Green Party members back 'Zionism is racism' conference motion
The UK Green Party is facing internal and international backlash after members voted to pass a motion labeling Zionism as a form of racism. The move has led to a travel ban on party leader Zack Polanski by the Israeli government and sparked intense debate within the party.
Why it matters
The vote highlights deep ideological divisions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within Western political parties and the potential for diplomatic repercussions.
Image source, Getty Images By Kate Whannel Political reporter , Reporting from Green Party Conference, Brighton Published 4 October 2026 Israel's foreign ministry says it has banned Green Party leader Zack Polanski from entering the country, after party members adopted a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism.
Israel's foreign ministry described the motion as a "clear antisemitic text" and beyond "the boundaries of legitimate political debate".
Polanski did not take part in the vote on Sunday. The motion, which has has divided senior party figures, defines Zionism as an ideology supporting "an ethnonationalist Jewish state" and backs a "single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine".
It has been criticised by some Jewish groups, who called the motion an "attack on the Jewish community".
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