal moment. Former co-leader Carla Denyer and three of the party’s five MPs have opposed the new policy, expressing concern that it diverts attention from substantive efforts to aid Palestinians. Some long-standing members have also alleged that relatively new recruits, particularly those mobilized by the internal group Greens for Palestine, drove the motion forward.
The Green party’s position on Israeli actions in Gaza has historically been uncompromising, with members condemning what a UN inquiry determined to be genocide and calling for comprehensive arms and trade embargoes. The motion’s sponsors, including British Palestinian Kieran Andrieu, characterized the decision as unifying and argued for naming what they viewed as a harmful ideology. However, legal challenges are anticipated, with some members consulting lawyers about potential violations of equalities legislation.
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