BRIGHTON — The Green Party voted to adopt a motion stating that Zionism is racism at its annual conference in Brighton on October 4, 2026. The motion passed with 1,022 votes in favor and 813 votes against.

The adopted motion defines Zionism as Israel’s foundational ideology that creates and maintains an apartheid regime between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. It supports the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital. An amendment to protect Jewish people from expulsion if they belong to synagogues that define themselves as Zionist failed to pass, receiving 684 votes in support and 1,026 against. Three other amendments, including one stating the motion should not be used to discipline members based on affiliation with Jewish community institutions, were voted down.

Four of the Green Party’s five MPs condemned the motion. Adrian Ramsay, former co-leader of the Green Party, said he would vote against the motion because it sets out what sort of Palestinian state should exist without taking into account the self-determination of Israelis and Palestinians.

Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, Co-Leads of the Movement for Progressive Judaism, issued a joint statement criticizing the decision. They said the Green Party had made antisemitism party policy and become a racist party. They added that Jewish self-determination is a right and that declaring it racist is an attack on Jews. They further said the Green Party had chosen to brand Jews who hold this belief as racists and make their equal participation in the party conditional on renouncing it.

Jewish Greens, a group within the party, conducted a survey ahead of the conference which showed an average score of 5.1 on a 0–10 scale measuring whether the group should collectively oppose the motion. Jewish Greens stated it will not take an official position on the motion following the survey results. According to the Jewish Greens survey, 81% of respondents identify as anti-Zionist or non-Zionist.

According to the Jewish Greens survey, 80% of Zionist respondents oppose the 'Zionism is Racism' motion. According to the Jewish Greens survey, 70% of anti-Zionist respondents strongly support de-proscribing Palestine Action. According to the Jewish Greens survey, 64% of anti-Zionist respondents strongly support Palestinians' right to resist through all available means within international law. According to the Jewish Greens survey, 50% of respondents support criminal prosecution of UK citizens who fight with the Israeli military.

Greens for Palestine, a group not formally affiliated with the party, pushed for the adoption of the motion. Greens for Palestine encouraged non-party members to sign up to the Green Party to ensure the motion was debated and adopted. Lubna Speitan, a leading member of Greens for Palestine who co-authored the motion, rejected amendments to tone down the motion.

Greens for Palestine has links to the Anti-Zionist Movement, a campaign group that argues the 'so-called Jewish state' should be dismantled. A Green Party spokesperson said the Green Party does not support the views of the AZM. A Green Party spokesperson said the Green Party is a democratic party and membership has grown as more people join to support its full policy platform. The vast majority of members joined prior to a specific attempt at mobilisation.

Jewish members of the Green Party reported that a designated 'safe room' was set aside during the conference for Jewish members who felt they were in danger. A Jewish member said a 'safe room' was provided for Jewish members to use in an emergency and that it was used on the first day of the conference to host a meeting between a rabbi and some Jewish members. The Green Party issued a statement saying this had been a serious and deeply felt debate within its membership and that members value the ability to bring forward and decide party policy, and conference had now made its decision. The Green Party statement said the Green Party is an anti-racist party and has consistently opposed the illegal occupation of both Palestinian and Syrian land, called for an end to arms sales to the Israeli government and spoken out fearlessly about the devastating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. The Green Party statement said those positions remain central to its approach. So, too, does its deeply-held commitment to equality, justice and human rights for all, and opposition to racism in all its forms.

Timeline

In March 2026, the Green Party previously planned to vote on the motion at its Spring Conference, but multiple no-confidence votes created delays preventing it from being heard. On June 15, 2026, the Court of Appeal ruled that the proscription of Palestine Action was lawful. On October 3, 2026, Zack Polanski said on Saturday, 'Drop the charges. End the genocide. Deproscribe Palestine Action.'

On October 4, 2026, Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP, said Zionism is a contested concept with no single definition and that if the motion passes, the party risks alienating many people, including in Jewish communities. On October 4, 2026, the Green Party voted to adopt a motion stating that Zionism is racism at its annual conference in Brighton.

On October 4, 2026, Zack Polanski told reporters that in the motion, Zionism is defined as the displacement and genocide of the Palestinian people and that he thinks that is clearly racism. On October 4, 2026, Siân Berry, Green Party MP, said the motion risks alienating a significant proportion of Jewish people, including those who vehemently disagree with the Israeli government.

What's New

In 2020, the Jewish Greens published internal guidelines to address potential conflicts arising from the 'Zionism is Racism' motion, including a four-page summary outlining procedures for expelling anti-Zionists, which were later cited as a precedent for handling the 2026 debate. The Green Party's motion to define Zionism as racism marks the first time a major UK political party has adopted such a policy, according to reports, which noted the motion's potential to redefine party identity and trigger debates over anti-Zionist activism under the UK Equality Act.

The Jewish Greens' 2024 survey revealed 81% of respondents identified as anti-Zionist or non-Zionist, with 70% of anti-Zionists strongly supporting Palestinian resistance under international law, reflecting long-standing internal divisions over Zionism within the party. In 2021, the Green Party passed a motion supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, marking a prior instance of the party taking a stance on Palestinian rights that could be seen as precedent for the 'Zionism is Racism' motion. The UK's Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination based on political opinion, which could potentially conflict with the 'Zionism is Racism' motion if it leads to disciplinary actions against members based on their political views.

The Green Party's 2024 manifesto explicitly stated support for 'equal rights to statehood and self-determination' for Israelis and Palestinians, a principle cited by MPs like Adrian Ramsay as incompatible with the 'Zionism is Racism' motion's potential to undermine Jewish participation. A 2023 report by the Community Security Trust found that 62% of Jewish community members in the UK felt unsafe due to rising antisemitism, showing the potential impact of the 'Zionism is Racism' motion on Jewish members of the Green Party.

Why It Matters

Under the UK Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful to discriminate against individuals based on their religious beliefs, including Judaism, and the proposed amendment to protect Jewish members from discrimination over synagogue attendance would have aligned with this legislation.

The Green Party previously faced backlash in 2022 when a member was expelled for attending a Zionist event, indicating a history of tensions between the party and Jewish members who identify as Zionist.