British Green Party defines Zionism as racism... Support for a single Palestinian state

Resolution adopted at the national convention... Support for the establishment of a single Palestinian state

Accusing Jews of "anti-Semitism"... Israel bans Green Party leader from entering the country

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Song Jin-won = Britain's left-wing political party, the Green Party, passed a bill defining Zionism as racial discrimination, drawing strong criticism from Jewish groups in Britain and the Israeli government.

According to Reuters and AFP, Green Party members passed a resolution at the national convention on the 4th (local time) with 1,022 votes in favor and 813 votes against, stating that Zionism should be "treated the same as all other forms of racism."

Zionism is a nationalist political movement that advocates establishing and maintaining a Jewish national state in Palestine, especially the land of Israel, which Jews have considered their historical and religious homeland. As anti-Semitism and persecution of Jews intensified in Europe in the late 19th century, arguments arose for the need for an independent state where Jews could live safely.

The Green Party defined Zionism as a form of racial discrimination, claiming that forced migration and deprivation of rights for Palestinians occurred in the process. In addition, he again urged the British Labor government to stop all arms trade with Israel.

The Green Party also emphasized Palestinians' right to self-determination and said it supported "the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian state throughout historic Palestine."

Motin Ali, deputy leader of the Green Party and a supporter of the resolution, said in an interview with Sky News on the 3rd that the huge number of deaths on the Palestinian side in the Gaza Strip war that broke out in October 2023 was a key background for this vote.

“This resolution very clearly defines Zionism as an ethno-nationalist movement, ethnic cleansing, and genocide,” he said.

British Jewish groups strongly condemned the resolution.

The Progressive Jewish Movement criticized the Green Party, saying, “The Green Party has degenerated into a racist party by making anti-Semitism its policy.” Three other groups, including the Jewish Representative Committee, also condemned the Green Party in a letter sent to the Green Party before the vote, saying, "The Green Party will be the first electorally influential British party to adopt a blatantly anti-Semitic political platform." The Green Party holds 5 seats in the UK's 650-seat parliament.

Bridget Philipson, chair of the ruling Labor Party and minister for women and equalities, also criticized the Green Party's resolution. “It is shameful to denounce the majority of British Jews and Jews around the world as racists for voting against a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine and for supporting Israel’s right to exist,” he said.

Anger immediately erupted in Israel as well.

Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog defended the Green Party's decision in an article for

Israel's Foreign Ministry also called the resolution "clearly anti-Semitic" and, in retaliation, banned Green Party leader Jack Polanski from entering Israel.