The Hackney Council, now controlled by the Green Party following May local elections, voted Tuesday to initiate the formal process of ending its twinning arrangement with the Israeli city of Haifa. The agreement, established in 1968, had previously been maintained through a Labour administration despite earlier attempts by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign to dissolve it.
The Green Party advanced the proposal as part of its electoral platform, citing concerns about international law and Israel's conflict with Palestinians. Council supporters of the motion contended that the official relationship with Haifa conflicted with the council's commitment to human rights and international law.
Hackney Mayor Zoe Garbett justified the decision, stating it fulfilled the party's commitment to ensure institutional relationships reflect "our values and commitment to human rights, international law, justice, and international solidarity."
The twinning had provided practical benefits, including medical training for Hackney's hospital from Israeli staff. Critics argued that Haifa represents a diverse and progressive city known for coexistence between Jewish and Arab communities.
Councilor Simche Steinberger opposed the move, highlighting Haifa's medical institutions and noting that "the Green Party is the second biggest party in the council there," Suggesting the decision overlooked the city's diversity and political complexity. He described the hospital connection as significant, stating "The only hospital in all of Israel in which you have connection, and only because of the twinning."
At a Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstration outside Hackney Town Hall during the vote, a protester threw an egg at a reporter, according to video footage that circulated online.
Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, condemned the decision in a social media statement, calling it ignorant and bigoted. He described Haifa as "a diverse city, widely seen as a model of ethnic and religious coexistence" Led by a progressive mayor with representatives from Green, Arab, and Communist parties, and stated: "If the Hackney Greens had any genuine interest in peace, they would celebrate Haifa, not censure it. This vote represents the prioritization of spite over sense."