Israel to Provide Palestinians With 5,000 Coronavirus Vaccines

Israel has agreed to transfer 5,000 doses of the vaccine against the coronavirus to the Palestinian Authority, Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s office confirmed on Sunday. The vaccines are meant to be used by front-line health care workers in the Palestinian territories. They are expected to be sent to the PA this coming week. However, the type of vaccines that will be sent to the Palestinians was not specified and refrigeration of the vaccine is expected to be a challenge in the territories. Whereas approximately 30% of Israel’s population has received two shots of the vaccines, adjacent Palestinian areas have not been included in any inoculation programs. Israel has said repeatedly it is not responsible for vaccinating the Palestinians. Israeli Arabs and Palestinians living in east Jerusalem are part of Israel’s inoculation operations. Palestinian officials did not have an immediate comment to the news.