Jewish Greens at risk of being reported for racism for belonging to 'Zionist' synagogues

Green Party members could face internal complaints over racism if they belong to synagogues or other Jewish organisations that describe themselves as “Zionist”, under proposals due to be debated at the party’s conference in Brighton this weekend.

Members last week rejected an amendment that would have protected Jewish members who attend self-described “Zionist” organisations, including synagogues and prayer groups, from being reported for racism.

The decision means delegates will be asked to vote on a motion declaring all forms of Zionism — the movement associated with the establishment of Israel as a Jewish state — to be a form of racism.

At a workshop discussing the motion, Sam Alston, a Jewish member of the Oxford Greens, argued that subjecting members to disciplinary proceedings for attending synagogues that identify as Zionist could amount to “indirect religious discrimination”.

He said the amendment was necessary because “the majority of Jewish institutions and the majority of Jews in the UK, define themselves as Zionist”.

According to 2024 data from the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, 65 per cent of British Jews said they considered themselves Zionist, compared with 10 per cent who described themselves as anti-Zionist.

Mr Alston said he believed the amendment would make clear that the party opposed both direct and indirect religious discrimination and supported freedom of religion.

He also warned that the debate risked conflating Zionism with Judaism. Referring to an incident during the meeting, he said someone had immediately shouted “Zionist” when his brother spoke, despite his brother being a long-standing, publicly anti-Zionist Jew.

Mr Alston argued that rejecting the amendment would send “a terrible signal” to Jewish members, and questioned whether membership of a synagogue should be considered incompatible with being a Green Party member.

The amendment was rejected in a straw poll, with 67 votes against and 24 in favour.

Under the motion’s current wording, “Zionism will be treated as any other form of racism”, with implementation left to the party’s anti-racism policy working group in accordance with its normal procedures.

Critics argue that this could mean members being reported internally for conduct associated with Zionism, potentially including membership of or attendance at a self-described Zionist synagogue or community centre.

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Complaints could then be considered under the party’s disciplinary procedures, with possible outcomes ranging from no further action to expulsion from Green Party activities.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism, which attended the workshop undercover, said the proposal would create “an official litmus test for Jewish people in a major political party”.

The organisation argued that it could result in Zionist Jews and mainstream British Jewish institutions being treated as inherently racist, and could facilitate discrimination against them.

It also criticised Green Party leaders for not rejecting the motion outright.

Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, has previously faced criticism from some party members over his position on the proposal.

Speaking at a Jewish community hustings in Holborn & St Pancras last week, where he is standing for election as an MP, Mr Polanski said he considered Zionism to be racist if it was defined in terms of what he described as the “displacement and genocide of the Palestinians”.

He added that the term “Zionism” could mean different things to different people, but said that if it was defined by those actions, “then that is racist”.

A Green Party spokesman said: “The safety of all our members and communities is always a priority in our policy-making and democratic discussions.”

The spokesman added that, unlike other political parties, Green Party members can propose and determine policy, and that the motion was one of dozens due to be considered at what the party expects to be its largest-ever conference.