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Fury as Green party Mayor requests Israeli reply to de-twinning motion ‘by 7 October’
Letter from Zoe Garbett to Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav after the Green controlled council voted to cancel a twinning agreement described as 'a sickening attempt to mock and torment Israelis in their grief'
The Mayor of Hackney has written to Haifa’s Mayor requesting a response on the borough’s intention to cancel its twinning with the Israeli city and specifically asking him to respond “by 7 October”, in a move which has been described as “appalling” and “sickening” by leading Jewish communal organisations.
In a letter sent today to Yona Yahav, the Mayor of Haifa, Zoe Garbett, the Green Party Mayor of Hackney, informed him “Hackney and Haifa have shared a civic bond since 1968; however, in my view the relationship no longer reflects the strategic priorities of the council.”
She went on to write that “As the directly elected Mayor, I wish to be transparent about my administration’s direction, as set out in my party’s manifesto: my administration is seeking to conclude this chapter of our civic history.
“Given the ongoing humanitarian crisis, and the gravity of the UN Commission of Inquiry Reports concluding Israel has committed genocide, maintaining a civic connection in Israel is at odds with our anti-racist values. The 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.”
She told Yahav that she was “writing to formally invite the views of your administration on the proposal to terminate the twinning agreement. I’d be grateful if you could send me any views on this matter by e-mail…by 7 October 2026.”
Responding to the letter, Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies, said: “Hackney’s Mayor has given the city of Haifa until October 7 – the anniversary of the Hamas massacre – to respond to their spiteful detwinning consultation.
“Whether this was deliberate or the product of staggering insensitivity, it is an appalling choice of date. That nobody involved in drafting or approving a letter about Israel recognised its significance speaks volumes about Hackney Greens’ attitude towards this issue and their local Jewish community.”
A spokesperson for the JLC said: “This is crass and shockingly insensitive. In choosing this date of all days as a deadline, the Mayor of Hackney has taken her politics of division a step further in a sickening attempt to mock and torment Israelis in their grief, and bringing insult to the memory of those murdered and kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October.”
The Green Party won overwhelming control of the borough of Hackney in May’s local elections, with 40 seats. As a result, the detwinning motion brought forward by the party passed on Tuesday night.
Florence Schechter, a Jewish Green Party councillor, informed those present that “If the Jewish people of Britain want to fight rising antisemitism, the first thing they must do is condemn the genocide in Palestine.”
By contrast, Conservative councillor Simcha Steinberger told the council chamber that “To be honest, if I was Haifa, I’d be ashamed to twin with Hackney in such a current situation. It’s a disgrace.”
Zoe Garbett’s office has been contacted for comment.
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