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This is a deeply cynical response which refuses to acknowledge Israel's responsibility an occupying power. To unpack that a bit (ok, a lot) more: https://twitter.com/BoardofDeputies/status/1346101473525047296
1/ In their response to this Guardian piece, the Board reaffirm what Israel has already emphasised in its defence: "1990s-era interim agreements that required the [Palestinian] authority to observe international vaccination standards" https://tinyurl.com/yblgczbb
2/ The Board's response relies on a fundamental misreading of the Oslo II Accord and the finalisation of the corresponding peace process. As the article states: "Those deals envisioned a fuller peace agreement within five years, an event that never occurred"
3/ The Oslo II Accord (one of the interim agreements in question) divided the Israeli-occupied West Bank into three administrative divisions: Areas A, B and C. Each area was given different statuses, according to their governance
4/ Again, this was pending a final status accord - which still hasn't materialised. Area A is exclusively administered by the Palestinian National Authority (PA); Area B is administered by both the PA and Israel; Area C is administered by Israel alone.
5/ Area A = 18% of West Bank, Area B = 22%. Most Palestinians in the West Bank live in these two areas, where Palestinian cities such as Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, and Ramallah are. In fact, calling them 'Area' is a bit of a misnomer.
6/ These areas are non-contiguous, constituting 165 ‘islands’ scattered across the West Bank. The rest of the land (~60% of the West Bank) is designated as Area C. Area C is contiguous and includes all Israeli settlements as well as nearly all Palestinian land reserves.
7/ Israel relies on this division of the West Bank to foster the narrative that the PA is the entity responsible for administering the life of the majority of Palestinians in the West Bank. In practice, Israel retains control over the entirety of West Bank and all its residents.
8/ Israel still controls all crossings linking the West Bank to Israel, and the West Bank to Jordan. It also controls all roads leading to Areas A and B. Israel uses this control to restrict Palestinians’ freedom of movement as it sees fit-
9/ This includes (but is not limited to) setting up temporary or permanent roadblocks, and keeping Palestinians detained at checkpoints.
10/ During the second intifada (2002), the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) also abolished the prohibition against entering Area A, and entered the area regularly, mostly at night, conducting raids which were typically coordinated with the PA.
11/ In Area C, any new construction - from building homes to paving roads - requires Israeli approval. Israel virtually bars any Palestinian construction in Area C. Obtaining a building permit is nearly impossible.
12/ Lacking a permit means the new construction is likely to be demolished, potentially repeatedly (if rebuilt). This is true even where the construction is meant to serve Palestinians living in Areas A or B.
13/ Why does this matter, and what does it have to do with vaccines? It matters because Israel acts as an occupying power throughout the West Bank. An occupying power has the legal responsibility to distribute medicine/ medical supplies to the population of the area it occupies:
14/ Article 56 of the Fourth Geneva Convention specifically provides that an occupier has the duty of ensuring “the adoption and application of the prophylactic and preventive measures necessary to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics”.
15/ Focusing on the PA is a useful way to obfuscate Israel's responsibilities in that regard. As @Gisha_Access put it: The PA's efforts to look elsewhere for vaccines “does not absolve Israel from its ultimate responsibility toward Palestinians under occupation”.
16/ It is also bewildering to see the @BoardofDeputies claim that "The Palestinian Authority is responsible for vaccinations provided to Palestinians in... Gaza". The Board know that Hamas are the ruling group in Gaza, not the PA. Again, the article mentions this.
17/ The Israeli perimeter fence around the Gaza Strip means that Israel has almost full control over the movement of people and goods between Gaza and Israel, the West Bank, and the rest of the world (barring the single Egyptian controlled 'Rafah' crossing)
18/ Israel also controls Gaza’s sea-space. The Oslo Accords set 20 nautical miles off the Gaza coast (about 37 km) as the outside limit beyond which fishermen may not go. However, Israel has never allowed fishing farther than 12 nautical miles out to sea.
19/ Over the years, Israel has further restricted the fishing zone to varying extents, sometimes to a mere three nautical miles. Despite so-called disengagement in 2005, Israel continues to control all land crossings (apart from Rafah) as well as Gaza’s sea and air space.
20/ Since Hamas took control in 2007, Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza, prohibiting travel into and out of Gaza, placing limitations on the import of various products into Gaza, and severely restricting the export of goods.
21/ By controlling and restricting movement into and out of Gaza, Israel acts as an occupying power. As @hrw noted back in April, Israel is therefore "obliged to take measures to save lives, such as permitting the entry of medical equipment and supplies to meet patients’ needs"
22/ Unfortunately, reporting on the Israeli occupation can indeed provide "grist to the mill" for anti-Semites across the political spectrum. We must recognise this and be vigilant about calling out anti-Semitism; but we must also report accurately on the impacts of occupation.
