Over 1,500 individuals have put their names to a petition urging Brent Council to “immediately halt” its proposal to twin with a city in Palestine. The instigator of the petition alleges that the decision “appears sectarian in its nature”, while the mastermind behind the twinning plan argues it is “based on misinformation and fear”.
In a May meeting, Brent Council gave the green light to plans for twinning the borough with Nablus, a city in Palestine. Ihtesham Afzal, chair of Brent’s Labour group and the driving force behind the campaign for the partnership, stated the decision “affirms the council’s commitment to solidarity and shared values”.
However, a leading Jewish organisation labelled the decision as a “divisive gesture”.
Following the agreement, a petition bearing 1,504 signatures has been lodged and will be presented to the council at a meeting next week. Ian Collier, the creator of the petition, has demanded an immediate stop to the plan citing “equity, diversity and inclusion”, the current challenges in travelling to the city, and its ties to Hamas – a group outlawed as a terrorist organisation by the UK Government.
The petition argues: “The proposal to twin has not given due regard to the effects of this decision to those residents with protected characteristics which include, along with the Muslim community, Jews, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Hindus and the LGBTQ community. Brent’s objectives should be to enhance community relations and cooperation, and this proposal will undermine this objective as it appears sectarian in its nature.”
Furthermore, the petition highlights: “In reality, tourism is not realistically possible for most people, including students of Brent, to Nablus. Jewish, Christian and LGBTQ communities are unlikely to be made welcome. This goes completely against the spirit of mutual co-operation and the rationale for twinning. In addition, Foreign Office advice is against all but essential travel to Nablus.”
The document raises concerns about ‘anxiety’ within communities, noting that Brent Council’s own equality analysis acknowledges the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas as “highly contentious and polarising”. The analysis indicates that the conflict could lead to increased hate crime in the UK and “may cause anxiety to some of Brent’s communities”, with various groups potentially being “emotionally impacted by the twinning, at the very least.”
The petitioners believe that the council “should prioritise its time and money on local issues.”
In response, Cllr Afzal has alleged that the petition is based on “misinformation and fear” and suggests it includes “demonstrably false claims” and “inflammatory language” that “undermines the principles of democratic engagement”.
Cllr Afzal told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the Muslim councillor’s names had been added to the petition “without consent” and it should be “thrown out on that basis alone”. He also claimed the suggestion that Nablus is controlled by Hamas is “not only wrong, it’s dangerous”.
Nablus, located in the West Bank, a territory occupied by Israel since 1967, remains outside of Hamas’s governance, which is confined to Gaza. Instead, Fatah, a party advocating for national recognition and a two-state solution, administers parts of the West Bank.
Cllr Afzal said that twinning with Nablus “isn’t about politics.” He described it as a “gesture of humanity, not hostility” and about “cultural and civic exchange” rather than party politics.
A spokesperson for the Jewish Leadership Council told the LDRS that, since the conflict started, there has been a “desperate fractioning” of community cohesion, which has been accompanied by a “steep rise in anti-Jewish hatred.”
He further stated: “We will not allow the politics of fear and division to derail a simple act of solidarity, international friendship and collaboration for mutual benefit. Twinning with cities like Nablus is a peaceful, symbolic gesture that promotes mutual understanding. Opponents are using fear and misinformation to polarise the issue and divide the community.”
The petition is set to be presented at Brent Council’s Full Council meeting on 7 July. Responding to concerns raised about the move, Brent Council Leader, Cllr Muhammed Butt said: “We understand that the decision to twin with Nablus has caused some concern, particularly in light of current affairs and the links between many Brent households and families in the Middle East..”
He further commented: “The twinning initiative is intended as a gesture aimed at fostering dialogue and mutual understanding, building bridges between communities, sharing experiences, and supporting grassroots collaboration. The process around this twinning, is not a closed story and we know that there is still more to be done.”