Senior Greens distance themselves from Zionism is Racism motion

Proposed by Greens 4 Palestine, the motion would define Zionism – the belief in the Jewish right to self-determination in Israel – as racist.

It states that Zionism “will be treated as any other form of racism, and this motion will be implemented by the anti-racism policy working group as appropriate and in accordance with its ordinary practice”.

It also defends the right of the Palestinian people to “resist”.

Lucas, the party’s first MP, who represented Brighton Pavilion from 2010 to 2024 and previously led the party, called the motion “divisive” and said she would not support it.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: “I do have serious concerns about this motion. There is no single definition of Zionism, and irrespective of the intentions of the people who put that motion forward, I think there is a real risk that it’ll be divisive and could be seen as a sign that Jewish people aren’t welcome in the party. I will not be supporting it for that reason.”

Ramsay, the former co-leader and MP for Waveney Valley, also said he would vote against the motion, describing it as “not needed” and “not helpful”.

He said: “The Green Party has a strong position already on challenging the government, and I think it would just be wrong to adopt a policy that could be seen as not supporting the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians to statehood.

“I stand by the position the Green Party had in the 2024 manifesto, on which I was elected, which made clear we want to see equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians,” Ramsay told the Times.

Millward, the party’s co-deputy leader with Mothin Ali, described the unamended motion as “problematic” and said she “certainly would not be voting for that”.

Distancing the leadership from the proposal, she told Sky News: “Any member can bring a motion to conference. So this didn't come from leadership; it's not part of a strategic direction. I think what's fair to say is there's a lot of different opinions around this motion.”

Campaigners have warned that, if passed, the motion could lead to Jewish Greens being reported to party officials for attending Zionist synagogues.

Asked what would happen if it passed, Millward said the party was "antiracist" and "there is absolutely no way that we will tolerate antisemitism within our party".

"That's not what it's about – what we are interested in is highlighting the horrific actions, or really making sure our own government isn't complicit in the actions of Netanyahu's Israel. They're two quite separate things.”

"The Green Party has always been really clear that the actions of Netanyahu's government are abhorrent and illegal and it's, again, really refreshing to hear Burnham and Miliband call it ethnic cleansing, which clearly is by definition racist.

"Whether this particular motion is the right motion for Green Party policy, I think that comes under our debate, that's uncertain."

At a Jewish community hustings in Holborn and St Pancras last Thursday, Polanski said he was an antizionist and believed Zionism in its current manifestation was racism because, “in practice”, it meant the “displacement and genocide of the Palestinian people”.

His comments were criticised by Progressive philanthropist Dale Vince. The renewable energy entrepreneur, who has donated to the Labour and Green Party, said he thought it was “wrong to tar all Zionists” with the “sweeping generalisation” of being racist.

Posting on X, Vince – a staunch critic of the policies of the Israeli government – said: “Yes, some Zionists clearly are nationalistic to the point of racism – plain and simple. But the origins of Zionism are not that, and it’s not the whole thing.

“A branch of Zionism is absolutely racist and violent – engaged in genocide and ethnic cleansing – Netanyahu’s government is chock full of them.

“But I think this is a sweeping generalisation, from Zac – and I disagree with it [sic].”