Board of Deputies Declares Green Party Racist After Zionism Motion The Board of Deputies of British Jews has condemned the Green Party of England and Wales as racist following the adoption of a motion that labels Zionism as racism, calling for the party to reverse the policy and warning other parties against coalition deals unless the motion is rejected. Britain's largest Jewish community body, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, has taken a firm stance against the Green Party of England and Wales after the party's conference adopted a motion declaring Zionism to be racism. Board condemns Green Party motionThe Board's decision, announced on Sunday, was the result of a vote that saw 118 members in favour and only one against, a clear majority that the party's new platform was anti‑Semitic and, in the Board's view, racist. The Board's president, Phil Rosenberg, said the motion "has given prejudice against Jews a political licence" and that the Green Party had become a "racist party" by adopting it.He added that no political party has the right to label a core part of Jewish identity as racist, and that the policy "brands much of our community, including our synagogues and communal organisations, with that slur." The Board called on the Green Party's leadership to reverse the policy and confront the anti‑Semitism it has legitimised. It also urged other parties not to form coalitions with the Greens unless the party's local branches reject the motion. Labour has already warned local Green groups that it will withdraw support if they do not disown the policy. The Board praised Jewish members within the Greens who opposed the motion, saying they deserve to be heard and supported.Greens defend opposition to ZionismIt called on democratic parties and civil society to apply the same standards to anti‑Jewish racism as they do to other forms of racism. The Greens, however, have insisted that they do not discriminate against people who hold Zionist views.A party spokesman said the motion "sets out political opposition to the ethnic cleansing and displacement of the Palestinian people" and that the party will continue to speak out against the Gaza conflict and push for stronger sanctions against the Israeli government. The Board's condemnation highlights the deep divide over how to address the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict within the UK's political landscape, and the broader debate over the limits of political speech and anti‑Semitism.Potential impact on coalition politicsThe Board's decision is likely to influence other parties' engagement with the Greens and could have implications for coalition politics at both local and national levels. The controversy underscores the sensitivity of the Zionism debate in the UK and the need for careful dialogue to avoid inflaming anti‑Semitic sentiments while addressing legitimate concerns about human rights and international law.