Israel handed 100 doses of coronavirus vaccines to the Palestinian Authority as a “humanitarian movement” a week and a half ago, the government informed the Supreme Court of Justice on Wednesday.
The government’s recognition came after a petition at the Supreme Court filed by the family of Hadar Goldin, a soldier the group is holding in Gaza by the Hamas terrorist group. Goldin’s family is trying to send a aid situation to Gaza – including coronavirus vaccines – when his son’s body returned.
The state’s lawyer had previously told the Supreme Court in a reply signed by the National Security Council that there was no “Palestinian Authority” at all [coronavirus] vaccines. “Following reports that Israel had in fact sent doses of vaccine to the Palestinian Authority appearing in Israeli media, however, the state’s lawyer began to look into the matter.
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Even as Israel gave more than 20 percent of its population the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine over the past month, the Palestinian Authority has yet to see any primary vaccine reached. Officials in Ramallah have set several deadlines for the arrival of the vaccines, just to see them fall.
Catholic nuns and other worshipers, covered in a mask due to COVID-19 pandemic disease, will attend a Christmas morning mass at the Theological Church, the site of the believed birth Jesus Christ, in the Biblical city of Bethlehem in the West Bank on December 25, 2020. (HAZEM BADER / AFP)
In response to the reports, Palestinian officials denied receiving any doses from Israel, both in general statements by government institutions and by individual officials who reached The Times of Israel.
But according to the state lawyer, Palestinian Authority officials requested coronavirus vaccines from the Israeli Ministry of Health and from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Israeli military ties with the Palestinians, in early January.
“On 4 January, COGAT turned to the chief executive of the Ministry of Health to approve this request. The request was granted by the director general of the Ministry of Health, with the consent of the Minister of Health, as a humanitarian motion, ”the state told the High Court.
A spokeswoman for Health Minister Yuli Edelstein declined to comment, a spokeswoman for COGAT said.
The vaccines were released that same day, the state said. 100 vaccines are expected to continue by 25 January to give those vaccinated a second dose.
The Palestinian Authority has been called upon for far more inoculations – as many as 10,000 doses – to vaccinate frontline health care workers. According to the World Health Organization ambassador to the Palestinians, Gerald Rockenschaub, Israel did not grant such a request.
“The Israeli Ministry of Health indicated that they would investigate this option, but were not currently able to provide vaccines due to a shortage of vaccines in Israel,” Rockenschaub said Sunday.
In a statement included in the state’s attorney’s films, the National Security Council confirmed that they had no knowledge that the vaccines had been transferred to the Palestinian Authority when they first made their trial to the court. .
Goldin’s family lawyer Aviad Cohen called the name back and forth by the government “an attempt to throw sand in the eyes and in the eyes of the public.”
The government message says it all. It reinforces what was said in the petition: the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing, and the information about passing on goods, medicines and equipment… is hidden from view the public and even from those in the National Security Council, ”Cohen said in a statement.
A street coffee vendor will walk with closed shops amid COVID-19 pandemic, in the West Bank town of Hebron on December 11, 2020 (HAZEM BADER / AFP)
Israel’s rapid vaccination campaign has sparked a debate over whether it wants to vaccinate the Palestinians as well. Palestinians, who run their own health care system in areas they administer, have not yet publicly called on Israel for coronavirus vaccines.
Officials in the PA have split the dilemma, both saying that Ramallah is in charge of vaccinating his citizens and saying that Israel has obligations to the Palestinians under international law.
The issue of Israel’s legal obligation to the Palestinians in a pandemic is highly controversial and hotly debated by international legal experts. The 1995 Oslo II Box delegates responsibility for health care to the Palestinian Authority. But the same consensus also calls for both sides to cooperate in fighting epidemics.
Israeli Health Officials have previously said they would be willing to consider vaccinating Palestinians once all Israelis have received the coronavirus vaccine.
“The citizens of Israel will come first. Only after we have completed the vaccination of the country’s residents can we consider any further requests, including those from the PA, ”Deputy Health Minister Yoav Kisch told Channel 12 on Sunday.
The Palestinians have so far announced three vaccine sources they plan to use in the West Bank and Gaza. Over the weekend, health officials announced a 2 million dose contract with British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
And on Monday, PA Health Minister Mai al-Kaila approved the controversial Russian Sputnik V vaccine for use in the West Bank and Gaza. According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund, the Russian vaccines will arrive in the West Bank next month.