Full Breakdown
Hackney Council Moves to End 56-Year Twinning with Israeli City Haifa
7/29/2026, 7:56:08 PM
Core Event
On July 28, 2026, Hackney Council voted by a show of hands to begin the formal process of terminating its twinning agreement with Haifa, Israel, first signed on July 26, 1968. The motion fulfilled a manifesto pledge of the Green Party, which controls 42 of the council’s 57 seats.
Background & Context
The 1968 partnership was created to encourage “friendly contacts and exchanges” and over the decades supported cultural programmes, trade links and medical cooperation—most notably between Homerton University Hospital and Haifa’s Rambam Medical Centre. Activity stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic and the council has described the agreement as “dormant” since 2019.
Since the October 2023 Gaza war, the Hackney Palestine Solidarity Campaign and other pro-Palestinian groups have petitioned for de-twinning, citing United Nations reports that accuse Israeli forces of breaches of international law and the presence of defence firms such as Elbit Systems in Haifa.
Data & Statistics
- Hackney’s 2021 census recorded 6.7 % of residents as Jewish; council documents note the figure may undercount children by up to 35 %.
- The borough maintains five twinning relationships; two (Göttingen and Barbados) have been inactive for 25 years, and the Haifa link has seen no civic event since a reception for Rambam nurses in October 2019.
Official Statements & Responses
Cabinet member for twinning Councillor Sam Mathys explained that the move follows the International Court of Justice’s finding that Israel’s actions could amount to genocide, and announced a cross-party working group to review all twinning links.
The council will ask Mayor Garbett to write to Haifa’s mayor for comment and will conduct an equalities impact assessment before a final vote.
Criticism & Opposition
Former councillor and Labour MP Luke Akehurst described the gesture as “performative and spiteful,” noting historic personal and family links many Jewish residents have with Haifa.
Conservative Councillor Simche Steinberger labeled the proposal “divisive,” warning it would shame Haifa, a city he says models Arab-Jewish coexistence.
Verbatim Quotes
- “In their manifesto, the Hackney Greens stated: “In Haifa, Palestinian people live under occupation and apartheid by the Israeli state; this is not a city that reflects Hackney’s values.” — the party
- “If Hackney Greens had any genuine interest in peace they would celebrate Haifa, not censure it.” — Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the current activity level of the twinning: Hackney Council calls the agreement “dormant” since the pandemic, while some councillors point to the 2019 reception as evidence of recent interaction.
The exact size of Hackney’s Jewish population is also contested; the council’s census figure (6.7 %) may understate the community, but no alternative count is provided.
What’s Next
Mayor Garbett will formally notify Haifa’s mayor of the intended termination.
A six-member cross-party working group, chaired by Councillor Mathys, will complete an equalities impact assessment and report back to full council on January 28, 2027.
The council’s final decision on formally ending the partnership will be taken at a future full-council meeting after the assessment and public consultation.
