Hackney Council Votes to End Haifa Twin City Deal, London 2026

Key Points

• Initial Approval Granted: Green Party-led Hackney Council in London voted on Tuesday night to begin the formal process of terminating its 58-year-old twinning agreement with the Israeli city of Haifa.
• Emotional Debate: Council members engaged in a passionate 30-minute debate pitting human rights and anti-war arguments against the preservation of long-standing civic dialogue and medical cooperation.
• Political Context: The decision follows the Green Party’s sweeping electoral victory in May 2026, where it captured 42 of 57 council seats, displacing the Labour Party, which was reduced to nine seats.
• Core Civic Ties At Stake: Established in September 1968, the partnership has centered primarily on medical exchange links between Hackney’s Homerton University Hospital and Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center.
• Opposition Concerns: Labour and Conservative councillors, alongside Jewish leadership organizations, condemned the move as “performative,” warning that it punishes a diverse, progressive city and damages local community cohesion.
• Next Steps: The vote does not immediately sever ties; a newly created cross-party working group will consult with Haifa’s municipality, conduct an equality impact assessment, and present final recommendations to the full council in January 2027.

Hackney (East London Times) July 30, 2026 – The local council of the inner London borough of Hackney has voted to initiate the formal termination of its nearly six-decade-long twin-city agreement with Haifa, Israel. Passed during a full council meeting following an intense 30-minute debate, the motion directs municipal officials to begin a multi-step administrative procedure to end civic links established in 1968. While proponents from the governing Green Party argued that ending institutional relationships with Israeli municipalities is a moral imperative in light of international legal findings and ongoing military action in Gaza, opposition members from Labour and the Conservatives cautioned that severing ties with Haifa—widely recognized as a bastion of Arab-Jewish coexistence—destroys vital bridges and risks exacerbating local intercommunal tensions within one of Britain’s most diverse boroughs.

What Led to the Hackney Council Vote on Severing Ties With Haifa?

The drive to end the twinning arrangement stems directly from the political realignment that occurred during London’s local elections in May 2026. The Green Party secured a major governing majority by winning 42 of the borough’s 57 seats, ending more than two decades of Labour control. Prior Labour administrations had repeatedly rejected petitions from activists, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), to break civic ties with Israel. However, the Green Party had explicitly included de-twinning from Haifa in its election manifesto.

As reported by Alex Carson of The Jerusalem Post, Green Party Mayor Zoë Garbett defended the proposal as a fulfillment of explicit commitments made to the electorate regarding ethical international relationships. Addressing the council chamber, Mayor Garbett framed the measure within broader council efforts to address global human rights issues.

As reported by Daniel Sugarman of Jewish News, Mayor Zoë Garbett stated:

“Given the ongoing humanitarian crisis and a UN commission concluding Israel has committed genocide, we have made progress with divesting our pension funds by launching a review of the Hackney Pension Fund’s investment strategy. And today, in this meeting, we are reviewing our international links, including a proposal to end our twinning agreement with the military port city of Haifa in Israel. This is about who we are as a council, what we condone, who we work with, and what that says about who we are.”

Proponents of the motion further cited rulings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding military operations and occupations in Palestinian territories, asserting that municipal partnerships must reflect international legal standards.

What Was Said During the Heated Debate at Hackney Town Hall?

The 30-minute debate inside Hackney Town Hall reflected deep philosophical and political divisions over municipal foreign policy and civic diplomacy.

As reported by Kelly Hartog of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), Conservative Councillor Simche Steinberger (Springfield ward)—the lone kippah-wearing member in a chamber filled with spectators wearing keffiyehs—strongly criticized the administration for failing to consult local Jewish representatives prior to bringing the motion.

As reported by the Hackney Citizen, Councillor Simche Steinberger stated:

“It’s probably the only twinning which actually does something,”

referring to historical medical exchanges between Haifa’s Rambam Medical Centre and Hackney’s Homerton University Hospital. Steinberger characterized the decision to initiate de-twinning prior to completing a formal review as “naivety more than anything else,” adding:

“It’s like building a house and first putting a roof and then putting the bricks. If I was Haifa, I’d be ashamed to twin with Hackney in such a current situation. It’s a disgrace, and it’s not asked for.”

The Labour opposition benches similarly challenged the logic of the Green-led motion while maintaining their opposition to the conflict in Gaza. As reported by Hackney Citizen, Labour Councillor Ben Lucas (Hoxton West ward) stated:

“We are unequivocal in our abhorrence of the devastation and violence in Gaza caused by the Israeli government, and we utterly condemn the Hamas terrorist attacks. You are punishing people for the actions of a government. This is a performative gesture that will only inflame community tensions. Let’s be bridge builders, not burners.”

As reported by Kelly Hartog of JTA, Councillor Lucas noted that Haifa’s municipal council includes socialists, Greens, and Arab representatives who actively advocate for peaceful coexistence and lasting political solutions.

