The Palestinian Authority said on Sunday that it expects to receive its first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in March under contract with drug dealer AstraZeneca, and accused Israel of shrugging off duty to ensure vaccines are available. available in the area.
While Israel has already become the world leader in per capita vaccinations, Palestinians on the West Bank and Gaza Strip have yet to secure their first products.
A health care worker talks to an Israeli Arab woman before giving her the Covid-19 vaccine
(Photo: AFP)
Yasser Bozyeh, Palestinian director general of public health, told Reuters that in addition to reaching an agreement in principle with AstraZeneca, the Palestinians had also sought supplies from Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and Russia, which has been develop the Sputnik V vaccine.
Provisions would also come through the World Health Organisation’s vaccination program for low- and middle-income countries.
AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to an email request from Reuters for comment.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Israel had “evaded its duties as a power of possession and discriminated against racial discrimination against the Palestinian people, depriving them of their right to health care. “
“The study by the Palestinian leadership to get the vaccines from different places does not free Israel from its obligations to the Palestinian people in administering the vaccines,” he said.
A Palestinian man with his children in a protective face mask is riding a motorcycle with police officers amid a pandemic of coronavirus, in the northern Gaza Strip
(Photo: Reuters)
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.
Human rights groups including Amnesty International say Israel has a legal obligation to provide vaccines to serving Palestinians. Israeli officials say they could share vaccines with the Palestinians once Israel’s own needs are met.
A WHO official said on Sunday that the group had held “informal talks” with Israel about distributing some supplies to the Palestinians to protect health workers.
The official, Gerald Rockenschaub, head of the WHO office in Palestinian territories, said Israel has indicated it will explore the option.