London council defends Palestinian twinning deal as it is accused of 'marginalising Jewish community'

A London council has defended its decision to twin with an occupied city in the West Bank despite claims the move has ‘marginalised the Jewish community’.

Brent Council has received major backlash over its partnership with the Palestinian city of Nablus, which was approved at a council meeting in May last year.

While council leaders previously described the move as an expression of humanitarian solidarity, promoting “cultural, social, economic and educational exchanges,” concerns were raised about possible links to extremist groups and individuals who celebrated the October 7 attacks on Israel and the Jewish people.

Residents also argued “tourism is not realistically possible,” particularly for members of the Jewish, Christian, and LGBTQ communities, who are “unlikely to be made welcome” in the city.

Bob Blackman, the Conservative MP whose constituency covers parts of Brent, said that the council’s decision was “deeply ill judged”, The Times reported, as he calls for a review of the agreement and ties to be severed.

“Not only was it an absurd waste of taxpayers’ money and council time but affiliates our area with a city infamous for its links to Palestinian terrorism,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Jewish Leadership Council told the newspaper that the agreement came at a time of growing anxiety within Jewish communities following the October 7 attacks and the war in Gaza.

The spokesperson said there had been a “desperate fracturing of community cohesion alongside a sharp rise in anti-Jewish hatred” in the UK after the attacks.

The organisation added that choosing to twin with a Palestinian city, while the council insists it was not a political move, “cannot be divorced from the message it sends the Jewish community”.

But Brent Council has defended its decision, acknowledging the sensitive nature of the issue, which is why it describes the civic twinning as “strictly non-political”.

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A Brent council spokesman said: “Twinning arrangements are a long-established civic tradition, used by councils across the country to promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

There are more than 1,500 such partnerships in the UK, the vast majority focused on education, culture and community links.

“We are acutely aware that this is a sensitive issue in the current global context.

That is why the council has been clear from the outset that any civic twinning must be strictly non-political.

“The Community Interest Company facilitating the twinning operates independently of the council.

“However, its relationship with the council is governed by a robust memorandum of understanding, which sets clear legal, equality and safeguarding requirements; and gives the council powers to review and monitor the arrangements closely.”