As a British-Palestinian, the Green Party gives me hope

As a child born and raised in the Middle East, I had little awareness of politics. When I arrived in the UK to pursue my education, my knowledge was so limited that when asked whether I was left or right-leaning, I did not understand what that meant.

Decades later, I am standing in the local elections in Birmingham, Stirchley, representing the Green Party in what could be the most significant local elections in England for decades.

I remember the winter of discontent in 1978 and the importance of freedom of expression and protest. In particular, what stuck with me was Margaret Thatcher’s war on trade unions during the miners’ strike from 1984 to 1985.

I appreciated the impact of politics on our daily lives, but the first time it really touched me as a young engineering student at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, was when I discovered that home and overseas students were treated differently in terms of student fees. Home students were exempt, but overseas students had to pay an annual fee, initially set at £750 (now an engineering course costs £22,000 per year). This felt unjust.

This feeling of getting involved in shaping university politics was further spurred by the Palestinian struggle. Given Britain's role in our plight, including the Balfour Declaration, I was organising within the belly of the beast, if you will. And with Al Jazeera’s television channel having just launched, I was suddenly shown for the very first time live scenes of Israel’s atrocities. This left me unable to stay silent.

Watching the arrest of Marwan Barghouti in 2002, then having his wife, Fadwa, speak in the Birmingham Council Chamber in a public meeting calling for his release, also reinforced how connected the struggles were. It highlighted to me how our actions all the way in Birmingham are relevant to all those suffering at the hands of Israeli colonial oppression.

UK politics

These early efforts led me to think about Britain’s political system and institutions. I began to think about how I would vote in a general election and whether I would join a political party. Talking to friends, particularly from the Arab community, I was encouraged to support Labour, as effectively the only party with a sympathetic stance on issues important to us.

I started to feel the same way when Labour MP Richard Burden was elected in my area. He was very supportive of the Palestinian people, which even led me to campaign for him at the general elections. However, I still refrained from joining the political party.

This changed once Jeremy Corbyn became leader.

I chaired the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) for five years, and during this time, I got to know Jeremy through his role as one of our patrons. His support for the Palestinians as an anti-racist was second to none.

It was Jeremy’s victory, which provided so much hope, that finally led me to join Labour.  Nonetheless, these hopes were quickly dashed by the vile attacks he received from all those who opposed his politics of serving for the many, not the few.

This included the full weight of the pro-Israel lobby, which feared the election of a British prime minister who would not be supportive of Israel.

A man who did not have a racist bone in his body and who was fully supportive of human rights, equality and international law was destroyed as a political leader. He was presented as a man who fuelled antisemitism and division.

After Jeremy’s departure, I remained at the party and voted for Keir Starmer to be the next leader, thinking that as a human rights lawyer, he would stand with the Palestinian people in their pursuit of justice and an end to occupation. However, when asked if he was a Zionist, he said: "I understand and I sympathise and I support Zionism."

The direction of travel for the party was clear.

After an LBC interview in October 2023, during which Starmer said that Israel had the right to cut off water and electricity and to place a siege on Palestinians, I left the Labour Party. How could I, as a Palestinian, remain in a party whose leader not only held these views but also publicly expressed them?

What next?

I considered many options regarding my next political steps and how I could try to intervene in a political system that was supporting and fuelling the oppression of Palestinians amidst the genocide in Gaza.

When then PM Rishi Sunak called a general election in July 2024, I decided to stand as an independent candidate in Birmingham Selly Oak, where the sitting MP Steve McCabe served as the chair of Labour Friends of Israel at the time. I had to stand against a man who supported genocide.

However, at the last minute, McCabe decided not to stand, and Labour parachuted in Al Carns MP, an army colonel with no connection to Birmingham or political experience. He won the election.

After this chapter, I took a break from politics. And whilst I was encouraged when Your Party was launched by Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn, the chaotic path it’s taken so far left me sceptical.

However, in recent years, the Green Party has been on the radar of many who have campaigned for over two years against the genocide.

Indeed, with the principled stance on Palestine that the Greens have taken, I not only found myself joining them, but also standing in the local elections in Stirchley as their candidate.

The election of Zack Polnski as leader, which has led to a sharp increase in new party memberships, shows that many who have been disappointed and enraged by Labour turning its back on Palestinians are finding an alternative political home. They trust his staunch advocacy for people’s daily struggles, his anti-fascism and anti-racism, his calls for accountability when it comes to Israel’s crimes, and crucially, his refusal to concede despite the Israel lobby’s pressure.

Many Green councillors will likely be elected in the coming days, and I hope that this will force a new leadership to the top.

Professor Kamel Hawwash is a politician, writer and analyst.

Follow Kamel on Instagram: @kamelhawwash

Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@newarab.com

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.