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Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, has stated that he will not seek to overturn a controversial motion passed by party members which labels Zionism as a form of racism. Speaking on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Polanski expressed his desire to amend the motion but acknowledged that it would remain official party policy until at least 2028, due to the party’s rules.
The motion, approved at the Greens’ recent conference, characterizes 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 sparked a significant backlash within and outside the party, drawing criticism from MPs, Jewish advocacy groups, the government, and the European Green movement. Additionally, the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has requested further information about the motion to evaluate whether it breaches anti-discrimination laws. The controversy notably overshadowed Polanski’s campaign for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, where he finished second, raising questions about his leadership.
Polanski was also criticized for abstaining in the vote on the motion, which passed by 1,022 votes to 813—a small fraction of the party’s total membership of around 230,000. The motion supports the establishment of a single democratic state throughout historic Palestine, demands a full arms embargo on Israel, and calls for Palestinian liberation. While Polanski respects the democratic decision of the party’s members, he said he hopes to shift the policy in the future, moving away from advocating for a single state towards promoting a future where Israelis and Palestinians determine their own outcome, though such a change cannot take effect before 2028.
On the issue of Zionism, Polanski, who is Jewish, denied that the term “Zionism is racist” is controversial in itself. Instead, he highlighted the killing of around 75,000 Palestinians in recent years as clear evidence of a racist ideology in practice. When asked if he accepts that many Jewish people view Zionism as the right to a safe homeland, he acknowledged this perception but stressed that the practical reality has come at the expense of Palestinians. He emphasized his support for equal rights for both Israelis and Palestinians and made clear that Jewish members of the Green Party would not be excluded based on religious or cultural identity. Polanski also distinguished between being Jewish and supporting Israel as separate issues
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