Hackney Council mayor Zoe Garbett wrote to Haifa mayor Yona Yahav with a deadline of October 7 to respond to the ending of the twinning arrangement, sparking criticism. The council later apologised and changed the deadline to October 5.
Deadline Sparks Criticism
The letter was sent on the fourth anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people. Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, accused the Greens of showing their “ignorance and bigotry”.
“Haifa is a diverse city, widely seen as a model of ethnic and religious coexistence,” he said. “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.”
Council Apologises
Zoë Garbett, Mayor of Hackney, said: “This 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. Given the ongoing humanitarian crisis, and the gravity of the UN Commission of Inquiry Reports concluding Israel has committed genocide, maintaining a civic connection with what is widely recognised is a military port city is fundamentally at odds with our anti-racist values.”
Twinning Background
A council report noted that the Hackney-Haifa “sister cities” partnership had been largely limited to hospital exchanges between Homerton Hospital and Rambam Medical Centre, stretching back about three decades. However this arrangement had been paused in recent years following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Councillor Sam Mathys, cabinet lead for culture, added: “Reviewing the council’s twinning links is a commitment of this administration. I’m therefore very proud to lead this work and start this process. Civic partnerships should be about shared values, fostering peace, striving for justice and equality. We will review our twinning relationships through this lens and bring recommendations back for consideration at a future Council meeting.”
