Thread: The @PSCupdates latest campaign to write to the Foreign Secretary accusing Israel of 'medical apartheid' over Covid vaccinations is abhorrent. This thread takes apart the “medical apartheid” lie. (1)

PSC cites the Geneva Convention and the obligations an occupier has to the occupied. But the Oslo Accords - a big step towards Palestinian statehood and sovereignty - gave the PA control of their own healthcare provision – something they wanted as a step towards statehood. (2)

On 21/11/20 the Palestine Authority (PA) meet with WHO, UNICEF, UNRWA to ensure that it was provided with adequate Covid vaccines. Israel wasn’t invited to these talks. (3)

The PA continue to acquire Covid vaccinations independently and on 12/12/20 ordered 4million doses of the Russian vaccine. (4)

On 9 Jan the PA announced that “Four vaccine producer companies [will deliver for] 70% of the Palestinian people... the WHO will provide for 20%.” Still not asking Israel for help. (5)

Meanwhile Israel had secured the Pfizer vaccine and created a world leading vaccination programme, already vaccinating over 20% of Israeli citizens, Jews and Arabs equally. (6)

Up until this point the PA did not ask Israel once for help. Israel is not withholding Covid vaccines from Palestinians. Israel is vaccinating its population including Palestinians in East Jerusalem, and the PA is accountable for vaccinating theirs. (7)

Israel’s health minister Yuli Edelstein: "we've been helping our Palestinian neighbours from the very early stages of this crisis, including medical equipment, including medicine, including advice, including supplies." (8)

"We do understand that it's in Israeli interests that there will be less cases on the Palestinian side. Many of the Palestinians are working here... You can't divide the two neatly and say, you know, 'they can deal with it themselves; it's not our issue'. It is our issue." (9)

It is not unreasonable that Israel is vaccinating its own population first. All countries would do the same. It is unlikely that the PA request will go unmet. "If any other help will be needed, we will offer." - Yuli Edelstein (10)

For more information check out our latest podcast where our Campaign Manager talks to @Jerusalem_Post @LahavHarkov about Israel's vaccination drive and busting the lies on medical apartheid https://soundcloud.com/user-202364896/episode-16-new-year (11)

Thank you to @palwatch for the chronology of PA announcements. (12)