A bid by the deputy leader of the Green Party to become its new leader has seen him face taunts that he is a “Zionist” despite an attempt to position himself as an ally of anti-Israel and pro-Islamist supporters.
Zack Polanski launched a surprise campaign to oust Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay as Green co-leaders on Monday, arguing that the party, which has been dogged by claims of antisemitism, needs to embark on a more radical move towards “eco-populism”.
Polanski, who has spoken of his pride at being “the first gay, Jewish deputy leader in British history”, has repeatedly attempted to position himself as being a supporter of hardline pro-Palestine activists within the party in recent years.
He has also spoken at pro-Palestine demos accusing Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza, and criticised the police for imposing conditions on a protest that began close to a synagogue in central London last November.
But after publicising his leadership bid this week, Polanski’s commitment to the Palestinian cause was openly questioned by some activists.
The notorious anti-Zionist academic David Miller, sacked from his post at Bristol University, posted on X:”Zack Polanski is a Jewish Zionist who is only one amongst a wave of entryists in the senior ranks of British political parties.”
Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, co-leaders of the Green Party at St Pancras Meeting Rooms, London. Picture date: Friday October 1, 2021. (Jewish News)
While Guardian columnist Owen Jones was among those to back Polanski writing on X:”The Labour government is falling apart – but so far it’s Reform benefiting from that.
“Can the Greens get their act together – and offer a new left-populism? If so, Zack Polanski is their best bet.”
Others seized on earlier posts by Polanski on social media in which he had attempted to position himself as being supportive of positions adopted by many in the Jewish community.
Green councillor Hau-Yu Tam (centre) pictured alongside Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski (left). Photo Credit: London Green Party
In 2018, he had expressed support for the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and urged other members of the Greens to back it , pointing to the fact it recognised criticism of Israel was not always antisemitic.
Two years later he said:”I’ve been keen for a long time for the Green Party to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.
“I’m thankful that I recognise my experiences with my fellow Greens is that I feel we don’t have the same scale of issues with antisemitism in the Green Party as with other parties do.
“It is nevertheless still important for us to send a clear message to Jewish communities both in the party and in the wider world that we stand in solidarity with them.”
Polanski also previously spoke out against the rise of antisemitism in Labour under Jeremy Corbyn, but in an interview this week he suggested he had been wrong to do so, adding Corbyn hadn’t handled the issue “perfectly” but that “it was not helpful for me to assume that the Labour Party was rife with antisemitism when we now know that blatantly was not true”.
Other posts by Polanski now held up as evidence he cannot be trusted by some in the pro-Palestine camp included the praise he offered to David Baddiel following the publication of his Jew’s Don’t Count book.
But more recently, Polanski has openly welcomed new recruits into the party with hardline anti-Zionist positions.
He was recently photographed alongside a Lewisham councillor who compared Zionism to Nazism.
Speaking to the Guardian this week, he said he was launching his bid to lead the Greens because “people are done with the two old parties and we’re in this dangerous moment where Nigel Farage is absolutely ready to fill that vacuum.”
He added:”There’s an empty space in politics, where we’re not being as bold as we can be.”
Ex-Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
Last week’s local election results saw the Greens make only modest gains at a time when they were expected to secure more support from those who believe Labour is not left-wing enough in government.
Polanski has been on something of a political journey himself, having joined the Greens from the Liberal Democrats in 2017.
He was once believed to be supportive of the coalition between Nick Clegg and former PM David Cameron, but was denied the chance of standing as a parliamentary candidate for the Lib Dems.
His move to the Greens saw him progress upwards in the party, as a London Assembly member, and by becoming deputy leader in 2022.
Born David Paulden, at the age of 18 he decided to revert to his family’s original Jewish surname after they had changed it to avoid antisemitism after arriving in the UK from eastern Europe.
“I’m the first gay, Jewish deputy leader in British history,” he said. “I feel the responsibility to stand up for minority groups, not just for communities that I represent, but all communities.”
But Polanski has condemned mainstream communal organisations such as the Board of Deputies as being a representative of the “Israeli government.”
He has sought to win over the support of younger members of the community attracted to organisations such as Na’amod, speaking at a protest event.
