Green Party leader Zack Polanski has dismissed accusations that his call for the UK government to track British citizens who have served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is intimidating to British Jews. Polanski is among campaigners who signed an open letter advocating for the 'monitoring' of British-Israeli nationals who have served in the IDF since the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023.
The open letter, sent to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, proposes that the government monitor these individuals upon their return to the UK. Signatories also suggest that those who served in the IDF and are now in Britain should be investigated for potential links to war crimes.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews has condemned the demand, calling it an "attempt to demonize Israelis and promote an atmosphere of intimidation against British Jews." However, Polanski argued that "war crimes" are clearly being committed by Israel in Gaza, citing human rights organizations like Amnesty International and the United Nations.
"I'd say the Board of Deputies are being incredibly irresponsible there, and I say that as a Jewish person," Polanski told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. He further stated that conflating criticism of the Israeli government with being Jewish makes him, as a Jewish person, feel less safe, asserting these are distinct conversations.
Polanski, who was elected Green leader in September of the previous year, defended the proposal by highlighting the ongoing situation in Gaza. "What's much more controversial is the fact there's been an ongoing genocide in Gaza for years now," he said, adding that British citizens engaging in such actions abroad and then returning to the UK should be known to the government, similar to any other British citizen involved in foreign wars.
Other signatories to the letter include veteran MPs Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, and Diane Abbott, all former Labour frontbenchers. Former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who co-founded the new Left-wing movement Your Party with Corbyn, also signed the letter.
The letter's text states, "The UK Government's failure to collect data on the movements of potential Israeli war criminals raises serious concerns." It further suggests that individuals returning from fighting in Gaza may be working in public institutions such as hospitals, the police, and schools, posing a risk to the public, particularly the Palestinian community in the UK.
A spokesperson for the Board of Deputies reiterated their stance, characterizing the petition as "another attempt to demonize Israelis and promote an atmosphere of intimidation against British Jews." They added that the call to treat people as potential criminals based solely on their passport is a "unique and wholly unacceptable form of discrimination."
Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative chairman, had previously urged Polanski to withdraw his name from the letter, stating that at a time of rising anti-Semitism, Polanski should not be exacerbating division and hostility.