Greens Divided Over 'Zionism is Racism' Motion
Former party leaders caution against motion defining Zionism as racism, warning it could alienate Jewish members.
The Green Party is facing internal division as a proposed motion to define Zionism as a form of racism has drawn criticism from prominent former leaders.
Caroline Lucas, the party's first Member of Parliament, and Adrian Ramsay, a former co-leader, have voiced concerns about the motion, which is slated for debate at the party's conference. The motion proposes that Zionism, defined as support for 'an ethnonationalist Jewish State,' will be treated 'as any other form of racism' by the party.
Lucas stated that the motion risks being divisive and could signal that Jewish people are 'not welcome' within the party. She expressed her intention to vote against it, highlighting that there is no single definition of Zionism and that the motion could alienate members regardless of its intent.
Ramsay echoed these sentiments, calling the motion 'not needed' and 'not helpful.' He argued that the party already has a strong stance against government actions and that adopting this motion would be 'wrong,' as it could be perceived as not supporting the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to statehood. Ramsay reaffirmed his commitment to the Green Party's 2024 manifesto, which advocated for equal rights for both populations.
The motion, as reported, also supports the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian State in historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital. Current Green leader Zack Polanski, who identifies as Jewish and 'anti-Zionist,' is expected to support the motion. However, he is also anticipated to back amendments that emphasize the right of Palestinians to determine their own future and include protections for Jewish Green Party members.
Zionism is a movement historically associated with the creation and support of a Jewish homeland, now largely aligned with the state of Israel.
