London Hackney votes to begin ending 58-year twinning link with Israel’s Haifa

London borough of Hackney has voted to begin the process of ending its 58-year twinning agreement with the Israeli city of Haifa.

Councillors approved the proposal by a majority show of hands during a full council meeting. Hackney established the relationship with Haifa in September 1968, although council documents indicate that the link has remained inactive since 2019.

The decision fulfils a manifesto commitment made by the Green Party, which secured 42 of Hackney’s 57 council seats in the May local elections.

Under the approved proposals, the council agreed in principle to terminate the relationship but will not make a final decision until it completes public engagement and an equalities impact assessment. Mayor of Hackney Zoë Garbett will also write to the mayor of Haifa outlining the council’s concerns and inviting a response.

Read: UK’s Bristol council votes for divesting from companies linked to Israel war crimes

A six-member, cross-party working group will review all of Hackney’s international twinning arrangements and examine whether future civic partnerships comply with ethical standards. The group is expected to present its recommendations to the council in January 2027.

Green councillor Sam Mathys told the meeting that Hackney’s institutional relationships should remain consistent with its stated commitment to “human rights, international law, justice and solidarity”.

Mathys, told the chamber the International Court of Justice had “found it plausible that Israel’s acts could amount to genocide” and that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory was unlawful and should be ended.

Garbett argued that maintaining a formal relationship with Haifa, which she described as a “military port city”, was incompatible with Hackney’s anti-racist values amid Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza. She also cited findings by a UN Commission of Inquiry which concluded that Israeli authorities have committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

In January 2024, the ICJ found that Palestinians in Gaza had plausible rights to protection under the Genocide Convention and ordered Israel to implement provisional measures. In a separate July 2024 advisory opinion, the ICJ found Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory unlawful and said it should end as rapidly as possible.

Conservative councillor Simche Steinberger opposed the motion. Local news reported Steinberger describing the decision as “naive” and arguing that Haifa has a left-leaning council, Green representatives and a history of medical exchanges with Hackney. Labour councillor Ben Lucas also criticised the proposal as “performative”, claiming the council should act as “bridge builders, not bridge burners”.

Critics of the decision have repeatedly portrayed Haifa as a progressive city and a model of coexistence between Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Human rights campaigner Gary Spedding challenged that characterisation in a post published on X⁠, drawing attention to the discrimination, political repression and structural inequality experienced by Palestinians in the city.

Okay, let’s debunk this hasbara from @OurFightUk:

Claiming that Haifa is a shining model of seamless Arab-Jewish integration—where restaurants “jostle,” religions are equally represented, and universities are fully multicultural—whitewashes a reality of structural inequality,… https://t.co/HL9PAcIXUB

— Gary Spedding (@GarySpedding) July 29, 2026

“Claiming that Haifa is a shining model of seamless Arab-Jewish integration—where restaurants “jostle,” religions are equally represented, and universities are fully multicultural—whitewashes a reality of structural inequality, second-class citizenship, and recurring racism directed at Palestinian citizens of Israel”, said Speeding.

Independent reporting has also questioned Haifa’s carefully cultivated image. In 2025, +972 Magazine documented restrictions imposed on anti-war demonstrations and reported that Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav declared that people accusing Israel of committing war crimes or genocide were “not welcome in Haifa”. Palestinian residents and activists told the publication that the city’s celebrated coexistence often depends on remaining silent about Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.

Supporting the motion, Green councillor Manal Massalha stressed that ending the relationship was “not about opposing a people, religion or culture”, but ensuring that Hackney’s institutional partnerships reflected its values.

Jewish Green councillor Florence Schechter also backed the proposal, saying that her Jewish values informed her decision. She condemned the killing of civilians and warned that the actions of the Israeli state should not be treated as representative of Jewish people collectively.

“Justice for Palestine is justice for all,” Massalha told the council.