Key Points
- Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, is reacting to attempts by Hackney Council, a Green-party controlled authority, to end their twinning agreement by inviting Hackney’s mayor Zoë Garbett to visit Israel.
- According to a letter published by The Times, Yona Yahav has said in The Times, as quoted by the journalist Daniel Sugarman of The Jewish News that “the world does not need more cities severing ties with one another. It needs more cities that choose, every day, to bring people together.”
- Hackney Council, which is under Green party control after elections held in May, decided to sever its 58-year-long civic twinning agreement with Israel owing to alignment issues with the council’s anti-racist values, and in reference to the UN Commission of Inquiry’s findings about Gaza.
- While writing the first letter to Yona Yahav, Hackney Mayor Zoë Garbett set an official deadline of October 7 for an answer, which has been seen as an outrageous decision because of its coincidence with the anniversary of Hamas terror attacks.
- Following immense public outcry, Zoë Garbett wrote a second letter apologizing for the chosen date, saying that it is a “deeply regretful oversight” and “a serious mistake,” while setting the deadline to October 14.
London (Extra London News) August 6, 2026 – The international fallout surrounding local municipal politics intensified this week as the Mayor of Haifa pushed back fiercely against a decision by the London Borough of Hackney to dissolve a decades-old civic partnership. Moving forward from a contentious council vote and a subsequent scheduling blunder that triggered national outrage, the leadership clash has put urban diplomacy and Middle Eastern geopolitics directly under the microscope.
Why Did Hackney Council Decide to Sever Ties With Haifa?
The diplomatic rift began when Hackney Council, which shifted under Green Party control following local elections in May, voted to advance a motion terminating its nearly six–decade-old twinning agreement with the Israeli city. Established in 1968, the historic partnership primarily involved community exchanges, notably linking hospital staff.
However, following the full council vote, Hackney’s elected Mayor, Green Party politician Zoë Garbett, formally notified Haifa’s leadership. As detailed in local reports, Zoë Garbett wrote that “maintaining a civic connection in Israel is at odds with our anti-racist values”. Furthermore, as noted by the Hackney Citizen, Zoë Garbett’s initial notice asserted that the relationship “no longer reflects the strategic priorities of the council,” while explicitly citing the UN Commission of Inquiry’s conclusions regarding allegations of genocide in Gaza.
The council’s resolution immediately polarized local stakeholders. While proponents of the motion praised the move as a stand for human rights, it faced steep opposition from Labour councillors, the council’s former Green deputy leader, and British Jewish communal organizations. Protests outside Hackney Town Hall turned volatile, with campaigners reporting incidents of abuse.
How Did the Initial Consultation Deadline Trigger National Outrage?
Adding fuel to an already volatile fire, Zoë Garbett’s initial notification letter to Haifa requested a formal response from Yona Yahav by October 7. Because October 7 marks the tragic anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attacks on southern Israel, the choice of date drew instantaneous condemnation from across the political spectrum and Jewish community groups.
As reported by the Hackney Citizen, Martin Sugarman, chair of the Hackney Anglo-Israeli Friendship Association, slammed the choice, telling the Daily Mail that if the date was chosen deliberately it was “vile and sinister,” adding that if it were an administrative error, it demonstrated staggering oversight. Critics across national media outlets branded the move an insult designed to mock Israeli grief.
Recognizing the severe backlash, Zoë Garbett scrambled to contain the crisis. Less than 24 hours after sending the first notice, she dispatched a follow-up letter to Yona Yahav. As obtained and reported by the Hackney Citizen, Zoë Garbett stated: “I am aware that the 7th October marks the anniversary of the horrific Hamas terrorist attacks, a day that carries profound grief and distress for many. As Mayor, I take full responsibility for the correspondence issued under my name. Overlooking the significance of this date was insensitive and a serious mistake, and for this, I offer my sincere apologies”.
Zoë Garbett explained that council administrative staff had extended the standard consultation period to ten weeks to deliberately avoid closing during the Jewish holidays in September, but admitted they failed to properly calculate the calendar significance of the 7th. Consequently, the response deadline was officially extended to October 14.
What Was Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav’s Response to the Controversy?
Responding publicly to the unfolding developments, Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav took to the pages of The Times to deliver a sharp rebuke of the de-twinning initiative. Writing in an op-ed covered extensively by Daniel Sugarman of The Jewish News, Yona Yahav—who previously served as a Member of the Knesset for the Labor party in the 1990s—argued that municipal leaders should focus on connection rather than isolation.
As reported by Daniel Sugarman of The Jewish News, Yona Yahav stated that “the world does not need more cities severing ties with one another. It needs more cities that choose, every day, to bring people together”.
Addressing the political narratives driving the council’s motion, Yona Yahav noted that democratic systems naturally accommodate criticism of government policies. However, as highlighted by Daniel Sugarman of The Jewish News, Yona Yahav stressed: “But when a city that has devoted decades to building a shared society is portrayed as a symbol of racism or intolerance, it is the truth that suffers. Cities should be bridges, not walls. Haifa proves every day that bridges are stronger”.
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How Does Haifa Exemplify a Shared Society?
To counter assertions that civic links to Haifa contradict anti-racist principles, Yona Yahav highlighted Haifa’s unique demographic and cultural reality as one of Israel’s most prominent multicultural hubs.
As detailed by Daniel Sugarman of The Jewish News, Yona Yahav described how “for more than a century, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and Baháʼís have lived alongside one another here, not as an abstract ideal but as a way of life”. Elaborating on daily coexistence within the municipality, Yona Yahav wrote: “They study in the same schools and universities. They care for one another in our hospitals, work side by side, establish businesses together, meet in the same cafés and restaurants, and co-operate in local government and community life. This is the everyday reality of my city”.
Contrasting local governance with international posturing, Yona Yahav maintained that a mayor’s primary duty is domestic welfare rather than global grandstanding. As noted by The Jewish News, Yona Yahav stated: “The role of a mayor is not to conduct global politics. My responsibility is to ensure that every child in my city, whatever their religion or community, can study in safety; that every family receives the services they deserve; and that every person feels they belong”.
Will Hackney’s Mayor Accept the Invitation to Visit Israel?
As a direct challenge to the political motivations behind Hackney’s motion, Yona Yahav issued an open invitation to the local London leadership. Urging residents and officials to look past superficial digital narratives, Yona Yahav directly addressed the British public.
As documented by Daniel Sugarman of The Jewish News, Yona Yahav stated: “My message to the British public, and particularly to the residents of Hackney, is therefore a simple one. Do not judge Haifa through headlines, slogans or political resolutions. Come and visit us. Meet our residents. Walk through our neighbourhoods, hospitals, universities, markets and holy places. Speak to those of all faiths who share this city and call it home”.
Concluding his commentary with a direct appeal to the borough’s leadership, Yona Yahav formally invited Zoë Garbett to witness the municipality’s social fabric firsthand. As quoted by The Jewish News, Yona Yahav stated: “I believe that one visit to Haifa can teach more than a thousand arguments. And so I invite Zoë Garbett, the newly elected mayor of Hackney, to visit Haifa and to look for herself, and not through screens and social media posts. This is not a utopia. This is Haifa”.
As the extended consultation window progresses toward its revised October 14 deadline, the final fate of the 58-year-old twinning pact remains in the hands of Hackney councillors, even as municipal leaders and community advocates continue to debate the broader implications of cutting international ties.
