‘Not clear’ whether Zionism equals racism motion will be debated at conference, say Greens

The Green Party says it is “not clear” whether a controversial motion equating Zionism with racism will be discussed at its Spring Conference later this month, amid claims that senior officials want to avoid a potentially damaging “antisemitism row” erupting just weeks before local elections.

Jewish News first revealed that hardline anti-Israel Greens for Palestine activists had submitted a motion for debate that attempted to move the party into an explicitly anti-Zionist position, which left members who refused to support it facing claims that they themselves were racists.

But with the Spring Conference set to take place on March 28th, it is understood that a final decision on whether Motion 105 gets debated has not yet been made.

If it does get selected, several amendments have been tabled – including one hailing peaceful initiatives between Israelis and Palestinians – which are likely to mean any final motion passed would differ significantly from the original.

The Jewish Greens group – co-founded by party leader Zack Polanski prior to him undertaking a dramatic shift in his own view on Israel – have been among party members to issue a statement condemning the Zionism Is Racism motion, and outlining its consequences if passed for Jews in the party.

One party source also confirmed:”There is real concern among some at the top about the damage that arguments around Zionism and Israel and Palestine can do to the party ahead of the local elections in May.

“Yes, the Greens have established themselves as a party far more critical of Israel and supportive of the Palestinians than the other mainstream parties.

“But becoming outwardly anti-Zionist is another leap altogether. It would obviously lose us support within the Jewish community. But it could damage us further afield in the same way the antisemitism row damaged Corbyn’s Labour.”

However, Green Party sources rejected claims made in one report that the “Zionism Is Racism” motion was unlikely to be debated at the conference.

A Green Party spokesperson also told Jewish News:”As a democratic party, our policies are determined by members who submit motions to conference. Each motion goes into a prioritisation ballot to decide the order in which motions will be debated and voted on at conference.

“That process has now been completed, but it is not clear, based on where this motion stands in that prioritisation process, whether the motion will be discussed or not.

“What is known, however, is that if it does get debated, there are several amendments proposed, so the final motion, if passed, could differ from the original motion.

“The Green Party is clear: we stand firmly against all forms of bigotry and racism, including Islamophobia and Antisemitism.”

Last week we revealed senior Hackney Green Party officials have held a series of meetings with representatives of the Strictly Orthodox community in the borough for discussions dominated by policy on planning rules ahead of the local elections in May.

In a statement, Hackney Greens told Jewish News they were “honoured to be invited” to speak with members of the Charedi Jewish community for “conversations on a broad number of topics” that the party say are “helping to inform our manifesto for the local election campaign.”

Other sources claim the community is being openly courted by London Assembly member Zoe Garbett, who is in the running to become Hackney Mayor if the Greens perform to some expectations in May.

The 30,000-strong Charedi community in the borough is known to have become increasingly frustrated with the current Labour-run council, who have repeatedly stalled over adopting planning rules that led overcrowded families to build extensions upwards in their homes, which particularly suits the needs of those with larger families.

The rules have already been adopted to great success in neighbouring Haringey, where the Charedi community have welcomed the opportunity to add up to three more rooms to their homes.