Photo via Evening Standard

Chief rabbi condemns Green anti-Zionist motion as ‘poisonous antisemitism’

Read the original at Evening Standard ↗
Cite

Hughes, D. (2026, October 5). Chief rabbi condemns Green anti-Zionist motion as ‘poisonous antisemitism’. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/green-party-zack-polanski-jewish-zionism-greens-b1299522.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Evening Standard · collected 2026-10-05 · by David Hughes

Quick Summary

No summary of this article yet; the story summary below covers the event.

AI analysis

Story summary

The Green Party of England and Wales adopted a policy at its annual conference on October 1, 2026, equating Zionism with racism. The motion also calls for the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian state encompassing all of historic Palestine, including Jerusalem as its capital. This move has sparked significant backlash from various quarters:

In response to this controversy, Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, issued a statement asserting that the party will protect both Palestinian rights and Jewish communities. He emphasized distinguishing between criticism of Israel and antisemitism while reiterating his commitment to ensuring everyone feels safe and welcome within the party.

The decision has also drawn international attention, with the United States reportedly set to make representations regarding the policy's implications for anti-Semitism in Britain. This move reflects the global concern over the potential ramifications of such policies on Jewish communities internationally.

Written for “Green Party Zionism Vote Controversy” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 35 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Green Party Zionism Vote Controversy
Politics · 36 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
South China Morning Post
⚖️ Leans strongly left Hedges 1 of 6 claims Outlet record 64/100
National Post
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 1 of 13 claims Outlet record 60/100
The Hindu
⚖️ Leans strongly left Hedges 1 of 17 claims Outlet record 60/100
New York Post
Hedges 2 of 17 claims Outlet record 66/100
Evening Standard
⚖️ Leans right Hedges 2 of 29 claims Outlet record 65/100
Al Jazeera
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 0 of 6 claims Outlet record 60/100
The Guardian
⚖️ Leans right Hedges 2 of 31 claims Outlet record 66/100
The Guardian
⚖️ Leans left Hedges 9 of 85 claims Outlet record 66/100
Toronto Star
⚖️ Leans strongly right Hedges 3 of 48 claims Outlet record 64/100
“Article A discusses the Canadian government's stance on anti-Zionism, while Article B reports on a condemnation of an anti-Zionist motion by the Green Party in Britain.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
25
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 25 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
65/100
Evening Standard's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
36
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
2
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-05 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Evening Standard · 7986 article(s) · 66 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 66 correction(s)

Who wrote this

David Hughes
57 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 Millions of households will receive £100 to help with soaring energy bills and high street firms will get a tax break as John Healey sought to protect British workers and businesses from the economic impact of the Iran war.
🔮 Healey Budget offers help for families and firms hit by global economic storm Millions of households will receive £100 to help with soaring energy bills and high street firms will get a tax break as John Healey sought to protect British workers and businesses from the economic impact of the Iran war.
🔮 Healey Budget offers help for families and firms hit by global economic storm Millions of households will receive £100 to help with soaring energy bills and high street firms will get a tax break as John Healey sought to protect British workers and businesses from the economic impact of the Iran war.
🔮 Healey promises Budget will help UK chart a course through global economic storm The Chancellor said his financial package was aimed at supporting the “working people of Britain” as well as “business big and small”. Mr Healey said he was delivering his Budget “at a time when global uncertainties and pressures are swirling worldwide and hitting people here in Britain”.
🔮 Healey promises Budget will help UK chart a course through global economic storm The Chancellor said his financial package was aimed at supporting the “working people of Britain” as well as “business big and small”. Mr Healey said he was delivering his Budget “at a time when global uncertainties and pressures are swirling worldwide and hitting people here in Britain”.
🔮 The money will take funding for the 10-year social and affordable homes programme to more than £40 billion.
🔮 The Prime Minister wants to consider various options for a new relationship with Brussels, potentially including a return to full EU membership or joining the single market – which would require free movement.
🔮 A new “biosecurity lab” will seek to use AI to protect against potential future pandemics as part of a package of investment, the Chancellor said, The lab is part of wider efforts to harness AI to protect Britain’s interests and bolster homegrown capability amid growing warnings about the dangers of allowing the technology to advance unchecked. Frontier AI development is largely being led by firms based in the US and China. AI minister Mr Narayan told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “To me, I think the central political fault line is not whether you’re pro-AI or anti-AI. “
🔮 So some tins of food, some bottled water, I think maybe.
🔮 So some tins of food, some bottled water, I think maybe.
Also by David Hughes
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 57 articles by David Hughes →

