Green Party Leader Refuses to Affirm Israel's Right to Exist, Calls Zionism 'Racist Ideology'

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has declined to state whether Israel has a right to exist, characterizing Zionism as a "racist ideology" responsible for the "ethnic cleansing of Palestinians." Polanski made these statements during an appearance on the BBC's "Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg," his first public remarks since a controversy over anti-Semitism emerged within his party following the Green Party conference in Brighton. At the conference, a motion was passed describing Zionism as "racism," a vote Polanski did not participate in.

The party's adopted policy calls for Israel to be treated similarly to apartheid-era South Africa and ultimately replaced by a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Polanski stated that while he does not agree with the policy, he will not seek to alter party rules to amend it before it can be voted on again in 2028.

When asked directly if Israel has a right to exist, Polanski responded, "I don't think any country has a right to exist." He elaborated, "There is no right to exist for any country... people have a right to exist." Regarding Zionism specifically, he cited the number of deaths in Gaza, stating, "When you take that into account, the fact that they are being murdered because they are Palestinian, that is very obviously a racist ideology."

Polanski, who is himself Jewish and grew up in a Zionist family, described the debate as "semantics." He added that while many believe Zionism refers to the search for a safe homeland for Jews, "in practical application... that homeland has come at the cost of the Palestinian people." He concluded by stating, "I want equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians. The practical application of Zionism has not resulted in that."

The conference decision has led to calls for Polanski's resignation from Vivien Lichtenstein, the leader of the Jewish Greens, who is also considering leaving the party. The Labour Party has issued an ultimatum to local Green groups it is in coalition with, demanding they disown the motion or lose Labour's support.

This controversy follows Polanski's defeat in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. A recent Ipsos poll indicates a significant drop in his public approval ratings, with 52% of the public holding an unfavorable view of him, a six-point increase since September. His overall rating has fallen to minus 36, the lowest among national party leaders. The poll, which surveyed 2,257 British adults online between October 9 and 13, suggests that while opposition is concentrated among older demographics, he has also lost ground among younger voters and those who voted Labour in 2024.