In April this year, the much-heralded motion to the Green Party conference, which promised to turn it into the first mainstream political party openly committed to anti-Zionism, appeared in the conference order of business. But in the end, to the frustration of very probably an absolute majority of delegates, the motion was not put to conference.

Although a vote on the motion had been expected early in proceedings following a successful push by its backers to fast-track the process, it was repeatedly delayed by several no-confidence motions against the party chair, each of which required a separate debate, the Telegraph reported.

But who were the people running this evident campaign to filibuster the motion out of the conference?

Step forward the Jewish Greens.

It was formed in 2018 as a “Liberation Group” inside the Green Party at the height of the Labour Party antisemitism witch-hunt. Among the highlights of the programme of speakers and events held by the Jewish Greens in 2024 were:

New Israel Fund event: “An Evening with Mikhael Manekin in conversation with Alona Ferber”. The New Israel Fund is a Zionist funding organisation dedicated to supporting projects normalising Zionism and undermining resistance to it.

Yachad event: “In conversation with Ami Ayalon” (with Jonathan Freedland of the Guardian). In 2008, Dutch prosecution authorities failed to arrest Ayalon, a former head of the Zionist intelligence agency Shin Bet, while he was visiting the Netherlands. An application for his arrest was reportedly “submitted to the Dutch authorities by Khalid al-Shami, who alleged that he was a victim of torture from1999-2000, when Ami Ayalon was the director of the Shin Bet.

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[+] -12 points 1 week ago (21 children)

Certain people on the left are obsessed about pushing policies which alienate them from the mainstream. Right at the moment where we really need the Greens to stand up for environmental and economic justice, if this passes, it will solidify the Greens as a fringe party again.

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  • [–] [S] 18 points 1 week ago (16 children)

    Stupid lefties and their principles

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  • [–] -5 points 1 week ago (12 children)

    Principles are fine, but when you get blinded by principles and purity, you miss what actually matters to people.

    This policy achieves absolutely zero practical effects besides alienating people and splitting the party. It does not do anything. It's pure posturing, and utterly pointless, and it makes the greens look out of touch with people's lives.

    I'd bet most people agree that the Israeli government have committed absolute atrocities and should be penalised just as much as Russia are. But you'd be hard pressed to find people who'd think for a moment that everyone involved with Israel is racist, or that Israel should be effectively wiped off the map.

    I am somewhat on the left but I also think that to get policies in action that will actually make a difference to people's lives, you need to be relatable, you need to connect to people's lives, and you need to have an logical thread that runs through it.

    Otherwise the left will keep shouting into the void forever.

    You may say I'm not a Real Lefty if I'm not anti Zionist, or some bullshit. Maybe that's true. I just want unfettered capitalism to stop destroying the planet.

    Stopping genocides would be utterly fantastic too of course, but this will not stop genocides. It's just ranting.

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  • [–] [S] 8 points 1 week ago (4 children)

    If your government is willing to throw Palestinians under the bus they're willing to throw you under the bus as well.

    Reread that sentence three times. Memorise it. Internalise it.

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  • [–] 0 points 1 week ago (3 children)

    I agree, the government has done such a disgracefully poor job on Palestine. They've literally thrown people in prison for daring to hold up a sign in support of Palestine. So I'm fully aware they're willing to throw anyone under the bus.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    That's not the point, the point is that you aren't going to be treated better than Palestinians just because you're willing to throw Palestinians under the bus.

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  • [–] -1 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    I wouldn't want anyone thrown under the bus for the actions of someone else.

    The Israeli government threw the Gazan population under the bus for the actions of the terrorists.

    This motion is throwing "Zionists" (i.e. the Israeli population and the very existence of their country) under the bus for the actions of their government.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago

    The Israeli government threw the Gazan population under the bus for the actions of the terrorists.

    No, the Israeli government is committing genocide in order to seize Gaza for itself.

    This motion is throwing “Zionists” (i.e. the Israeli population

    No. And most Zionists are not Israeli.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 week ago (3 children)

    "Somewhat on the left" - an embarrassed conservative pretending to be less of a ghoul than they are so they aren't socially ostracised.

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  • [–] -1 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    Lol I'm a Tory? Pfft. I'm sorry I don't pass your purity test.

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  • [–] 4 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    You are clearly the one doing purity testing, what else could your little soap boxing be?

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  • [–] 0 points 1 week ago

    I'm not purity testing but I'm soap boxing a bit here, for sure.

    I'm just frustrated. I feel like political parties should exist to get as many votes as possible whilst furthering the aims and policies of the party. I really want the Greens to do well at this crucial moment for the planet.

    It just seems that this motion is an unnecessary sideshow which divides people and invites scorn from the press, rather than brings them together behind an important message and important policies.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    Principles are fine, but when you get blinded by principles and purity, you miss what actually matters to people.

    Your daily reminder that western liberals don't consider Palestinians people.

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  • [–] 0 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Of course I consider Palestinians people. I also consider Israelis people.

    When I said "people", I meant "the UK voting population". This is a motion for a UK political party which is for UK citizens, not Palestinian citizens. It will have zero effect in actual Palestinians.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 week ago (2 children)

    "Those crazy lefties should just support genocide, don't want to alienate mainstream fascists"

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago (1 child)

    Absolutely not; clearly I am not suggesting anyone supports genocide.

    Good ways a UK political party should stand against a genocide by a foreign government:

    • pressure our government to pause intelligence and trade with israel

    Useless ways a UK political party should stand against a genocide by a foreign government:

    • Label all their citizens racists
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  • [–] 3 points 1 week ago

    pressure our government to pause intelligence and trade with israel

    Can't even bring yourself to call for a stop, only a "pause"

    Label all their citizens racists

    Good thing nobody is suggesting that

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