Green Party Leader Won't Overturn 'Zionism is Racism' Motion

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has stated he will not overturn a motion passed by party members that declared Zionism to be racist. Polanski told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday programme that while he would like to amend the motion, it will stand as party policy until 2028. He also denied the motion was controversial.

The motion, which passed at the party's conference earlier this month, defines Zionism as an ideology supporting "an ethnonationalist Jewish state in historic Palestine to the exclusion and/or domination of the non-Jewish population." The decision has divided the party and drawn significant backlash from MPs, Jewish campaigners, the government, and the European Green movement.

The controversy overshadowed the final days of Polanski's campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, where he finished second to Labour, and reportedly threatened his leadership. Polanski faced criticism for not voting on the motion, which was approved by 1,022 votes to 813, a small margin of the party's 230,000 members.

When asked if he would intervene as leader to overturn the motion, Polanski responded, "I'm not going to try to overturn it." He indicated a desire to amend the policy at the earliest opportunity, shifting the focus from a one-state solution to enabling Israelis and Palestinians to determine their own future. However, he noted that rule changes would not be possible until 2028, as party conference decisions remain policy for two years.

Polanski previously stated that he would not have voted for the motion without amendments. Some Green MPs, including Ellie Chowns, have called for a review of the party's member-led decision-making processes, citing the low turnout for the vote.