UK Green party adopts 'Zionism is racism' policy

The UK's Green party has voted to define Zionism as a form of racism at its annual conference. The motion was backed by 1,022 votes in favour and 813 against. According to the motion, Zionism would be treated as any other form of racism and the party supports the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine.

The move has drawn sharp backlash from British Jewish groups and the Israeli government. Three Jewish community groups, including the Board of Deputies, wrote to the party ahead of the vote, saying that the motion would make the Green Party the first electorally significant UK political party in living memory to adopt what appears to be an overtly antisemitic political platform.

The Green party has five MPs in Britain's 650-seat parliament and has enjoyed a surge in popularity under the leadership of Zack Polanski. However, Polanski's popularity has taken a hit in recent months, according to polls. The party's deputy leaders have been at odds over the subject, with Mothin Ali backing the move and Rachel Millward describing the wording as "problematic".

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, New Straits Times, South China Morning Post, BBC News, Arutz Sheva - Israel National News — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.