Key Points
- Controversial Deadline Set: Green Party Mayor of Hackney Zoë Garbett sent a formal letter to Yona Yahav, the Mayor of Haifa, requesting his administration’s views on terminating their 58-year civic twinning agreement by 7 October.
- Anniversary Significance: The specified deadline of 7 October coincides with the anniversary of the 2023 Hamas terror attacks on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people.
- Council Vote Approves Step: The Green-led Hackney Council voted in a full council meeting to initiate the process of ending municipal ties with the Israeli port city.
- Widespread Backlash: Communal leadership, including Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, strongly condemned the administration, citing “ignorance and bigotry” and accusing the council of prioritizing “spite over sense”.
- Justification Given: Green Party representatives cited UN Commission of Inquiry reports and anti-racist values as reasons for ending the partnership, aligning with their municipal election manifesto pledges.
- Opposition Concerns: Labour and Conservative councillors criticised the decision as performative and divisive, highlighting that Haifa is a multi-ethnic, coexistent city with a progressive municipal leadership.
- Working Group Established: The full council agreed to establish a cross-party working group to conduct an Equalities Impact Assessment and consult stakeholders before a final decision in 2027.
Hackney (East London Times) July 30, 2026 – In a major diplomatic and local governance dispute, the Green Party Mayor of Hackney, Zoë Garbett, has faced severe criticism after inviting the Israeli city of Haifa to respond to a proposal to end their historic twinning arrangement, setting a deadline of 7 October. The chosen date marks the anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attacks on southern Israel, in which approximately 1,200 individuals were killed.
As reported by reporter Daniel Sugarman and additional newsroom correspondents for Jewish News, Mayor Garbett sent a formal letter to Yona Yahav, the Mayor of Haifa, detailing her administration’s intention to conclude the civic relationship that has existed between the two municipalities since 1968. Writing in the letter, Mayor Garbett noted that while the two areas have shared a civic bond for decades, the relationship “no longer reflects the strategic priorities of the council”.
As documented in the letter cited by Jewish News, Mayor Garbett stated:
“As the directly elected Mayor, I wish to be transparent about my administration’s direction, as set out in my party’s manifesto: my administration is seeking to conclude this chapter of our civic history”.
She further wrote:
“Given the ongoing humanitarian crisis, and the gravity of the UN Commission of Inquiry Reports concluding Israel has committed genocide, maintaining a civic connection in Israel is at odds with our anti-racist values. The Council stands up for human rights and wants to ensure our global connections reflect our shared core values. We want active, ethical partnerships that champion peace”.
Concluding her correspondence, Garbett explicitly wrote that she was “writing to formally invite the views of your administration on the proposal to terminate the twinning agreement,” adding:
“I’d be grateful if you could send me any views on this matter by e-mail… by 7 October 2026”.
How Did Community Leaders and Opposition Politicians Respond to the Announcement?
The choice of 7 October as a deadline and the decision to begin de-twinning sparked immediate and intense opposition from Jewish community representatives and political opposition groups in Hackney Council.
As reported by Jewish News and The Times of Israel, Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, issued a stern condemnation following the full council vote. Rosenberg stated:
“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”.
Rosenberg added:
“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 prioritisation of spite over sense”.
During the council debate, local representatives from other political parties challenged the motion. As reported by MyLondon reporter Josh Mellor and coverage by Jewish News, Conservative Councillor Simche Steinberger attacked the ruling Green administration for targeting what he described as the borough’s primary long-standing medical exchange link. Councillor Steinberger stated:
“To be quite frank, I think this is naivete more than anything else. The only winner in all of this is going to be Haifa. It’s a disgrace”.
He also criticised the administration’s engagement, asserting that the executive had failed to consult the council’s Jewish members prior to bringing the proposal forward.
