A council has become the first in Britain to twin with Gaza in solidarity with Palestinians in the territory.

Hastings borough council, which is controlled by the Green Party, voted to twin with Al-Mawasi, a town in Gaza near Rafah in a move criticised by Jewish groups for its anti-Semitic tone.

At the meeting where the decision was made, several councillors drew comparisons between Israeli attacks on Gaza and the Holocaust. This was despite the official International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism saying that “drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is such an example.

Hastings council, which covers an area with high deprivation, adopted the IHRA definition in 2020, despite long-running opposition from some Labour councillors.

The resolution by the council means it will enter a partnership – including fundraising, political support and raising awareness of issues in Al-Mawasi. This is despite concerns raised by other councillors over whether Hamas has control of the area.