London Borough of Hackney Moves to End Sister City Ties with Haifa Over Political Concerns

The London Borough of Hackney, led by Green Party Mayor Zoe Garbett, has announced its intention to terminate the sister city agreement with Haifa, Israel. Garbett sent a letter on Wednesday to Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav stating that the borough council no longer feels the relationship aligns with its priorities, citing recent UN reports on alleged genocide and claiming that maintaining ties with Israel conflicts with Hackney's anti-racist values. The sister city agreement, established in 1968 shortly after the Six-Day War, has been in place for over five decades.

The decision has sparked significant controversy, particularly within the British Jewish community, which expressed outrage over the timing of the announcement. The council initially set the deadline for Haifa's response as October 7, a date coinciding with the anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, which was seen as insensitive and provocative. Following backlash, including criticism from the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Jewish organizations, Hackney Council apologized and moved the deadline to October 5, calling the original date a mistake.

Currently, about 100 local authorities in Israel maintain sister city relationships worldwide, with over 700 active partnerships spanning roughly 60 countries. Haifa is known as a mixed Jewish-Arab city and is often cited as a model of coexistence, with Arab and Green Party representatives serving on its city council. Israeli officials and community leaders are consulting with the Foreign Ministry on how to respond to Hackney's move, concerned that a weak or overly aggressive reply could escalate tensions and lead to further diplomatic ruptures.