Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party, recently stirred controversy by questioning the concept of a nation’s “right to exist” during an interview on ITV’s Peston programme. When asked specifically about Israel, Polanski, who is Jewish, stated that he does not believe any country inherently holds such a right. This discussion arises amidst his efforts to address concerns regarding anti-Semitism within his party. Additionally, Polanski criticized how the police handled the arrest of a suspect in the Golders Green stabbings, describing the incident as ‘traumatising’ based on video footage.
Palestine Emerging as a Campaign Issue in Local Elections
Polanski also drew attention by asserting that Palestine is a topic of consideration in the upcoming local elections, despite its geographical distance from the UK and its irrelevance to local council responsibilities. The Green Party is optimistic about gaining seats from Labour, especially in London. Addressing allegations of anti-Semitic remarks by some council candidates, Polanski condemned such behavior as ‘unacceptable’ while noting that some critics are attempting to ‘score points’. He emphasized that it is feasible to support Palestine without crossing into anti-Semitism.
Calls for Stronger Candidate Vetting Procedures
He expressed a desire to implement a consistent vetting process for candidates in the future. Asked about identifying as a ‘non-Zionist’ Jew, Polanski explained his stance as advocating for equality for Palestinians, criticizing the ongoing conflict as a genocide supported by shared intelligence and arms from governments. He called for an end to this violence and for equal representation at peace negotiations. When pressed on the issue of Israel’s right to exist, Polanski reiterated his belief that no country possesses such a right, emphasizing that it is individuals who have the right to exist.
‘The Israelis have a right to exist. The Palestinians have a right to exist. And I think it’s our role as a third country to make sure that there’s fairness and transparency and accountability about a peace process. ‘I always think these semantics about whether a country has a right to exist actually just ends up in gatekeeping, which is partly how we ended up in this mess in the first place of the Balfour Declaration.’ The Balfour Declaration was a 1917 statement from the British foreign secretary supporting the creation of a ‘national home for the Jewish people’.
