Barnet Green councillor backs 'Zionism is Racism' motion

Barnet's sole Green councillor, Charli Thompson, has backed a national Green Party conference motion that states 'Zionism is Racism'. The policy, passed at the party's conference in Brighton, defines Zionism as an ethnonationalist political project incompatible with anti-racist principles and calls for the party to campaign against it.

Condemnation from local parties

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The decision has drawn sharp criticism from Barnet's Labour and Conservative parties. Barnet Labour leader Barry Rawlings condemned the motion, stating that such pronouncements have a 'very dark history'. He expressed concern that an amendment to protect Jewish members with Zionist affiliations failed, and that groups like the Antisemitism Policy Trust were effectively banned by the party.

Barnet Conservative deputy leader Lucy Wakeley described the motion as a 'blatant act of antisemitism'. She highlighted that Green members voted down an amendment intended to safeguard members with links to synagogues or Jewish groups that identify as Zionist. Wakeley added that the policy makes the Green Party an unsafe place for Jewish people, which is particularly concerning given Barnet's significant Jewish community.

Councillor Thompson's stance

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Councillor Charli Thompson stated her support for the conference vote, explaining that her opposition to Zionism stems from a principle of equal rights for all, regardless of ethnicity or religion. She clarified that her opposition is directed at Zionism as a political ideology and not at Judaism or Jewish identity. Thompson assured that Jewish members must feel safe and welcome within the Green Party and that antisemitism must always be challenged.

When asked about reconciling Zionism with anti-racist or pro-Palestinian views, Councillor Thompson acknowledged that some individuals may identify as both. However, given her understanding of Zionism as an ethnonationalist project, she finds these positions difficult to reconcile. She emphasised that her opposition is to the political ideology and not to Jewish people or Judaism, and that she will continue to challenge antisemitism.