Green Party activist says she received death threats after Zionism vote

Lubna Speitan, the British-Palestinian artist and activist behind the Green Party of England and Wales' motion on Zionism, said she has received death and rape threats since the vote.

In an interview published on October 15, 2026, Speitan said she had received dozens of threatening messages on social media and by email. She said she had reported them to the police. Al Jazeera

The party passed the motion by 1,022 votes to 813 at its conference in Brighton in early October 2026. Speitan, a member of the party, brought the proposal.

The motion states that anti-Zionism should not be equated with anti-Semitism and calls for a single democratic state in historic Palestine. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham ruled out partnering with the Greens over the decision, calling the motion "wrong" and "anti-Semitic".

The Green Party of England and Wales told Al Jazeera that Speitan holds no party positions other than being a member. The party also said an investigation is under way where members have expressed views that do not fit with the party's values.

The vote followed weeks of dispute. The Guardian reported on October 1 that a group called Greens for Palestine had encouraged people to join the party to back a 'Zionism is racism' agenda. Middle East Eye reported on October 3 on pressure from pro-Israel advocates on Green Party members over the motion.

Speitan has also faced scrutiny over past associations. The Telegraph reported that she was described as a 'good friend' of an al-Qaeda terrorist, while Haaretz reported that 2015 court documents listed her as a 'close friend' who could provide testimony. The Telegraph