Hackney Council is to review its international twinning policy, with a resolution to potentially end its long-standing civic twinning agreement with Haifa, Israel. The decision, made at a Council meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, will see the 1968 agreement with Haifa formally reviewed, with the principle of termination agreed subject to further engagement and an equalities impact assessment.

The move comes amid the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in the region following the events of 7 October 2023, according to a report presented to the council. Public calls for termination have intensified following a September 2025 report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which made findings regarding breaches of international humanitarian law and the Genocide Convention. Residents have also raised concerns that Haifa functions as a primary state naval facility and serves as the global headquarters for defense manufacturers, including Elbit Systems.

The current administration has committed to ensuring international partnerships reflect Hackney's values. The Hackney Green Party 2026 Manifesto stated a commitment to partnering with municipalities engaged in peacebuilding, climate justice, and local democracy movements, particularly in the Global South. The report mentions that the new administration has committed to ensuring international twinning relationships reflect these values, though specific values in relation to the Haifa partnership are not explicitly detailed.

The civic twinning agreement between Hackney and Haifa was established in 1968, initiated by Stanley Clinton Davis (then Mayor of Hackney) and Abba Hushi (Haifa's Mayor at the time), following initial contact in 1962. Haifa was chosen because it had and continues to have symbolic religious and cultural importance for some of the borough's large Jewish population and was specifically chosen because of its harmonious multicultural, multi-faith populations and good records in community relations. From 1987, responsibility for activities was passed to the Hackney Anglo Israeli Friendship Association (HAIFA), with the relationship focusing on links between Homerton University Hospital and the Rambam Medical Centre (Haifa) for the last approximately 30 years. The last known civic event was a reception in October 2019.

The Council also agreed to establish a cross-party Twinning working group to oversee this review. Mayor Zoe Garbett has been authorised to formally contact the Mayor of Haifa to seek their views on the proposed termination.

The termination of the twinning agreement with Haifa is subject to a full equalities impact assessment. A final report will be presented to a later meeting of Full Council for decision in the 2026/27 civic year. This aligns with the current administration's manifesto commitment to ensure international partnerships reflect Hackney's values.

Hackney Council currently has the following twinning agreements: Suresnes, France (1962), Haifa, Israel (1968), Göttingen, Germany (1973), Barbados (1982), and St George's, Grenada (2003). The Göttingen and Barbados relationships are dormant. The report proposes a review of Hackney's twinning policy and other twinning relationships and that the Twinning working group will review and make recommendations on all five existing twinning relationships. See Public reports pack