From the Labour benches, councillors raised concerns regarding the nature of the motion. A Labour representative noted during the proceedings that the resident-led partnership with Haifa had been established in 1968 based on working-class solidarity and medical cooperation. The councillor stated:
“Far from showing solidarity, trashing that civic link signals that we abandon them, and it prevents dialogue and robust accountability with our friends… This is a performative gesture that will only inflame community tensions”.
What Arguments Were Raised in Support of the Motion During the Debate?
Proponents of the motion within the Green Party administration maintained that the measure fulfilled key promises made to local voters. As detailed by Jewish News, Green Councillor Sam Mathys proposed the motion to review international links, arguing that council ties must align with institutional principles.
Councillor Mathys stated:
“For decades, we have witnessed human rights abuses committed by the state of Israel against the Palestinian people, which has escalated to a horrifying and unprecedented scale over the past years… Our manifesto promised to end Hackney’s current twinning relationship with Haifa at its earliest convenience, which is what we are delivering today”.
Addressing the purpose of de-twinning, Mathys further remarked:
“Detwinning is not about supporting a people, a religion, or a culture. It’s about ensuring that our institutional relationship reflects those values. I look forward to the day when Palestinians can exercise their right to self-determination and live side by side with Israeli Jews, free from all forms of oppression, inequality, and indignity”.
As reported by The Times of Israel, another Green councillor addressed the chamber to frame the decision through personal values, asserting that the actions of the Israeli government should not be conflated with Jewish identity globally, and arguing that institutional ties with Israeli state entities ought to be formally re-examined.
Following the debate, the council approved a measure to establish a cross-party working group chaired by Councillor Mathys. The group will oversee a period of stakeholder consultation, evaluate feedback from Haifa municipal officials, and review an Equalities Impact Assessment before presenting a final recommendation to the Full Council, which is anticipated in January 2027.
Background of the Particular Development
The civic relationship between the London Borough of Hackney and the Israeli city of Haifa dates back to 1968, when a formal twinning agreement was enacted to foster cultural, educational, and medical exchanges between the two jurisdictions. Over subsequent decades, much of the operational management for the link was carried out by the community-led Hackney Anglo-Israeli Friendship Association (HAIFA), which coordinated civic initiatives and independent fundraising without requiring major town hall expenditure.
Haifa, located in northern Israel, is historically recognized as one of the country’s most demographically integrated major cities, maintaining significant Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Bahá’í populations. Its local government structure frequently features multi-party coalitions comprising left-wing, Arab, and environmental representatives.
The movement to sever civic links gathered momentum following local electoral shifts in Hackney, where the Green Party achieved significant gains after incorporating commitments regarding international human rights, ethical investment, and foreign relations into their local campaign platforms. Following the municipal election victory of Mayor Zoë Garbett, the council moved swiftly to review all international partnerships, placing the Haifa relationship at the forefront of its policy commitments.
Prediction: How This Development Can Affect the Particular Audience
The decision to initiate de-twinning proceedings and the inclusion of the 7 October deadline are poised to impact several distinct groups across the local and wider community:
- Local Jewish and Israeli Residents in Hackney: For the local Jewish population, the setting of a deadline that coincides with the anniversary of the 7 October attacks may exacerbate feelings of vulnerability and alienation from local government structures. The move risks heightening concerns regarding local anti-Semitism and diminishing confidence in the neutral delivery of council services.
- Civic and Cross-Cultural Organizations: Grassroots organizations such as the Hackney Anglo-Israeli Friendship Association and local medical exchange networks may see decades of established civic cooperation halted. The dissolution of formal institutional ties limits avenues for direct dialogue, educational exchange, and joint humanitarian initiatives.
- The Wider Hackney Community: The debate has exposed sharp political and community divisions within the borough. Continued focus on controversial international resolutions at the town hall level may draw resources and focus away from core municipal duties, potentially leading to prolonged polarization among diverse local demographics.
- International Civic Relations: For international municipal partners, this development establishes a precedent wherein municipal twinning agreements are directly tied to national-level geopolitical conflicts. This may cause other international cities to re-evaluate the stability and longevity of their formal civic links with UK local authorities.
