Holborn and St Pancras voters 'worried about divisive Green Party Zionism motion', says Labour candidate

The “divisive” Green Party motion declaring Zionism a form of racism has concerned voters in the crunch Holborn and St Pancras by-election, the Labour candidate has said. He did not take part in the vote at his party’s conference in Brighton because he was campaigning in Holborn and St Pancras, where he is hoping to overturn a large Labour majority in the seat vacated by ex prime minister Sir Keir Starmer. Sagal Abdi-Wali is the Labour candidate in the Holborn & St Pancras by-electionPA WireMs Abdi-Wali told the Standard: “It has been brought up to me by people literally at the school gates this morning, of how like divisive they found that motion and how worried they are by it. “I think it's worrying for anyone who believes in a two-state solution. “The message from residents has been quite insightful in their response to, to what's happened there.”The Green Party ended its annual conference divided after the controversial motion, which was backed by 1,022 votes to 813. Members endorsed the policy, which defines Zionism as an ideology supporting "an ethnonationalist Jewish state" and backs a "single democratic Palestinian state". Four of the five elected Green MPs - Sian Berry, Carla Denyer, Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns - publicly said they did not support the Greens4Palestines’ proposal. Zack Polanski did not vote on the issuePA WireThe fifth, Hannah Spencer, did not stated her view. In an Instagram post following the vote she said: “I’m proud to be part of a party committed to Jewish rights, and Palestinian rights.”Mr Polanski did not take part in the vote, which also divided his deputies.Deputy leader Rachel Millward called the motion “problematic” suggesting she would not vote for it. But her co-deputy, Mothin Ali, said he did support the move and would vote in favour of it. In a joint statement following the vote, the five elected Green MPs said: “As Green Party leaders and MPs, we will always uphold universal human rights. Read More"We will never tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment. We will continue to stand in opposition to genocide, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and the illegal occupation. "We will continue to call out the heinous crimes of the Netanyahu government. "And we will continue to work to ensure that the Green Party is an anti-racist party in every way. "We know there is no conflict between supporting the rights of Palestinians and the rights of Jewish people."Leader Zack Polanski stands with Green Party members PA WireJewish groups condemned the motion. “Zionism is anti-racism, creating a refuge for Jews in their ancient homeland after millennia of persecution outside it," the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council said. “Branding most British Jews and Jewish institutions 'racist' stokes anti-Jewish hatred after a year in which British Jews have been murdered attending their synagogue, stabbed in the streets, and seen their community buildings firebombed.”Israel accused the Green Party of legitimising “the destruction of the State of Israel” with a “clear antisemitic text”.In a statement on Sunday evening, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Greens’ resolution “constitutes a clear antisemitic text according to the IHRA definition, as it denies the Jewish people’s right to self-determination”. “Therefore, as a first step, foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar has decided this evening to declare Green Party leader Zack Polanski barred from entering Israel.”