Why Israel Should Not Be Pushed Into Helping Palestine With Vaccine?

Israel is being expected to inoculate the Palestinians though it does not have an obligation to do so. Under the 1993 and 1995 Oslo Records, the Palestine Authority was transferred rights to carry on inoculation by Israel.

According to confirmed reports, almost six Left Wing NGOs have petitioned the High Court of Justice to force Israel to provide enough vaccines to the Palestine Authority to inoculate its whole population. Apparently, Palestine has not been able to secure the appropriate numbers to be able to help vaccinate its whole population.

Last month, PM Benjamin Netanyahu was seen donating excess vaccine doses to some 13 different nations across the globe, in hope of garnering their confidence in accepting that the capital of Palestine would be Jerusalem. Additionally, Israel planned to inoculate only its own lot and would then contemplate sharing (if any left) with Palestine.

Israel was able to purchase vaccines early and has already fully vaccinated 50% of the overall population – or 72.5% of the eligible population. For Palestine Authority (PA), the only hope is COVAX, the UN-led rationed vaccine pool put together for economically poorer nations. However, the pace of receiving vaccine doses through the COVAX program is going to be low and can stretch till the end of the year. 

It is detrimental, therefore, for the safety of Palestinians that they quickly receive the Covid-19 vaccine. If you are a Palestinian but live in Israel, chances are you will receive the vaccine soon. The story isn’t the same for those who are solely residing in Palestine. To date, Israel has only supplied 5000 doses to Palestinians. 

It seems that the NGOs are indirect, asking Israel to claim its ownership of the sovereignty of Palestine, by pushing them to take onus for the latter’s medical needs.  If Netanyahu was to start the process, it could be likely that Israel would find legitimate grounds to contest its ownership of the sovereignty of Palestinian land. 

Those who signed onto the petition were Physicians for Human Rights Israel; HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual; Al Mezan Center for Human Rights; Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement; Adalah: The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel; and Rabbis for Human Rights.