UK Green Party adopts anti-Zionist position, Zack Polanski barred from Israel: What's happening

The UK Green Party has voted to adopt an anti-Zionist position at its 2026 conference, prompting Israel to bar the party's leader, Zack Polanski, from entering the country. The motion was passed by 1,022 votes and it defines Zionism as an ethnonationalist political project and states that anti-Zionism should not be equated with antisemitism.

A Green Party spokesperson said the decision followed a "serious and deeply felt debate" among its membership. “This has been a serious and deeply felt debate within our membership. Our members value the ability to bring forward and decide party policy, and conference has now made its decision,” the spokesperson said. The party said its position was rooted in its opposition to racism and its stated support for equality, justice and human rights. “The Green Party is an anti-racist party and has consistently opposed the illegal occupation of both Palestinian and Syrian land, called for an end to arms sales to the Israeli government and spoken out fearlessly about the devastating situation in Gaza and the West Bank. Those positions remain central to our approach. So too does our deeply held commitment to equality, justice and human rights for all and opposition to racism in all its forms,” the spokesperson added.

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Israel reacts to Green Party policy

Following the adoption of the policy, Israel's Foreign Ministry accused the Green Party of legitimising armed struggle against Israel. "Today, the Green Party in Britain adopted a resolution equating Zionism with racism, legitimising armed struggle against Israel, and calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state “from the river to the sea” - meaning the destruction of the State of Israel," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said it considered the resolution antisemitic under the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition and accused it of denying Jewish self-determination. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar subsequently decided to bar Green Party leader Zack Polanski from entering Israel.

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Polanski has led the Green Party of England and Wales since September 2025 and has served as a member of the London Assembly since 2021. He previously served as the party's deputy leader from 2022 to 2025. The contest is being closely watched as a test for Labour. His campaign style draws similarity with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.