It has called on the Green-led council to "make their position clear, reaffirm their commitments to all Jewish residents and condemn all forms of antisemitism and all forms of hate".

Naturally, the local Labour opposition, which was heavily defeated by the Greens in May, has weighed in. They say the motion risks undermining Hackney's "spirit of togetherness".

Zack Polanski himself described the motion as unhelpful and a distraction. At a recent election hustings he said: "I think there's a problem with definitions… It means different things to different people."

The Chair of Jewish Greens told the BBC she may end up leaving the party as a result.

In a joint letter, the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the CST said "It is anti-racism", arguing that modern Zionism arose partly as a response to antisemitism, creating a refuge for Jews in their ancient homeland after millennia of persecution.

However, many on the losing side of that debate argue this is reductive at best and discriminatory at worst.

It adds: "The motion reflects the Green Party's view that the establishment of Israel involved the dispossession, ethnic cleansing and displacement of Palestinians, rooted in racial inequality."

The statement appears to treat the debate as settled now that the party has officially defined Zionism as a "political ideology supporting the creation and continuation of an ethnonationalist Jewish state in Palestine".

Meanwhile, Hackney Greens said last night: "This motion does not target our local Jewish communities or Jewish party members […] Criticism of a political ideology should not be conflated with hostility towards Jewish people."

The New Statesman reports that Polanski supported the amendments, which failed.

One amendment would have made explicit that Jewish members would not face disciplinary proceedings for belonging to "Zionist synagogues" or other organisations that describe themselves as Zionist.

She added that the "genocide in Gaza" had to take centre stage. I've contacted the Mayor asking her to clarify her stance and how she voted, including on the amendments that appeared to water down the motion.

Mayor Zoë Garbett has told The i Paper: "I think that when you're talking about Zionism as it is enforced upon the Palestinian people, and its deep rooting in colonialism, then I think it is racism."

The decision to pass the "Zionism is Racism" motion has divided the Green Party following this weekend's conference. So: where does Hackney's Green-led council stand? 🧵

Islington Council has become the latest borough to demand rent control powers from the government as it declared a "renting crisis". I want to speak with private tenants in Islington about their experience as a renter, warts and all. If that's you, DM me or contact [email protected].🏚️