Israel Responds to UK Green Party's Definition of Zionism as Racism

Israel's president stated that the characterization of Zionism as a form of racism is an 'antisemitic lie' that endangers Jews and Israelis. This response follows the United Kingdom's Green Party's vote to define Zionism in this manner. The Israeli government and British Jewish organizations expressed strong disapproval after the Green Party's resolution, which was passed with a majority of 1,022 to 813 votes. The Green Party, which received 6 percent of the vote in the UK's national elections in 2024, described Zionism as 'an ethnonationalist political project' and called for the Labour government to end arms trade with Israel. In response, Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the policy for exceeding legitimate political discourse and urged other British political parties to denounce the resolution. President Isaac Herzog condemned the vote as 'a disgrace and a shame,' asserting that the claim linking Zionism to racism endangers Jewish communities. Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid stated that it is the Green Party, not Zionism, that embodies racism. The Movement for Progressive Judaism in the UK accused the Green Party of adopting antisemitism as part of its policy. The Green Party also reaffirmed its commitment to Palestinian liberation and a full arms embargo against Israel. Co-deputy leader Mothin Ali indicated that the vote was influenced by the high casualty toll during the conflict in Gaza. The Green Party currently has five members in the UK Parliament.