The motion was passed at the council meeting after being put forward by the Conservatives - all of whom bar two voted in favour.
asserted
bar → pass → favour
All Labour councillors abstained from the vote, while the single Green councillor opposed it.
Haifa is Israel’s third-largest city as well as its largest seaport.
asserted
Haifa → abstain → it
It lies within Israel's sovereign territory established in 1948, rather than the major Palestinian settlements in the occupied West Bank or Gaza Strip.
asserted
It → lie → Bank
Haifa is regarded as significant as a unique hub of Arab-Israeli coexistence.
asserted
Haifa → regard → coexistence
Unlike many segregated regions, Haifa is celebrated for being a city where Jewish Israelis and Arabs who identify as Palestinian can live, work, and study side-by-side.
asserted
who → celebrate → side
This complex identity has made the city a beacon of interest internationally.
asserted
city → make → interest
Campaigners behind Hackney's "de-twinning" motion argued that maintaining links with a major Israeli military port was “incompatible” with its values during the current Gaza conflict
Town twinning is a social agreement between two cities in an effort to build a working relationship and commercial links.
asserted
twinning → twin → relationship
Often twin towns might engage in school exchanges, shared events, or community visits.
uncertain
towns → engage → exchanges
They might also look to encourage local trade and business networking.
uncertain
They → look → trade
Haifa had been twinned with the north London borough of Hackney for more than 50 years - though the relationship had been dormant since 2019.
asserted
relationship → twin → 2019
Read More
Ms Garbett later apologised for her “deeply regretful oversight” and changed the deadline to October 14.
asserted
Garbett → read → October
The mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, condemned Hackney Council’s decision to sever ties earlier this month, explaining that “Hackney’s decision regarding this historic relationship is its own.
asserted
decision → condemn → relationship
Haifa’s values, and our commitment to living by them, will remain unchanged.”
asserted
values → live → them
Barnet is one of London’s big hitters for twinning links, with existing partnerships with Chaville in France, Pokhara in Nepal, Siegen-Wittgenstein in Germany, and Montclair in the USA.
asserted
Barnet → exist → USA
The borough also has an existing relationship with the Israeli city of Ramat Gan.
asserted
borough → have → Gan
Conservative councillor Raffy Lachter told the Jewish Chronicle: “My vision is to officially twin Barnet with the city of Haifa,” he said.
asserted
he → tell → Haifa
“But what I’m most excited for is what the ties can achieve, like meaningful cooperation in healthcare, education, and research.”
asserted
ties → ’m → healthcare
“There are two universities in Haifa, and we have the University of Middlesex in Barnet.
asserted
we → be → Barnet
We have Barnet General Hospital, and they’ve got Rambam Hospital.
asserted
they → have → Hospital
In the past, medical professionals from Homerton Hospital in Hackney had travelled to Israel to compare medical skills and techniques.
asserted
professionals → travel → skills
Mr Lachter explained that he wanted that relationship to be replicated with Barnet General.
asserted
relationship → explain → General
He added: “Haifa is the most diverse city in Israel.
asserted
Haifa → add → Israel
It’s a multicultural city.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
It’s a city where Arabs and Jews rub along and work together, so we thought it was appropriate.”
asserted
it → ’ → ?
“Anyone who knows Israel and knows the city will understand that, and many of the residents in Barnet would also understand that.”
asserted
many → know → that
The Standard has contacted Barnet Council for comment.
asserted
Standard → contact → comment
The Aporia
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