Hackney mayor seeks to end twinning with Israeli city Haifa

Hackney Council has moved to end its twinning relationship with the Israeli city of Haifa, setting a new deadline of 14 October for a response. Mayor Zoë Garbett wrote to Haifa’s mayor, Yona Yahav, last month to begin the process, though the council has not yet confirmed whether a formal decision has been made.

The original deadline of 7 October drew criticism from Jewish community leaders. Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, called the timing “ignorant and bigoted” in comments reported by the *Evening Standard*. He said Haifa was a model of coexistence, with a progressive mayor and a council including Green, Arab and Communist representatives.

Deadline extended after backlash

Garbett later apologised for the initial deadline, calling it a “deeply regretful oversight”. She extended the deadline to 14 October but maintained that the council’s stance was based on human rights concerns. In a statement, she said the ongoing humanitarian crisis and UN reports alleging genocide by Israel made the twinning incompatible with Hackney’s anti-racist values.

The twinning between Hackney and Haifa, established around 30 years ago, had been limited to exchanges between Homerton Hospital and Rambam Medical Centre. These were paused during the Covid-19 pandemic and have not resumed. A council report confirmed the partnership had been largely inactive in recent years.

Review of all twinning links

Councillor Sam Mathys, Hackney’s cabinet lead for culture, said the council is reviewing all its twinning relationships. He told the *Evening Standard* that civic partnerships should reflect shared values, including peace and equality. The review’s recommendations will be presented at a future council meeting, though no date has been set.

It is unclear whether other twinning relationships will be affected. Hackney Council has not disclosed which cities are under review or what criteria will be used to assess them.

What happens next

Haifa’s mayor has until 14 October to respond to Hackney’s request to end the twinning. If no agreement is reached, the council will need to take a formal vote to dissolve the relationship. The review of other twinning links will continue, with recommendations expected to be discussed in a public council meeting later this year.