UK Green Party Adopts 'Zionism is Racism' Stance, Calls for End of Israel

The Green Party in the United Kingdom has officially adopted a policy declaring "Zionism is Racism," positioning itself as one of Europe's leading anti-Israel political factions. The decision was made during a party conference in Brighton, where members voted 1,022 to 813 in favor of the motion.

An additional amendment that would have offered protection to members from disciplinary action based on their affiliation with Jewish community institutions was rejected by the party. The adopted motion states that Zionism "privileges one ethnic group on the basis of the subjugation of others." It further clarifies that the motion targets the "political ideology and practice of Zionism" and not individuals' religious or ethnic backgrounds.

"Not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jews," the motion read. "Zionism, as defined above, will be treated as any other form of racism, and this motion will be implemented by the anti-racism policy working group as appropriate and in accordance with its ordinary practice." The motion also advocates for the "liberation of the Palestinian people" and the establishment of "a single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital."

Zionism is recognized as the foundational ideology of Israel, advocating for the self-determination and sovereignty of the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland. Critics of the policy, including former Green Party deputy leader Shahrar Ali, have expressed strong disapproval, calling it a "sad day" for the party and labeling it "openly anti-Semitic."

"Making Zionism is Racism our official party policy has made us the first openly anti-Semitic party in the UK. That conclusion is inescapable," Ali told the Daily Mail. He further warned that the call for a single Palestinian state "requires the extinction of the state of Israel," signifying a call for the total obliteration of Israel as a political entity, rather than a negotiation within pre-1967 borders for a two-state solution.

The UK Green Party, while smaller than the Conservative or Labour parties, holds four Members of Parliament and two members in the House of Lords. The party's current leader, Zack Polanski, was not present for the vote due to campaign commitments related to an upcoming by-election.