The Palestinian Authority released its first known coronavirus vaccine Tuesday after receiving thousands of doses from Israel, which has absorbed more than a third of its population.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced the start of the campaign in a statement, saying that Health Minister Mai al-Kaila received the first dose along with several front-line medical workers. The statement did not acknowledge that Israel had provided the vaccines.
Vial of COVID-19 vaccine
(Photo: AP)
Israel, which launched its own vaccination campaign in December, began transferring 5,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine to Palestinians this week, with the first doses going to medical workers. Palestinians hope to gain tens of thousands more in the coming weeks through the World Health Organization program.
Even if these deliveries materialize, however, several months could provide enough vaccinations to bring the revolution under control in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which home to more than 4.5 million Palestinians. Israel is on track to have its full adult vaccine by the end of March.
The WHO has expressed concern about the inequality between Israel, which is leading one of the most successful vaccination campaigns in the world, and the Palestinian territories. Israel captured East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza from Jordan and Egypt in the Six Day War of 1967, land that Palestinians are seeking for a future state.
Palestinians watch live television broadcast of Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila announcing the launch of a COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the West Bank city of Hebron
(Photo: AFP)
Rights groups say Israel has a duty to be a resident power to vaccinate Palestinians. Israel denies such a duty and states that its own citizens are its priority. Israel is actively providing vaccines to the Arab and Palestinian citizens living on the east side of Jerusalem.
Israel has received millions of doses through agreements with drug manufacturers Moderna and Pfizer, and has delivered the first of two doses to more than 3 million people out of their population of more than 9 million. It remains locked up, however, as the virus spreads at a high rate.
Palestinians have not publicly requested vaccines from Israel and say they are getting their own supply through the WHO and contracts with pharmaceutical companies. The PA acknowledged receipt of 2,000 doses Monday – the first batch of vaccines sent in by Israel – but did not say where they came from.
Pack of COVID-19 vaccines Israel moved to Palestinians
Under the Oslo treaties signed in the 1990s, the PA is responsible for providing health care in the areas it administers. But the interim peace agreements say all sides should work together to fight pandemics.
The WHO said Monday that the PA would receive 37,440 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine from mid-February “subject to supply agreements with manufacturers.” They said the PA would receive another dose of 240,000 to 405,600 vaccines AstraZeneca from mid to late February subject to WHO emergency use permit.
The PA says it has also bought thousands of doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, which a new study shows is safe and effective.
The Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccines are provided through COVAX, a WHO program designed to help poor countries get vaccines.
Even if Palestinians receive the highest rate of such deliveries, they would only be able to vaccinate up to 5% of the population of the West Bank and Gaza.