Zack Polanski will not overturn Green Party's Zionism is racism motion

On Sunday, 18 October 2026, Green Party leader Zack Polanski confirmed that he would not seek to overturn the party’s controversial “Zionism is racism” motion, but would amend it at the first available opportunity, effectively locking the policy in place until 2028.

The motion, adopted at their conference, defined Zionism as a policy by 1,022 votes to 813. The policy - put forward by the Greens for Palestine group - has been criticised by leading Greens, and four of the party's five MPs said they did not support it ahead of the vote.

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Polanski has been a polarising figure since the motion’s adoption. He remains Jewish and has repeatedly stressed that “people have a right to exist” rather than any state having a right to exist under international law. In a BBC interview, he said: “I don’t think any state has a right to exist under international law, but the question is, what Israel, even Israel, doesn’t know its own borders. It’s constantly invading other people’s land.”

"I don’t think any state has a right to exist under international law, but the question is, what Israel, even Israel, doesn’t know its own borders. It’s constantly invading other people’s land."

Polanski, BBC, 18 Oct

Polanski’s stance has triggered a wave of criticism from within the Greens. The Jewish Greens’ chair, Vivien Lichtenstein, has called for his resignation and said she is considering leaving the party.

Polanski’s refusal to overturn the motion has left the Greens in a precarious position. He said: “I’m not going to try and overturn it. At the first available opportunity, I do want to amend it. I want to move away from one state towards saying that Israelis and Palestinians should decide that future for themselves.” He added that the policy would remain in force until 2028 because “when you vote on something in our party conference, that’s then policy for two years.”

"I’m not going to try and overturn it. At the first available opportunity, I do want to amend it."

Polanski, BBC, 18 Oct

Polanski’s comments came on the heels of a sharp dip in his popularity. An Ipsos poll conducted between 9 and 13 October found that 52 % of the public had an unfavourable view of him, up six points since September, and that his overall rating had fallen to –36, the lowest of any national party leader. The same poll showed that his support among those who voted Labour in 2024 had dropped from a net favourability of +7 in April to –24 in October.

In addition to the internal turmoil, Polanski’s leadership has been tested by external pressures. Labour has also issued an ultimatum to local Green groups it is currently in coalition with, telling them to disown the motion or lose the party's support.

Polanski’s decision to hold the motion in place has raised questions about the future direction of the Greens. The party’s internal rules mean that any amendment must wait until the next conference in 2028, when the policy will expire. In the meantime, the party faces ongoing criticism from both its own members and the wider political community.

What to watch next:

• Green Party’s next conference in 2028, where the policy will be up for vote again.

Polanski’s stance has cemented the motion as a long‑term issue for the Greens, underscoring the party’s struggle to balance its anti‑racism credentials with a broader commitment to anti‑colonial politics. Whether the policy will eventually be amended, or whether the party will face further leadership challenges, remains to be seen. The next few months will see the party’s internal mechanisms, external alliances and public perception all under intense scrutiny.