London council set to cut Haifa ties over Israel's apartheid against Palestinians

What Happened

Hackney Council in London, controlled by the Green Party with 42 of 57 seats, is set to vote on Tuesday to end its 56-year twinning agreement with Haifa, Israel, established in 1968. The Green-led administration says the move honours an election pledge and reflects the council’s values, accusing Israel of occupation and apartheid against Palestinians in Haifa. Palestine solidarity groups, including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, had long pressed the previous Labour administration to sever ties, describing continued relations as normalising the 'racist domination' imposed on Palestinians and pointing to Haifa’s role as the global headquarters of Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest arms manufacturer. The campaign intensified after Israel launched its military operation in Gaza in October 2023, which campaigners call a genocide. Labour councillor Michael Desmond previously called de-twinning demands an 'appalling, abusive tirade,' while pro-Israel Labour MP Luke Akehurst, a former Hackney councillor, described the Green proposal as 'performative and spiteful gesture politics.'

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The vote represents a symbolic but notable local-government level reproach of Israel amid the Gaza war, potentially galvanising similar de-twinning or BDS-aligned actions in other UK and international municipalities. It also exposes domestic political cleavages in the UK over Israel-Palestine, with the Green Party aligning with Palestine solidarity activists and a prominent Labour figure openly defending Israeli policy.

Watch For

The vote is expected to pass given the Green supermajority. Monitor any official response from the Israeli government or Haifa municipality, as well as potential ripple effects among other UK councils with Israeli twin-city agreements. Counter-campaigns from Zionist groups and statements from Labour leadership could also shape the political fallout.