Israel Responds To World Pressure, Promises Five Thousand Doses Of Vaccine For Palestinians

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu orders his son Avner the jacket before receiving the vaccine (Amir Cohen / Antara, Reuters)

JAKARTA - Israel responds to the world's pressure to meet the vaccine needs of Palestinians, especially those in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. According to an anonymous source in the Israeli government, Palestine will receive its first vaccine on Tuesday, January 19 local time.

The source, quoted by Reuters, said the first shipment was for the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia. In total, five thousand doses.

The dispatch will be made by a Palestinian Authority delegation to the occupied West Bank via Jordan. Anonymous also confirmed the import of vaccines has been approved by the Israeli Ministry of Health.

The Palestinian Health Minister last week issued an emergency approval for the use of the Sputnik V vaccine in areas where Palestine has limited self-rule.

Sunday, January 10, local authorities said Palestinians may receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in March 2021 after the Palestinian Authority (PA) signs a purchase agreement with multinational pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

On that occasion the Palestinian Authority accused Israel of neglecting its obligation to provide a COVID-19 vaccine to Palestinians living in occupied areas. Israel is currently regarded as the country with the most prominence in vaccine procurement per capita. But the Palestinians in the occupied territories, namely in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip have not been able to secure supplies of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Palestinian Public Health Director General Yasser Bozyeh said, apart from AstraZeneca, they are also trying to get the COVID-19 vaccine made by Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Russia's Sputnik V.