Greens are forced to give Jewish delegates safe room at 'febrile' party conference

The bitter split in Zack Polanski's Greens over their approach to Israel deepened last night after it emerged officials at the party conference were forced to organise a 'safe room' for Jewish members.Ahead of a vote on a controversial motion today equating Zionism with racism – and with rival pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations being kept apart by police outside the conference centre in Brighton – a Jewish member of the party said a room had been kept aside for their use if they felt threatened.Amid what one source called a 'febrile' atmosphere, the Jewish member said: 'We have been given a "safe room" for Jewish members to use in an emergency.'It was used on the first day of the conference to host a meeting between a rabbi and some Jewish members. It's a deeply upsetting situation, but that's the reality.'A Green Party source confirmed: 'We have a phone number for a small number of people if they are worried and a room if they would like to use it. They come in through a different entrance to avoid any protests at the front.'A sign reading 'No Access To Press' was affixed to the outside door of the room, which the MoS has agreed not to identify. The split in Zack Polanski's Greens over their approach to Israel deepened after it emerged officials at the party conference were forced to organise a 'safe room' for Jewish membersMembers will vote on a motion to declare Zionism, the movement that led to the creation of Israel as a Jewish state, as a form of racism in official Green policy.Senior Greens have criticised the motion, with former leaders Caroline Lucas and Adrian Ramsay labelling it as 'divisive' or 'not helpful'.If the motion passes, the Greens would become the only mainstream party in Europe to declare itself openly anti-Zionist.Even Mr Polanski, who has been sidetracked by efforts to try to become an MP at the Holborn and St Pancras by-election on October 8, has expressed fears over the scope of the motion. Deputy leader Rachel Millward has also described it as 'problematic' unless it is amended to include protection for Jewish members.But joint deputy leader Mothin Ali told the BBC that he 'absolutely' backed the motion. 'It talks about ethnic-cleansing, it talks about ethno-nationalism,' he said.'Anyone that believes in that, then I think it is a racist ideology.' Large numbers of police were stationed around the venue yesterday, with demonstrators from both sides also congregating on the road near the seafront.'I've been a member of the Green Party for years, but never, ever have Jewish Greens been forced to endure a situation like this,' a senior Jewish source in the party said. 'Security plans have been kept very secret, for obvious reasons.'One security guard at the venue said they had been told to 'prepare for the worst' and to conduct thorough searches of those attending the three-day conference.The Greens also decided to bring forward the cut-off point for those who wanted to attend the conference to September 25 to enable organisers to carry out proper security checks. Members will vote on a motion to declare Zionism as a form of racism in official Green policy. Joint deputy leader Mothin Ali said he 'absolutely' backed the motion, saying: 'It talks about ethnic-cleansing, it talks about ethno-nationalism'At previous Green conferences it was possible to turn up on the same day, register yourself and then go inside to watch the proceedings with 'observer' status.Members of the Jewish Greens group have been privately comparing the security situation to the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn, when Jewish MPs such as Luciana Berger required protection from far-Left anti-Semites.During the three-day conference, numerous debates on Palestine have been scheduled for the main floor and for fringe events inside the official venue.Yesterday, a debate titled 'Palestine: The Golden Thread that Unravelled Britain' took place in the main hall, chaired by Zak Khan, a party member who was detained by the Israeli navy after joining the Gaza flotilla.It also features outspoken anti-Zionist Andrew Feinstein on its panel of speakers.Yesterday's fringe programme was dominated by sessions on Israel and Palestine, including one on alleged 'sportswashing' allegations, while the Palestine Solidarity Campaign hosted a Justice For Palestine session.Mr Polanski has insisted the Green Party is 'absolutely united' on the issue.Asked about the motion, he told the BBC: 'Well, this is in a context where 75,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, 1,500 since the recent so-called ceasefire. We also know there are more child amputees than in modern history.'So I think what the party is absolutely united on is recognising we need to end the genocide, we need to stop selling arms to Israel.'