One of the individuals featured in the Nablus exhibition that has been accused of glorifying terrorists (Credit: Palestinian Media Watch)[Missing Credit]
Bob Blackman, the Conservative MP whose Harrow East constituency includes part of Brent, last month wrote to the leader of Brent Council, Labour councillor Mohammed Butt, to convey his Jewish constituents’ concern over the twinning arrangement, which he said should now be “urgently” investigated. The West Bank exhibition, he said, honours “notorious Palestinian terrorists”.
One of the individuals featured in the Nablus exhibition that has been accused of glorifying terrorists (Credit: Palestinian Media Watch)[Missing Credit]
In his response to Blackman, Butt acknowledged the exhibition “raises matters of serious concern” but said Brent does “not control Nablus… [and] is not responsible for its decisions”.
He wrote: “Let me be absolutely clear: antisemitism, the glorification of terrorism, and any celebration of violence against Jewish people, or any civilian population, are abhorrent and must be condemned without qualification.
“I recognise the distress and anxiety that recent violence in neighbouring Barnet will have caused within Jewish communities, including those that reside here in Brent. Jewish residents must feel safe, respected and fully included in the civic life of our borough, and there is no ambiguity in our position on that.
“It is important to clarify the nature of Brent’s twinning arrangement. The Council does not control Nablus Municipality, is not responsible for its decisions, and does not endorse every action, statement or event undertaken by that authority.
"A civic twinning arrangement is not, and must not be understood as, approval of conduct overseas which is contrary to Brent’s values or the principles of lawful civic partnership.
“Brent’s twinning with Nablus is a local civic initiative intended to support cultural exchange, learning and community engagement. It is not intended to import international conflict into Brent, and no public money has been allocated by Brent Council to fund the twinning arrangement.”
Butt added: “I do not accept that the twinning arrangement itself promotes antisemitism, endorses violence or expresses hostility towards Jewish people. However, I do agree that any civic link must remain consistent with the Council’s equality, cohesion and public interest responsibilities.”
He said the arrangement is under “ongoing review” and that the council “will seek assurances from those involved in the local twinning arrangements that any planned activity in Brent remains firmly within the principles of lawful civic engagement, cultural exchange and community cohesion”.
He concluded by saying the council will continue working with faith leaders and the police to ensure support is in place for all communities in Brent, and that he hopes his response on the matter has provided “clear reassurance that we will approach this matter with the seriousness, care and balance it requires”.
Pro-Palestinian activists at Brent Civic Centre after attending the council meeting on July 7[Missing Credit]
The controversial twinning arrangement with Nablus has drawn fierce opposition within the north-west London borough, with critics arguing it harms social cohesion.
Board of Deputies president Phil Rosenberg said last year the arrangement does “nothing for peace in the region but risks the good relations of diverse communities in Brent. We want to see our council focused on addressing our significant shared local challenges without embarking on misplaced initiatives relating to international affairs.”
Rabbi Baruch Levin, leader of the largest Jewish community in Brent, said at the time of the twinning that it was “controversial, damaging to community cohesion, divisive, destabilising, disruptive, inflammatory, and sectarian in nature”.
Nablus, he said, is “a hotbed of militancy, of hatred, of racism, of terrorism, and is the home of the notorious Lion’s Den terror group” and unsafe for most Brent residents to visit.
The British Government advises against all but essential travel to the city.
In response to the criticism at the initiative last year, a Brent Council spokesperson said: “This is not a box-ticking exercise for us, 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.”
