JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel’s attorney general has warned Benjamin Netanyahu that he cannot share the country’s surplus vaccines with distant allies in Africa, Europe and Latin America, and that such an important decision was not taken by the prime minister alone. can not be.
In an official letter, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit argues that Netanyahu should consult the cabinet for such a plan. The Ministry of Justice released the letter to National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat on Monday.
Netanyahu’s announcement last week of his decision to share a portion of Israel’s vaccine stock caused a stir and was later frozen due to legal issues in Israel, but not before thousands of vaccines were sent to Honduras, and reportedly to the Czech Republic as well.
Netanyahu has not identified the countries he intends to receive Israeli vaccines from, but an Israeli TV station said they include a number of countries that support Israel’s claims to the controversial city of Jerusalem as its capital.
Israel has vaccinated more than half of its population against the coronavirus in one of the world’s most successful vaccinations since the end of December. Netanyahu presents the country’s vaccination success as a personal achievement as part of his campaign ahead of the upcoming March 23 election.
The prime minister has agreed with drug manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna to secure enough supplies for Israel’s 9.3 million people.
But his controversial plan has raised questions at home about Netanyahu’s decision-making, as well as his choice to help countries in Africa and Latin America during a global shortage, and when neighboring Palestinian territories are struggling to secure their own vaccine supply.
Critics say Netanyahu’s plan illustrates how the prime minister views the vaccine as an asset that could be used for diplomatic gain.
On Sunday, Israel announced plans to vaccinate tens of thousands of Palestinians working within Israel and its West Bank settlements. Earlier, Israel shared 2,000 vaccinations with the Palestinian Authority to protect medical workers on the West Bank.
In his letter, Mandelblit recommends that the relevant authorities take any decisions regarding the transfer of Israel’s vaccines abroad for a “proper and complete government procedure”.
Given the importance and diplomatic implications of such a decision, Mandelblit said it was “appropriate that the subject be discussed in the government, the cabinet or in another forum that includes all the ministers involved in the matter. ”