Green council leader claims ‘weaponisation of antisemitism’ amid Zionism row

A Green Party council leader has claimed the “weaponisation of antisemitism” harms Jewish people, just weeks after a synagogue in his borough accused his party of making Jews feel unsafe.

Mark Blake, leader of Haringey Council, made the remarks in a public letter to three Labour MPs following the Green Party’s controversial decision to declare “Zionism is Racism” at its annual conference.

His response to Catherine West, Bambos Charalambous and David Lammy comes after Highgate United Synagogue rejected his earlier attempt at reassurances about Jewish community safety and demanded that he distance himself from the motion.

In the letter, shared on social media, Blake insisted that criticism of Zionism must not be confused with hatred of Jewish people.

“As politicians, we have a duty to hold anti-Zionism and opposition to antisemitism as two separate truths,” he wrote.

Addressing the MPs directly, he added: “What the motion says, and you have failed to recognise, is that criticism of Zionism is not the same as antisemitism.”

Blake also argued that the “weaponisation of antisemitism” does a disservice to Jewish people, particularly those who support Palestinians.

He went on to defend Palestinians’ right to criticise Zionism, arguing that they should not be expected to abandon opposition to an ideology they believe has been used to justify their displacement.

While acknowledging concerns raised by Jewish residents, Blake maintained his support for Palestinian liberation and opposition to antisemitism.

“I understand the motion has caused concern with many Jewish residents in Haringey, so let me be clear. I have always and will continue to stand for Palestinian liberation and against antisemitism, and I am committed to serving all our communities in Haringey,” he wrote.

The council leader also used the letter to attack Lammy over his record as foreign secretary, accusing him of failing to take sufficient action against Israel during the war in Gaza.

He argued that the former foreign secretary had continued to provide arms to Israel and criticised the government’s response to the conflict.

Blake called for an end to arms sales to Israel, the removal of Palestine Action’s proscription and further action over what he described as Britain’s complicity in genocide.

The letter marks a more confrontational response from the council leader, who had previously sought to reassure Jewish congregations following the Green Party’s conference vote.

In an email to local synagogues earlier this month, Blake said the motion would not change Haringey Council’s policies or its commitment to tackling antisemitism.

But Highgate United Synagogue issued a furious rejection, accusing the party of fuelling hostility towards British Jews.

“We don’t accept your assurances that we are safe under your watch,” the synagogue told him.

Its letter, signed by Rabbi Nicky Liss and co-chairs Jennifer Josephs and Anthony Silverman, challenged Blake over the party’s stance on Israel and questioned how Jewish residents could feel protected by a council leader whose party had adopted the motion.

The synagogue also described the security measures it had been forced to introduce, including reinforced fencing and guards wearing stab vests, as well as growing fears among Jewish families about openly identifying as Jewish.

It urged Blake to publicly distance himself from the policy and press his party colleagues to reverse it.

The Green Party’s motion, passed at its annual conference earlier this month, has faced widespread condemnation from Jewish organisations, including Britain’s major religious denominations.

The European Greens also distanced themselves from the decision, while divisions emerged within the Jewish Greens over the party’s direction.