Jewish Greens Chair May Leave Party After Motion Declares Zionism Racism

Based on reporting by BBC UK: Members of the Green Party of England and Wales endorsed the policy motion, which was put forward by a group of activists at the party's conference in Brighton, by 1,022 votes to 813.

Vivien Lichtenstein, the chair of Jewish Greens, informed the BBC that it is potentially possible she may depart from the party subsequent to Green members adopting a resolution that characterizes Zionism as a form of racism. This motion, which has caused division among senior party members, also supports the concept of a "single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine," encompassing contemporary Israel. Lichtenstein, who previously served as chair of her local party, mentioned that she had opposed the motion since its initial disclosure. The motion received 1,022 votes in favor and 813 against. She stated that she considers herself to be both Zionist and anti-Zionist, depending on the specific definition used, and noted that a difficulty with the motion stems from the existence of numerous definitions. The Green Party has 230,000 members overall, and not everyone attended the conference. The motion defines Zionism as an ideology that supports "an ethnonationalist Jewish state," and this has been criticized by certain Jewish organizations and the foreign ministry of Israel. The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council, among those who criticized the motion, asserted that "Zionism is anti-racism, creating a refuge for Jews in their ancient homeland after millennia of persecution outside it."

Lichtenstein indicated that she was not worried about being accused by others of supporting Israel's right to exist and thus being a racist, which she stated was not the case, but she did say the "very bad motion...crosses a line." She further mentioned that one aspect of this line crossing was that the proposers claimed to have consulted some Jews but did not consult the Jewish Greens, who could have offered amendments to improve the motion. She described a "vast range" of viewpoints within Jewish Greens, noting that some supported the motion entirely, others supported parts of it, and some were against it, adding that some Jewish Greens also support a single state.

Lichtenstein conveyed that the party's stance was that the future for Israelis and Palestinians was a choice between one state or two. The UK and 11 allied nations support a two-state solution, which would acknowledge a Palestinian state alongside an Israeli one, while Israel rejects a two-state solution. Her concern regarding the motion was that the Green Party might accuse UK, Israeli, or Jewish organizations, including those that collaborate with Palestinians, of racism. She affirmed her support for many of these groups working "against the occupation and even go out on the ground to assist Palestinians." She also mentioned knowing non-Jewish individuals planning not to remain in the party because they felt the motion crossed a line, or due to their work, they might not wish to be associated with a party that has "Zionism is racism" as a policy.

When asked if she perceived any antisemites within the party, including at senior levels, she responded that there were certainly some antisemites in the party, though she was unsure about the situation at the senior level, as that was not her experience. In reaction to the motion, Israel's foreign ministry announced it had banned Polanski from entering the country. A Green spokeswoman maintained that the party would protect Jewish members and that they would not face persecution for attending synagogues that identified as Zionist. Lubna Speitan, the Green member who introduced the motion, argued after the vote that its proponents intended to voice opposition to "racist systems of oppression," adding that they stand united against all forms of racism and discrimination without exceptions. Four of the party's five MPs—Ellie Chowns, Adrian Ramsay, Carla Denyer, and Sian Berry—had publicly opposed the motion, but the leadership was divided. Co-deputy leader Rachel Millward had described the motion as "problematic" in her interview on the Today programme, while her counterpart Mothin Ali told the BBC on Saturday that he would support the motion in its original form. The Movement for Progressive Judaism, one of the largest and most liberal Jewish groups in the UK, issued a statement condemning the motion, stating that it was "antisemitic in its formulation and intention," and that "Jewish self-determination is a right. Declaring it racist is an attack on Jews." Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis also characterized the motion as "poisonous antisemitism, a threat to British Jews and to Britain." The Green Party motion stated that it "reject[s] attempts" to, among other things, "equate anti-Zionism with antisemitism," and affirmed that "definitions of anti-Jewish discrimination should not equate Jewish identity with Zionist ideology or political practice." Opposition parties also reacted to the motion; Labour chairwoman Bridget Phillipson stated the vote "crosses a line" and urged Polanski to clarify that this would not be the party's future position. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticized the motion on behalf of the Conservatives, claiming it showed the Green Party was "toxic to its core." Liberal Democrat MP Luke Taylor commented that the "divisive" motion failed to address the "rising threats" of Islamophobia and antisemitism in the UK.