Pro-Israel advocates hound Green Party members over 'Zionism is Racism' motion

What Happened

On Saturday, dozens of pro-Israel demonstrators gathered outside the Green Party of England and Wales conference in Brighton, chanting 'Terrorist supporters off our streets' and 'there's no Palestine, there is no Palestine', while waving Israeli and Union Jack flags. The protest targeted a motion authored by British-Palestinian Green Party member Lubna Speitan that members are scheduled to vote on Sunday; the motion calls for Zionism to be declared a form of racism and for a single democratic Palestinian state with equal rights for ethnic and religious groups. Counter-protesters, including Green Party members and a group holding a 'Jews against Zionism' banner, demonstrated nearby, separated by police. The protests were peaceful, according to Middle East Eye. Speitan said the motion explicitly states 'not all Jews are Zionist and not all Zionists are Jewish' and rejected an amendment proposed by Green Party leader Zack Polanski to explicitly safeguard Jewish members, saying it would 'undermine' the motion. Former Green leader Caroline Lucas denounced the motion as divisive, while Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos endorsed it.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

If passed, the motion would make the Green Party of England and Wales the first major UK political party to adopt policy declaring Zionism a form of racism, potentially shifting mainstream political discourse on Israel-Palestine in the UK and emboldening calls for sanctions against Israel. It also sharpens internal party divisions over antisemitism and inclusivity, with opponents warning it could alienate Jewish members and supporters, while proponents frame it as a necessary stance against what they call Israeli apartheid and genocide. The protest and counter-protest reflect wider UK and European polarization over the Gaza war and definitions of antisemitism versus anti-Zionism.

Watch For

The Green Party conference vote is scheduled for Sunday, with no exact date given in the article; monitor whether the motion passes, whether Polanski's amendment is accepted or rejected, and any formal statements from Jewish communal organizations, other UK parties, or Israeli officials. Also watch for internal Green Party disciplinary procedures or resignations if the motion becomes policy, and for further protests or legal challenges around the party's handling of Zionism and antisemitism definitions.