Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Thursday called for an immediate halt in plans to send additional coronavirus vaccines to a group of friendly countries, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of working without too much eye or transparency.
In a letter to the prime minister, Gantz said the decision to share vaccinations was without “discussions in the relevant forums.” He also questioned Netanyahu’s claims that Israel has additional vaccines to provide.
“We are talking about an important diplomatic and security decision, and accordingly, it must be agreed in accordance with procedures established by law,” Gantz said.
Gantz called for the building of a national security cabinet.
There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office.
Gantz and Netanyahu are fierce rivals who were battling to stand in three elections after agreeing last year to form an emergency government. Their power-sharing settlement quickly emerged, and the country is making its fourth election in two years next month.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu announced that he had personally decided to send additional vaccines to a series of diplomatic allies.
It did not identify the countries, but a list received shows that several of them have supported Israel’s claim to the capital city of Jerusalem. Others have close ties to Israel.
The new policy has drawn renewed criticism of Israel’s willingness to share much of the vast stock of vaccines with the Palestinians.
Under the terms of Oslo Accords, however, the Palestinian Authority is responsible for the health care of its own population and has reiterated that it receives its own vaccines through the DA scheme as well as Russia and China.
“As the resident power, Israel is responsible for the health of all those under its control,” he tweeted to the US Sen. Bernie Sanders. “It is a disgrace that Netanyahu used additional vaccines to reward his foreign allies while so many Palestinians in the occupied areas are still waiting.”
They also showed how vaccination in a time of global scarcity had become an asset that could be used for diplomatic gain.