UK Green Party Votes to Define Zionism as Racism at Annual Conference

At its annual conference on Sunday, the UK's left-wing Green Party passed a motion classifying Zionism as racism, a decision that prompted immediate condemnation from British Jewish organizations and the Israeli government. The vote tallied 1,022 in favor and 813 against. The motion states that Zionism should be "treated as any other form of racism" and expresses the party's support for creating a "single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine." Israel's government described the resolution as a "twisted resolution." The Green Party, which holds five seats in the 650-member UK parliament and recently gained ground in local and special elections, is led by Zack Polanski. A party spokesperson characterized the debate as "serious and deeply felt" among members. The decision drew sharp backlash from British Jewish groups. The party's conference served as the setting for the vote, which followed recent electoral momentum for the Greens. The motion's language and the party's stance on a single Palestinian state mark a significant position within UK politics.