Amnesty International on Wednesday called on Israel to administer doses of coronavirus vaccines to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, saying it was incumbent on the Jewish state to do so under international law.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank, which is home to some 2.8 million Palestinians, has not publicly called on Israel’s assistance in getting vaccinated.
A Gaza health worker tests a baby for coronavirus
It is very likely that Hamas Islamists, who control the Gaza strip, where about two million Palestinians live, will coordinate publicly with Israel in any vaccination effort.
But Britain-based rights group Amnesty said Israel must “stop evading its international obligations such as possession power and act immediately to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are administered. passed fairly and equitably to Palestinians living under his occupation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip “.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health said Monday that it planned to receive its first vaccine doses next month through the United Nations-backed Covax program for low- and middle-income countries.
Palestinian police enforce coronavirus travel restrictions in Hebron
(Photo: EPA)
Israel began protecting its citizens on Dec. 19, starting with medical workers and people over 60, and to date has infected more than a million people.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last Saturday that he hoped that within a month, 2.25 million Israelis – a quarter of the population of nine million – would have received the two pictures of the Pfizer-BioNTech injection needed for get the best effect.
A health care worker talks to an Israeli Arab woman before giving her the COVID-19 vaccine
(Photo: AFP)
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health had confirmed more than 458,000 cases of the virus since the outbreak began, with nearly 3,500 deaths.
The Palestinian health ministry has confirmed that there are more than 100,000 cases in the West Bank, including 1,100 deaths.
In Gaza, there were 43,134 cases, with 404 deaths.
The PA has said they have contacted potential vaccine providers, but his health ministry said it would be difficult for them to store the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the necessary sub-zero conditions.