Israel has banned Green Party leader Zack Polanski from entering the country after members of his party voted to define Zionism as racist.
The motion 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”.
Members at the conference in Brighton backed the motion with 1,022 votes in favour and 813 against. Mr Polanski did not take part in the vote on the motion, having left the party conference to campaign in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
Following the motion, Israel accused the Green Party of legitimising “the destruction of the State of Israel” with a “clear antisemitic text”.
“As a first step, foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar has decided this evening to declare Green Party leader Zack Polanski barred from entering Israel,” Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
It comes after 11 other British MPs and one lawyer, Fahad Ansari, Director of Riverway to the Sea, were barred from entering Israel following the UK’s decision to impose sanctions on goods produced in illegal West Bank settlements.
Mr Saar unveiled the retaliatory steps against the Labour administration last month, claiming the elected officials took part in anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli activities.
Describing an address to parliament by his UK counterpart, foreign secretary Ed Miliband, as "outrageous lies", Mr Saar insisted he was left with no choice but to react to the Labour government’s "hostile actions."
Mr Miliband accused Israel of “turning a blind eye” to the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians living in the West Bank, who are increasingly under pressure to relocate from settlers.
A statement from Mr Saar said that the 12 individuals were "involved in antisemitic and anti-Israel activity, as well as those who deny the very existence of the State of Israel".
The list of 11 MPs barred is as follows:
- Jeremy Corbyn MP
- Zarah Sultana MP
- Naz Shah MP
- Diane Abbott MP
- Hannah Spencer MP
- Carla Denyer MP
- Sian Berry MP
- Ellie Chowns MP
- John McDonnell MP
- Richard Burgon MP
- Adrian Ramsay MP
Mr Saar unveiled further counter-measures including the closure of the British Consulate in Jerusalem, and the removal of British representatives from the International Gaza Support Centre in Kiryat Gat.
British activities to train Palestinian Authority forces in Judea and Samaria under the “British Support Team in Ramallah” will also be terminated.
Mr Saar claimed the Labour government has been hostile towards Israel since it came to power in 2024.
“I say to the Labour government and to every government in the world that thinks it can force Israel to act against our national and security interests: You have no chance of succeeding.
“We did not return to our land after 2,000 years only to lose it under pressure from jihadists, Islamists, antisemites, far-leftists and wokes.
“Not only will you fail to harm us. You will harm yourselves and your own influence.”
The Green Party responded to the ban, saying it will “not be bullied into silence” after all its MPs were banned from entering Israel.
A party spokesperson said: “We will not be bullied into silence by the Israeli government. We are proud of our MPs for standing up for Palestinian rights and demanding an end to British complicity in genocide and illegal occupation.
“These threats only strengthen our resolve. The British government must stand firm and follow these overdue restrictions with a full arms embargo and wide-ranging sanctions.”
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