Topics

Britain Greens Israel Palestinian the Green Party

Subjects

the Green Party ORG · 7× Greens ORG · 4× Israel GPE · 4× Jewish NORP · 4× Britain GPE · 3× Palestinian NORP · 3× British Jews NORP · 2× Polanski PERSON · 2× Zionists NORP · 2× the State of Israel GPE · 2×

Narrative

It declares the Greens to be an “anti-Zionist party” and sets into its policy that Zionism, the movement to develop and protect a Jewish state in Israel, will be “treated as any other form of racism”. It also supports the establishment of a “single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital”.
framing: assertive · carried by 2 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-05
🔮 The chief rabbi said he was “appalled” by the motion, claiming the Green Party had resurrected a “discredited and dangerous slander” first promoted by the Soviet Union. “All decent people will see this for what it is: poisonous antisemitism, a threat to British Jews and to Britain,” he said.
2026-10-05 · Evening Standard
Chief rabbi condemns Green anti-Zionist motion as ‘poisonous antisemitism’ · assertive framing

Claims (25 extracted, 0 hedged)

He said the motion passed by the party’s conference was a “threat to British Jews and to Britain”. asserted
motion → say → Britain
The chief rabbi said he was “appalled” by the motion, claiming the Green Party had resurrected a “discredited and dangerous slander” first promoted by the Soviet Union. “All decent people will see this for what it is: poisonous antisemitism, a threat to British Jews and to Britain,” he said. asserted
he → say → Britain
Israel accused the Green Party of legitimising “the destruction of the State of Israel” with a “clear antisemitic text”. asserted
Israel → accuse → text
Foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar declared that Mr Polanski was now barred from entering Israel. asserted
Polanski → declare → 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. asserted
ministry → adopt → Israel
Members in Brighton on Sunday backed the motion with 1,022 votes in favour and 813 against. asserted
Members → back → favour
It declares the Greens to be an “anti-Zionist party” and sets into its policy that Zionism, the movement to develop and protect a Jewish state in Israel, will be “treated as any other form of racism”. It also supports the establishment of a “single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital”. asserted
Jerusalem → declare → capital
Supporters chanted “say it loud, say it clear, Zionists are not welcome here” as the campaigners behind the motion, Greens for Palestine, gathered to speak to the media. asserted
campaigners → chant → media
Asked if the new stance meant Zionists would be kicked out of the party, former councillor Salma Yaqoob said “absolutely not”. asserted
Yaqoob → ask → party
A party spokesman said: “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. asserted
Party → say → Gaza
Read More “Those positions remain central to our approach. asserted
positions → read → approach
So too does our deeply-held commitment to equality, justice and human rights for all, and opposition to racism in all its forms. asserted
commitment → do → forms
The members voted against adding a clause to make clear the motion should not be used to “pressure, proscribe or discipline” party members for their affiliation to synagogues or other Jewish groups that describe themselves as Zionist. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the Greens have become “an extremist party”. asserted
Greens → vote → Jews
“The motion passed by the Green Party today is an attack on the Jewish community,” a statement said. asserted
statement → pass → community
The vote has exposed divisions within the party as four of its five MPs – Ellie Chowns, Sian Berry and ex-leaders Adrian Ramsay and Carla Denyer – came out to publicly reject the motion. asserted
four → expose → motion
Ms Chowns said in a social media post that she was concerned the motion “risks fuelling division and risks undermining the party’s ability to advocate effectively for justice and peace”. asserted
motion → say → justice
Afterwards, party leader Mr Polanski and the five MPs released a joint statement saying they would “always uphold universal human rights”. asserted
they → release → rights
“We will never tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment. asserted
We → tolerate → discrimination
“We will continue to stand in opposition to genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and the illegal occupation. asserted
We → continue → genocide
“We will continue to call out the heinous crimes of the Netanyahu government. asserted
We → continue → government
“And we will continue to work to ensure that the Green Party is an anti-racist party in every way. asserted
Party → continue → way
“We know there is no conflict between supporting the rights of Palestinians and the rights of Jewish people.” asserted
We → know → people
The position will become party policy, but the Greens do not require all their politicians to back it. asserted
Greens → become → it
Chair of the Labour Party Bridget Phillipson described the decision as “fundamentally wrong”. asserted
Phillipson → describe → decision
The Conservatives said it showed the Green Party is “toxic to its core”. asserted
Party → say → core
💬Give feedback
🕘History 🎫Support