Jewish Greens chair may leave party over Zionism motion

Vivien Lichtenstein considers leaving Green Party
Vivien Lichtenstein, chair of Jewish Greens, says she may leave the Green Party of England and Wales after members adopted a controversial motion describing Zionism as a form of racism. Lichtenstein told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that she had not made a final decision and would discuss the issue with colleagues before deciding.

Motion passes at Brighton conference
The motion was approved at the party’s conference in Brighton by 1,022 votes to 813. It defines Zionism as an “ethnonationalist political project” and supports the creation of a single democratic Palestinian state across historic Palestine, with equal rights for all.

Lichtenstein says motion crosses a line
Lichtenstein said she had opposed the motion from the beginning and believes it would not improve conditions for Palestinians in Gaza or the West Bank. She said her main concern was that the policy could create difficulties for Jewish members and organisations associated with Zionism.

Jewish Greens divided over policy
Lichtenstein said there is a wide range of views among Jewish Greens, including members who fully support the motion, others who support parts of it and those who oppose it. She also said some Jewish Greens support a single-state solution.

Polanski’s amendments defeated
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, had proposed amendments to strengthen protections for Jewish members and remove the reference to a single Palestinian state. Both amendments were rejected by members. Polanski did not remain at the conference for the final vote because he left to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.

Senior Greens divided
Four of the party’s five MPs publicly opposed the motion. Deputy leaders Rachel Millward and Mothin Ali also took different positions, with Millward describing the motion as problematic while Ali supported it in its original form.

Jewish organisations condemn motion
The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council criticised the policy, arguing that Zionism represents Jewish self-determination rather than racism. The Movement for Progressive Judaism also condemned the motion, describing its wording as antisemitic.

Israel bans Green Party leader
Israel’s foreign ministry condemned the policy and announced that Polanski would be barred from entering Israel. The ministry described the motion as antisemitic and criticised its rejection of Jewish self-determination.

Green Party promises protection for Jewish members
The Green Party has insisted that Jewish members will continue to be protected and will not face disciplinary action simply for attending synagogues that identify as Zionist. Party figures have also said support for Palestinian rights can exist alongside support for Jewish rights.

Political parties criticise decision
The motion has drawn criticism from other UK political parties. Labour chair Bridget Phillipson said the decision “crosses a line”, while Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticised the Green Party’s position. Liberal Democrat MP Luke Taylor also described the motion as divisive.

Debate over Zionism and antisemitism continues
The vote has intensified a wider debate in Britain over Zionism, Palestinian statehood and the distinction between criticism of Israel and antisemitism. Lichtenstein said the different definitions of Zionism made the wording of the Green Party motion particularly problematic.

Green Party faces internal divisions
The controversy has exposed divisions within the party between senior politicians, Jewish members and activists over its approach to Israel and Palestine. The policy is now official Green Party policy, although it does not automatically determine what appears in the party’s next election manifesto.