British Green Party adopts policy labeling Zionism as racism

The British Green Party officially adopted a policy declaring Zionism a form of racism at its Brighton conference on 10 April 2026, passing the motion by 1,022 votes to 813.

The resolution calls for the abolition of the state of Israel and the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian state in historic Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital. It also endorses the right of the Palestinian people to resistance and calls for the removal of the activist group Palestine Action from the list of proscribed organisations.

A party spokesperson said the debate reflected the membership’s “deeply felt” commitment to anti‑racism and that the motion would be implemented by the anti‑racism policy working group. An amendment that would have protected party members from disciplinary action based on affiliation with Jewish community institutions was rejected.

Party leader Zack Polanski, who did not attend the vote due to a campaign event, has previously described himself as an anti‑Zionist and supported the motion’s language. The Greens currently hold four seats in the House of Commons and two seats in the House of Lords.

Israeli officials responded immediately, accusing the Greens of giving legitimacy to terrorism and linking the motion to Hamas ideology. The Israeli government’s statement warned that the resolution “legitimises armed struggle” and calls for the destruction of the Israeli state.

Within the party, former deputy leader Shahrar Ali condemned the decision, calling it “a very sad day” and labeling the Greens as “the first openly anti‑semitic party in the UK.” Green Party MPs issued a separate statement reaffirming their commitment to universal human rights, opposing genocide and ethnic cleansing while asserting that supporting Palestinian rights does not conflict with Jewish rights.

The vote marks the first time a major UK party has formally equated Zionism with racism, positioning the Greens among the most outspoken parties in Europe on the Israel‑Palestine conflict. The party’s next steps include drafting policy measures to implement the motion and preparing for the political fallout ahead of upcoming elections.