Greens Adopt a Policy Equating Zionism With Racism
Green Party members in England and Wales voted by 1,022 to 813 for a binding motion stating that Zionism should be “treated as any other form of racism” and calling for a single Palestinian state. Four of the party’s five MPs opposed it; Zack Polanski missed the vote to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election. Israel’s foreign ministry said the resolution would “stand as a stain on the history of the United Kingdom”.
Adam Wagner KC, who led the case that found Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour broke equalities law, warned of “a strong risk that the motion as passed contravenes the Equality Act 2010”, and some members are consulting lawyers. An amendment protecting members of Jewish community institutions from discipline was voted down. Adrian Ramsay said he was “deeply saddened”. The motion was driven by Greens for Palestine, which encouraged non-members to join. About two-thirds of British Jews consider themselves Zionists, according to the Institute for Jewish Policy Research.