Haringey Lib Dem Statement: "Zionism is Racism"

The passing of the “Zionism is Racism” motion at this weekend’s Green Party Conference was seen as a hostile move across the Jewish community. Their motion does not bring us any closer to peace in Gaza, to an end to settler violence in the West Bank, or to the removal of Benjamin Netanyahu and his government or Hamas from power. Instead, the Green Party conference sought to define Zionism as a single, extremist ideology - which would not be recognised by a great number of British Jews - and rejected a two-state solution.

Haringey has thousands of Jewish residents who are currently enduring record-high levels of anti-Semitism and facing high profile attacks, from the attempted firebombing of a synagogue to the horrific knife attack in Golders Green. Many will now be left feeling even more unsafe as a result of the political party running our borough equating them with racists.

It is greatly disappointing that instead of recognising the diverse strands of opinions within the Jewish community, and seeking to address the very real fears that many of our residents will have, the Haringey Green Party have instead merely put out a template response defending their motion. The Leader of Haringey Council, and his Green Party administration, must make clear that all our Jewish residents are a welcome and equal part of Haringey’s society.

As Liberal Democrats, we will continue our party’s longstanding efforts to represent all our residents; bring communities together, not divide or discriminate; and create a borough where everyone in Haringey can live and thrive without fear.

This statement is in response to:

• The Green Party conference passing a motion declaring that ‘Zionism [the movement for the self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people] is Racism’
• The Green Party conference rejecting an amendment clarifying that the party should not “pressure, proscribe or discipline members based on affiliation with Jewish community institutions, such as synagogues, community centres or denominational groups, that describe themselves as Zionist or used to discipline or sanction Jewish members for expressing views that would be non sanctionable if expressed by non Jewish members (such as support for a binational state, or two state solution)“
• The Haringey Green Party’s statement in support of their national policy