Israel’s health minister told CNN he does not believe Israel has an obligation or responsibility to give Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza a vaccine for the coronavirus, but rather stresses cooperation on treatment for a resurgence in to prevent new cases of Covid-19. in the Palestinian territories.
Yuli Edelstein’s comments come after the World Health Organization (WHO) said it had held informal talks with the Israeli Ministry of Health on the possible provision of vaccines for Palestinian health workers as an ‘immediate priority target group’.
“We are working with the Palestinians to make sure they treat coronavirus patients properly. At this stage we are not delivering vaccines, but we understand that it is in Israel’s interest to make sure that we do not get into a situation where we are vaccinated and that we are out of trouble, and to the Palestinians side there is another increase in numbers. , “Edelstein said on CNN’s new day.
Israel leads the world with the vaccination of its people, with almost 20% of the population receiving at least one dose of Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine. But it has come under criticism from some human rights groups who say it has obligations under international law to provide vaccinations to Palestinians as well.
Amnesty International, for example, said last week: “The Israeli government must stop ignoring its international obligations as an occupying force and take immediate action to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are provided equally and equitably to Palestinians under its occupation. the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. ”
Groups such as Amnesty refer to the Fourth Geneva Convention, which addresses, among other things, the duties of an occupying power in ensuring “measures necessary to combat the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics.”
Israel claims that the Oslo Accords, signed with the Palestinians in the 1990s, hand over responsibility for the provision of health care to Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza to the Palestinian Authority (PA).
The director general of the Directorate of Public Health at the Palestinian Ministry of Health told CNN that the PA did not ask for Israel’s help with vaccinations, something that was contradicted by the president of the Union of Medical Aid Committees, Mustafa Barghouti, himself. a leading Palestinian politician. He told CNN the PA was looking for about 10,000 doses for health workers. Barghouti said the request was rejected by Israel.
The WHO said the Israeli Ministry of Health was ready to “investigate the option” of immediate vaccines for medical workers in the Palestinian territories, but was told that it was “currently unable to deliver vaccines due to a shortage of vaccines. in Israel. ”
Edelstein told CNN: “This is our interest; it does not in any way mean our obligation or our responsibility. The Palestinians are carrying out the Palestinian Authority … but as has happened in recent months, we have always been willing to help with equipment, with good advice, with products or medicines, and this kind of collaboration will continue. ‘
According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which sponsored the development of the vaccine, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said on Monday that the Russian Sputnik V vaccine was registered for what it calls emergencies. The initial quantity is expected to arrive in the areas within a month. The Ministry of Health says it has also signed contracts with three other Covid-19 vaccine suppliers.