The Green Party of England and Wales has passed a motion equating Zionism with racism. The Guardian reports it. The text, with its rather controversial contents, received the green light during the annual conference in Brighton with 1,022 votes in favor and 813 against. The ideological movement born at the end of the 19th century to support the creation of a Jewish state should be “treated like any other form of racism”. The authors of the text deny Israel’s right to a state. The document instead calls for the creation of a Palestinian state “with equal rights for all”.
What does the text of the motion say
The motion argues that Zionism is a necessarily racist ideology as it “privileges one ethnic group on the basis of the subjugation of others”. “This motion is addressed to the political ideology and practice of Zionism – it reads -, as defined, and not to the religious or ethnic background of those who identify as Zionists. Not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jews…”.
“Zionism, as defined above, will be treated like any other form of racism,” the text continues, “and this motion will be implemented by the Anti-Racism Policy Working Group as appropriate and in accordance with its standard practice.”
4 of the party’s 5 deputies opposed the document. Among these was MP Adrian Ramsay who said he was “deeply saddened”, stating that supporting a single state contradicts the principle of self-determination of peoples. In contrast, Green leader Zack Polanski supported the motion, declaring that he believes Zionism is a racist idea.