London borough votes to end twinning with Haifa

The London borough of Hackney, led by the Green Party, has voted to begin the process of ending its twinning agreement with Haifa, Israel. This decision, the first step in a series of administrative actions, was justified by Hackney's Green Mayor, Zoë Garbett, who cited a disputed U.N. body's claim that Israel was guilty of “genocide” in Gaza. The move has drawn strong criticism from British Jewish organizations, with Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, stating that the Hackney Green Party “showed its ignorance and bigotry.” The twinning agreement primarily facilitated exchanges between Homerton University Hospital and Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. The mayor of Hackney will now formally contact her Haifa counterpart to discuss the proposed termination of the partnership.