Green Leader Heckled at Jewish Hustings Over Anti-Zionist Position

Green Party leader Zack Polanski was heckled at a Jewish community hustings in Holborn and St Pancras after declaring himself an anti-Zionist, The Guardian reports. Polanski, who is Jewish, made the remarks during campaigning for next month’s by-election, in which he is standing as the Green candidate. The supplied material says he described Zionism as a form of racism.

The report does not provide the exact wording of the exchange at the hustings or identify the people who heckled him. It also does not give a response from the Jewish community organisation that hosted the event, or explain whether the remarks prompted any formal complaint. Polanski is seeking to win the seat formerly held by Labour leader Keir Starmer.

According to the report, he hopes to take the constituency from Labour, making his position on Israel and Zionism part of a campaign taking place amid debate inside the Green Party. A Green official said many activists loyal to the party leadership might not attend the autumn conference because it is scheduled for the week before the by-election. The official suggested that this could leave greater scope for other members to push through a motion.

A Green source warned that passing the motion in its current form could alienate British Jews, many of whom are not supporters of the current Israeli government. The supplied material does not state what the motion contains or whether it has been formally submitted. The report records Polanski’s declaration, the reaction at the hustings and internal party concerns.

It does not provide polling data, further candidate responses or the eventual outcome of the by-election.