Green Hackney mayor slammed for giving Israeli city October 7 deadline to respond to twinning move

The Green leader of a London borough wrote to an Israeli city to discuss ending a twinning arrangement - with a deadline of October 7 to respond. She asked Yona Yahav, the mayor of the Israeli port city, to respond by October 7, which is the fourth anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people.President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Phil Rosenberg, 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. LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 17: Zoe Garbett attends the London Trans+ Pride's 2026 press launch at Friends of Joiners Arms on July 17, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images)Getty“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.”The council has now apologised and changed the deadline to October 5. 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.”Hundreds of people gather in Haifa to mark the 59th anniversary of the Naksa, commemorating the aftermath of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, on June 6, 2026 Anadolu via Getty ImagesCouncil report noted that the 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. Read More“We will review our twinning relationships through this lens and bring recommendations back for consideration at a future Council meeting.”