Understand
Green Party member behind Zionism motion named as close friend of jailed al-Qaeda supporter
Overview
Lubna Speitan, the Green Party member who proposed a conference motion defining Zionism as racism, was identified in court documents as a close friend of Minh Quang Pham, a British national jailed for 40 years in the US for supporting al-Qaeda. Court records show Speitan offered to act as a defence witness for Pham in 2015 and wrote a character letter in 2016 praising him. The Green Party stated that Speitan holds no official positions and that they take allegations seriously, while the motion itself has sparked widespread backlash, internal resignations, and criticism from Jewish groups and politicians.
Key points
- Lubna Speitan proposed the Green Party conference motion that defined Zionism as racism and called for a single Palestinian state.
- Court documents from 2015 and a 2016 letter revealed Speitan was a close friend of Minh Quang Pham and offered to testify for him.
- Pham was jailed for 40 years in the US after admitting counts related to supporting al-Qaeda.
- The motion's passage has led to backlash, including Israel banning Green leader Zack Polanski from entry and several Green councillors and officials resigning.