Tension and dissent: inside the Green party’s antisemitism struggle
The Green Party is facing internal tensions over allegations of antisemitism amid rapid membership growth and upcoming elections. Leader Zack Polanski has criticized the political weaponisation of antisemitism, while several candidates have faced accusations over antisemitic posts online. The party is grappling with balancing free speech on Israel-Palestine with safeguarding Jewish members from hate.
- ▪Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, apologized for sharing a post questioning police use of force after the Golders Green stabbing incident.
- ▪Two Green candidates in Lambeth and one in Newcastle were accused of posting antisemitic content online, with one calling for the killing of 'every single Zionist.'
- ▪Elise Benjamin, a long-time Green member, called for an urgent review of the party’s complaints process to handle antisemitism concerns effectively.
- ▪The Green Party's membership has surged to over 220,000 since Polanski took leadership, raising parallels with past issues in Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party.
- ▪Debates within the party reflect broader societal tensions over the definition of Zionism and the impact of the Israel-Gaza conflict on Jewish communities in the UK.
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Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green party, has said political weaponisation of antisemitism is not the way to address the issue. Photograph: James Manning/PAView image in fullscreenZack Polanski, the leader of the Green party, has said political weaponisation of antisemitism is not the way to address the issue. Photograph: James Manning/PAGreen party Tension and dissent: inside the Green party’s antisemitism struggleWith a fast-expanding membership and electoral gains in sight, the Israel–Palestine debate is testing party unityBen Quinn and Peter WalkerSat 2 May 2026 01.00 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleA Green party member for more than 30 years, Elise Benjamin admits to bittersweet feelings even as fellow activists anticipate a historic breakthrough in next week’s…
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