Labour-run London council accused of sectarianism after twinning with Palestinian city

The decision was taken by council leader, Labour's Muhammad Butt, who said it "was not taken lightly."

However, Jewish groups in north London accused the council of sectarianism, warning it could undermine community cohesion.

Co-chairman of the London Jewish Forum Amanda Bowman told The Telegraph: "The meeting was more than disappointing.

"While Brent Council has asked the Brent-Nablus Association to continue consulting, it has chosen not to pause implementation or reconsider its position.

"That is not meaningful engagement, it’s a box-ticking exercise. Jewish residents deserve better than symbolic gestures that ignore their concerns. We remain open to dialogue but real trust is built through action, not afterthought."

President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews Phil Rosenberg said the move would do "nothing" for peace in the region and warned Brent council to "step back from sectarianism."

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Councillor Butt, who represents the Tokyngton ward, had sent an email to residents reassuring them the decision to twin Brent with Nablus "was not taken lightly".

He told residents that the council would "acknowledge the pain and trauma that continue to affect Jewish communities both here in Brent and around the world following the horrific terrorist attacks committed by Hamas on October 7".

Butt also said the decision "reflects Brent’s humanitarian values and a desire to connect with ordinary people."

However, a petition advising against the move picked more than 2,300 signatures, stating the "proposal will undermine this objective as it appears sectarian in its nature."

The petition also highlights that boosting tourism between Brent and Nablus is one of the aims of the twinning initiative, despite the fact the current Foreign Office advice is against all but essential travel to the West Bank.

A Brent Council spokesman said: "We want to thank representatives of Brent’s Jewish community for meeting the leader of the council to share their concerns respectfully.

"We deeply value the long and storied contribution of our Jewish residents to civic life in Brent, and we remain committed to fostering good relations between all of Brent’s diverse communities.

"The twinning with Nablus is about promoting peace, cultural exchange and mutual understanding. It does not endorse any ideological belief and builds on a tradition of towns and cities forming international civic links to foster understanding and build bridges.

"We acknowledge the anxieties raised and the council will continue to listen and engage as the proposals are developed.

"We have asked the Brent-Nablus Twinning Association to ensure that their activities reflect Brent’s values and, as set out in our international partnering protocol, any twinning can be reviewed if it falls short of our expectations. Brent remains proud of its record as a place where communities live and thrive together in peace."

Nablus is a key cultural centre of the West Bank, featuring Palestine's biggest centres of higher education, the An-Najah National University,

On Tuesday, the Israeli army launched a raid on the city, killing two Palestinians according to the Palestinian ministry of health.

The Israeli army responded, saying it was undertaking a counterterrorism operation.