UK Greens to vote ‘Zionism is racism’

Part calls for a single Palestinian state ‘from the river to the sea’

- + By MATHILDA HELLER

The UK Green Party is set to vote on a “Zionism is Racism” motion at its spring conference.

Motion A105 Zionism is Racism defines Zionism as racism, recognizes its “continued harm to Palestinians,” and would position the stance of the Green Party as anti-Zionist.

It recognizes Zionism as Israel’s foundational ideology that has created and maintains an apartheid regime between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. It further affirms the right to self-determination and liberation of the Palestinian people and supports the establishment of a “single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital.” This would effectively eradicate the State of Israel.

The motion also calls for steps such as unbanning Palestine Action (though the ban was recently struck down by the courts) and the release of Palestinian political prisoners, including Marwan Barghouti.

When pressed on whether he would vote for the motion, party leader Zack Polanski told Times Radio, “I’ll wait to hear the debate, but absolutely, if the definition of Zionism is what is happening right now by the Israeli government, then yes, absolutely, that’s racist, and I'll vote for it.” Polanski consistently declares that Israel is committing a genocide.

The motion proposers - in a response to a question from Jewish Greens - have also made it clear that they will expect the motion to proscribe Zionists.