The Green Party of England and Wales is facing a significant internal dispute over a controversial motion that seeks to define Zionism as a form of racism and calls for the creation of a single democratic Palestinian state across historic Palestine.
The motion is due to be debated and voted on in Brighton, with senior figures in the party taking sharply different positions over its wording and potential consequences.
It also proposes broad boycotts and sanctions against Israel, drawing comparisons with the international measures imposed on apartheid-era South Africa.
Motion Calls for Single Palestinian State
At the centre of the dispute is a proposal supporting “a single democratic Palestinian state” with Jerusalem as its capital.
The motion argues that Zionism has created and seeks to maintain what it describes as an apartheid system between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
It further proposes that Zionism, which it describes as support for an ethnonationalist Jewish state, should be treated by the Green Party as racism.
The proposals have prompted concerns among some senior Greens that the wording could deepen divisions within the party and alienate Jewish members and supporters.
Deputy Leader Backs Controversial Proposal
Deputy co-leader Mothin Ali has emerged as the most senior Green Party figure to publicly support the motion.
Speaking to Sky News, Ali connected his position to the war in Gaza and argued that the scale of civilian deaths there represented the ultimate form of racism.
His comments have added to pressure on party leader Zack Polanski as the Greens prepare for the vote.
Polanski Plans to Abstain
Polanski has said the Green Party is “absolutely united” in its opposition to the situation in Gaza, but he is expected to abstain on the motion in its current form.
The party leader has instead indicated that he wants amendments that would place greater emphasis on equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians.
Asked whether the proposed single-state solution amounted to a call for the elimination of Israel, Polanski said he supported equal rights for people on both sides.
He argued that political parties should defend the rights of Israelis and Palestinians rather than determine the future constitutional status of a country.
Former Green Leaders Reject the Motion
Several former Green Party leaders have publicly raised objections to the proposal.
Caroline Lucas, who became the party’s first MP in 2010, said she would not support the motion and warned that it could become divisive.
She also expressed concern that its adoption could be interpreted as suggesting Jewish people were unwelcome within the party.
Former co-leader Adrian Ramsay has similarly voiced reservations about the proposal.
Carla Denyer Raises Concerns
Former Green Party leader Carla Denyer has also said she will not support the motion in its current form.
Denyer argued that the proposal could undermine efforts to support Palestinian rights and potentially alienate Jewish people who oppose the Israeli government’s policies but support Palestinian rights and measures such as boycotts, divestment and sanctions.
She said she believed the party remained united in opposing injustices in Gaza and across Palestine but argued that a different motion would be needed to address concerns surrounding the current wording.
Debate Expected to Be Heated
The vote is expected to produce a lively debate among Green Party members.
Green peer Jenny Jones, who is chairing the session, acknowledged that the discussion could become argumentative but said the party had a responsibility to listen to its grassroots membership.
She noted that proposals emerging from the membership can sometimes be more radical than positions preferred by the party leadership.
Dispute Highlights Green Party Tensions
The disagreement has exposed a clear divide between members pushing for stronger language on Israel and Palestine and senior figures concerned about the political and social consequences of the proposed motion.
While supporters argue that the measure would strengthen the party’s position on Palestinian rights, opponents fear that defining Zionism as racism and endorsing a single-state framework could create further division.
With the vote approaching, the outcome could have significant implications for how the Green Party presents its position on Israel, Palestine and the wider Middle East conflict.
