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Despite the world's speediest vaccine rollout & intl legal obligations- #Israel rejected requests from @WHO & Palestinian Authority for 10,000 #coronavirus jabs to innoculate frontline health workers since Palestinians won't get jabs for at least a month 1/ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israel-palestine-coronavirus-vaccine-b1784474.html
2. Israel cited shortages of vaccines for their own population as the reason why they declined the request. The PA wanted to purchase the jabs to protect their medics and avert a "health disaster" as they can't get vaccines until late Feb. Cases are rising.
3. Israel has vaccinated Palestinians in E. Jerusalem but rights groups like @AmnestyMENA, @PHRIsrael say that #Israel, as an occupier has a legal obligation under Article 46 of the 4th Geneva Convention to immediately vaccinate all Palestinians living under Israeli occupation
4. That includes nearly 5 million in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. They have to be factored into the equation of how many vaccines are available and how those vaccines should be allocated. https://www.phr.org.il/en/israel-must-provide-necessary-vaccines-to-palestinian-health-care-systems/
5. Bar the Egypt-Gaza crossing, #Israel controls the borders (so imports) into the Palestinian territories. The Palestinians also lack big enough refrigerating facilities to store vaccines.A Palestinian vaccine rollout is inextricably tied to coordination/assistance from Israel
6. Israel has denied accusations it has been discriminatory, healthcare officials say they must prioritise their own citizens. Dept. health minister said if there was vaccine surplus they could consider handing it to Palestinians https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israel-may-hand-palestinians-covid-19-vaccines-if-it-has-surplus/
7. Bottom line is ravaged Palestinian healthcare system cannot cope with #Covid19, particularly in #Gaza where due to the blockade 40% of essential drug list is missing. WHO officials told me vaccinating Palestinian medics is a small vital step to halting collapse of the system
8. So far PA officials /WHO told me they're expecting 2 million vaccines from @WHO's Covax programme with roll out starting end of Feb. They have also got confirmation of 2 million jabs from AstraZeneca, again coming in batches from end of Feb. They're negotiating the rest
