Israel Bars Green Party Leader Polanski After Party Backs Motion Calling Zionism Racism

Israel's foreign ministry has announced that Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, is barred from entering the country. The decision followed a vote at the party's conference in Brighton in which members endorsed a motion describing Zionism as a form of racism. Israel's foreign ministry characterized the motion as a "clear antisemitic text" that falls outside what it considers the boundaries of legitimate political debate.

The controversy centres on a policy motion brought forward by a group of party activists at the three-day conference. The motion defines Zionism as an ideology that supports "an ethnonationalist Jewish state" and calls for a "single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine." It further states that the "real, material, manifestation of Zionism has been the historic and ongoing dehumanisation, displacement, dispossession, disenfranchisement and destruction of Palestinians." Members approved the motion by a margin of 1,022 votes to 813.

Polanski did not participate in Sunday's vote. He had left the conference early to campaign in Holborn and St Pancras, where he is contesting a by-election for a seat in Parliament. His absence from the debate drew particular criticism from Jewish community leaders, who noted that he neither spoke against the motion nor cast a vote on it.

The vote has exposed deep divisions within the Green Party, particularly between its recently enlarged membership base under Polanski's leadership and its sitting MPs. Four of the party's five MPs publicly opposed the motion. Carla Denyer argued that it could risk "alienating a significant proportion of Jewish people." Ellie Chowns spoke against it during the debate, as did former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, who urged members to reject what she called the "over-simplification at the heart of this motion."

Lucas told the conference that the wording was leading "so many Jewish members feeling scared and unwelcome in our party." Her intervention underscored concerns that the debate had caused significant distress among Jewish members. Vivien Lichtenstein, chairwoman of Jewish Greens, told the BBC after the vote that she could consider her future in the party, suggesting the fallout could extend beyond the conference floor.

The party's joint deputy leaders also took opposing positions. Mothin Ali backed the motion, arguing it called for "a state that's democratic, that guarantees the rights of every single person living on that land." He insisted he was "absolutely not" labelling all Jewish people who define themselves as Zionists as racist. Rachel Millward, the other deputy leader, described the wording of the motion as "problematic."

Jewish communal organisations responded with strong condemnation. The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council issued a joint statement asserting that "Zionism is anti-racism, creating a refuge for Jews in their ancient homeland after millennia of persecution outside it." They warned that branding most British Jews and Jewish institutions as racist "stokes anti-Jewish hatred after a year in which British Jews have been murdered attending their synagogue, stabbed in the streets, and seen their community buildings firebombed."

The statement also singled out Polanski for what it called "particular criticism," noting that he "neither spoke against the motion nor voted." However, the organisations welcomed the "cross-party condemnation" that followed the vote, suggesting that opposition to the motion extended beyond the Green Party.

Israel's foreign ministry went further, describing the motion as "a stain on the history of the United Kingdom." The ban on Polanski entering Israel represents a significant diplomatic rebuke, though the practical effect may be limited given that he is not known to have imminent travel plans to the region. The foreign ministry's language indicated that Israel views the parliamentary motion as a formal endorsement of antisemitic positions rather than a legitimate expression of political criticism.

Polanski had previously attempted to distance himself from the more contentious elements of the motion. He said on Friday that "if your Zionism is the displacement of the Palestinian people then that is clearly racist, and I say that as a Jewish leader of a British political party." At the same time, he indicated he wanted the reference to a single Palestinian state changed, arguing that the Green Party of England and Wales, or even the British government, should not be "deciding what the future settlement looks like."

Polanski also sought amendments that would have specified the motion should not be used to discipline Jewish members attending synagogues that consider themselves Zionist. Both amendments he favoured were rejected by party members. He has not explicitly stated whether he supports the final version of the motion, though he added his name to a joint statement issued after the vote by the party's five MPs and deputy leaders.

That joint statement pledged to ensure the Green Party was "an anti-racist party in every way" and asserted that there was "no conflict between supporting the rights of Palestinians and the rights of Jewish people." A Green spokeswoman also insisted the party would protect Jewish members and that they would not be persecuted for attending synagogues which define themselves as Zionist.

The vote dominated the conference agenda and highlighted tensions within a party that has grown rapidly in membership under Polanski's leadership. Lubna Speitan, the Green member who brought the motion, defended it after the vote, arguing its backers wanted to voice opposition to "racist systems of oppression." She added: "We stand united against all forms of racism and discrimination - no exemptions."

The dispute reflects broader debates within British politics over how parties define and address antisemitism, particularly in relation to criticism of Israel. The Green Party's internal divisions mirror challenges faced by other political organisations attempting to balance solidarity with Palestinian rights against assurances of safety and inclusion for Jewish members. The Israeli government's decision to bar Polanski adds an international dimension to a controversy that had, until now, been largely domestic.

Pro-Israel activists demonstrated outside the conference venue on Saturday, waving Israeli flags alongside Union Jacks, as the debate unfolded inside. The scene illustrated the emotional intensity surrounding the issue and the extent to which it has mobilised activists on multiple sides. For the Green Party, the vote and its aftermath present a significant test of its ability to manage internal dissent while maintaining a coherent public identity.