The Green Party ended its annual conference divided after a controversial motion declaring Zionism a form of racism was narrowly backed by members. Israel's foreign ministry banned Green leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, from entering the country following the move on Sunday.
Members at the event in Brighton endorsed the policy, which defines Zionism as an ideology supporting "an ethnonationalist Jewish state" and backs a "single democratic Palestinian state", by 1,022 votes to 813. But it has created a gulf between members and party leaders.
MPs distance themselves from motion
Four of the five elected Green MPs - Sian Berry, Carla Denyer, Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns - publicly said they did not support the Greens4Palestines' proposal. The fifth, Hannah Spencer, has not stated her view. In an Instagram post following the vote she said: “I’m proud to be part of a party committed to Jewish rights, and Palestinian rights.”
Mr Polanski did not take part in the vote on Sunday because he was campaigning in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. His deputies were also divided. Deputy leader Rachel Millward called the motion “problematic” suggesting she would not vote for it. But her co-deputy, Mothin Ali, said he did support the move.
MPs' joint statement
In a joint statement the five elected Green MPs said: “As Green Party leaders and MPs, we will always uphold universal human rights.
"We will never tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment.
"We will continue to stand in opposition to genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and the illegal occupation.
"We will continue to call out the heinous crimes of the Netanyahu government.
"And we will continue to work to ensure that the Green Party is an anti-racist party in every way.
"We know there is no conflict between supporting the rights of Palestinians and the rights of Jewish people."
Jewish groups and Israel respond
Jewish groups condemned the motion as an “attack on the Jewish community”.
“Zionism is anti-racism, creating a refuge for Jews in their ancient homeland after millennia of persecution outside it," the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council said.
“Branding most British Jews and Jewish institutions 'racist' stokes anti-Jewish hatred after a year in which British Jews have been murdered attending their synagogue, stabbed in the streets, and seen their community buildings firebombed.”
Israel accused the Green Party of legitimising “the destruction of the State of Israel” with a “clear antisemitic text”.
In a statement on Sunday evening, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Greens’ resolution “constitutes a clear antisemitic text according to the IHRA definition, as it denies the Jewish people’s right to self-determination”.
“Therefore, as a first step, foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar has decided this evening to declare Green Party leader Zack Polanski barred from entering Israel,” it said.
