Labour gives Greens seven days to reject Zionism motion

The Labour Party has given Green councillors in 18 councils seven days to reject a Green Party conference motion on Zionism or face the end of local power-sharing arrangements, Labour said. The councils include 17 in England and one in Wales. Labour chair Bridget Phillipson wrote to local Labour groups in the arrangements, asking their Green counterparts to reject the motion and urge the party’s national leadership to reconsider it. Labour said it would end any arrangement where Greens could not provide that assurance. The letter’s receipt date was not reported, so the deadline’s expiry cannot be determined. The Green Party passed the motion at its conference on October 4 by 1,022 votes to 813. It defines Zionism as racism and supports a single democratic Palestinian state, the right of return for Palestinians, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and an arms embargo on Israel. It rejects a two-state solution. The motion also says Zionism should be treated like other forms of racism. Delegates rejected an amendment that would have barred using the policy to pressure or discipline members over links to Jewish community institutions.