Hackney Council Votes to End Twinning With Haifa

The Hackney London Borough Council voted Tuesday to initiate the formal process of ending its twinning relationship with Haifa, Israel. The motion, driven by the Green Party after winning a majority in May local elections, is a protest against Israel's war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis in the enclave. Mayor Zoë Garbett justified the decision by citing a U.N. commission's conclusion that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, stating the partnership with the military port city does not reflect the council's values.

The twinning agreement, established in 1968, has been largely dormant since the COVID-19 pandemic, though it maintained medical exchanges between Homerton University Hospital and Rambam Medical Center. Opponents, including Labour and Conservative councilors, described the move as a performative gesture and argued that Haifa serves as a model for Jewish-Arab coexistence.

The vote does not immediately sever ties. The council will now write to Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav, conduct an equalities impact assessment, and form a cross-party working group before a final decision in January 2027. Following the vote, a Palestine Solidarity Campaign demonstration took place outside the meeting, during which a reporter was targeted with eggs.