Former Labour Deputy Mayor Anntoinette Bramble (London Fields ward) questioned the procedural integrity of the vote. As reported by Hackney Citizen, Councillor Anntoinette Bramble stated:

“How can a transparent review that is non-partisan, open and transparent, already come with a decision before the review has begun? You need to be honest about what you’re doing here. Twinning is about local communities having a civic partnership. It’s how we strengthen the communities. It’s how we build and come together.”

Defending the motion, Green Party councillors insisted that ending the institutional link was not directed at individual citizens or religious groups. As reported by Kelly Hartog of JTA, Green Councillor Flavia Massalha stated:

“De-twinning is not about opposing a people, a religion, or a culture. It’s about ensuring that our institutional relationships reflect those values.”

Massalha added that fellow Green Councillor Cathy Troupp, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, supported the measure, arguing that British Jewish communities should separate themselves from the actions of the Israeli government.

Outside the town hall building, several dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered during the session. As reported by Alex Carson of The Jerusalem Post, video footage circulated online showing a demonstrator throwing an egg at a journalist outside the venue during the demonstration.

How Have Major Jewish and Local Groups Reacted to the Decision?

The outcome of the vote drew swift condemnation from major national Jewish representative bodies and local community organizations.

As reported by Alex Carson of The Jerusalem Post and Daniel Sugarman of Jewish News, Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, issued a sharp statement immediately following the vote:

“Tonight, the Hackney Green Party showed its ignorance and bigotry. Haifa is a diverse city, widely seen as a model of ethnic and religious coexistence. The city is led by a progressive mayor and its council includes representatives from Green, Arab, and Communist parties. 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.”

For the past three decades, management of the civic link had been maintained by a local voluntary group, the Hackney Anglo Israeli Friendship Association (HAIFA), which organized professional and cultural exchanges independently with minimal expenditure of municipal funds. Representatives of the association expressed dismay, pointing out that Haifa’s population is roughly 15 to 20 percent Arab, with shared public institutions and medical centers that serve all residents equally.

Demographically, Hackney holds one of the UK’s most significant concentrations of both Jewish and Muslim residents. According to the 2021 UK Census, the borough’s population is 6.7 percent Jewish—including a substantial Orthodox community in areas like Stamford Hill—and 13.3 percent Muslim. Community leaders have expressed concern that international political disputes brought into local council chambers risk deepening local sectarian divides.

What Is the Background of the 58-Year Twinning Agreement Between Hackney and Haifa?

The formal twinning declaration between the London Borough of Hackney and the Israeli port city of Haifa was officially signed in September 1968 by the then-Mayor of Hackney, Stanley Clinton Davis, and his Haifa counterpart, Mayor Abba Hushi. The agreement was established under the banner of international working-class solidarity, aiming to build cross-border ties between multi-ethnic urban centers following the Second World War.

Over the decades, the relationship evolved from general civic exchanges into target-driven professional collaboration. The most active component of the partnership was established between Homerton University Hospital in Hackney and Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. Doctors, clinical specialists, and nursing personnel regularly participated in reciprocal visits to exchange medical expertise and trauma management practices. Council agenda documents show that the last formal civic delegation took place in October 2019, when Hackney hosted a reception for visiting Rambam nursing staff.

Hackney maintains four other international twinning relationships: Göttingen (Germany), Luxembourg City (Luxembourg), Presov (Slovakia), and Bridgetown (Barbados). Council reports acknowledge that links with Göttingen and Barbados have been dormant for over 25 years. However, the motion passed on Tuesday specifically prioritized reviewing and initiating termination proceedings for the Haifa agreement.

What Is Predicted for the Local Community and Future Civic Twinning?

The decision by Hackney Council marks a significant shift in how UK local authorities engage in international civic diplomacy, signaling a move toward aligning municipal partnerships directly with foreign policy stances.

Impact on Local Hackney Residents and Community Cohesion In the immediate term, the decision is expected to heighten political and social tension within Hackney. The borough’s large Jewish community, particularly in the northern wards, may feel increasingly alienated from the municipal leadership, viewing the targeting of Haifa—Israel’s primary example of multi-faith integration—as a selective and punitive measure. Conversely, pro-Palestinian advocacy groups and residents who voted for the Green Party on a Gaza-centric platform will view the step as a tangible political victory. This divergence threatens to strain interfaith relations and complicate local cohesion initiatives managed by the council.

Administrative Procedure and Future Outcome The vote does not result in an immediate severance of ties. As outlined by Councillor Sam Mathys, chair of the newly established cross-party twinning working group, the council will now execute a formal review process:

1. Mayor Zoë Garbett will send formal correspondence to Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav to request the municipality’s official position.
2. The working group will conduct an Equality Impact Assessment to measure the local impact of de-twinning on protected demographic groups within Hackney.
3. Public consultations will be held with local stakeholder groups, including HAIFA and medical professionals.

The working group is scheduled to present its findings and final recommendations to the Full Council in January 2027. Given the Green Party’s commanding 42-seat majority, the council is widely expected to formally ratify the complete termination of the twinning agreement at that time, establishing a precedent that other left-leaning local councils in the UK may seek to replicate.