Israel to provide Palestinian Authority with 5,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine

Jerusalem, Jan 30 (efe-epa).- Israel is to provide the Palestinian National Authority with 5,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

The jabs are designated for the healthcare workers, an Israeli official source told Efe on Saturday.

Some of which could be sent to the Gaza Strip.

Israel is expected to start delivering the Pfizer-BioNTecH vaccine early next week, according to local media.

This comes a few days after the PNA’s foreign minister Riyad al Maliki the United Nations Security Council that Israel, as “an occupying power,” has to provide Palestinians with the vaccine.

Several local and international NGOs have called on Israel to provide vaccinations to the Palestinian authorities.

During the same Security Council meeting, Tor Wennesland, the newly-appointed Special Coordinator for Middle East Peace called on Israel to “support Covid-19 vaccine availability” in the Palestinian territories.

Thus far, the PNA has not published an official request for Israel to provide vaccines. Palestinian sources denied Israel had sent the first batch of vaccine for humanitarian causes.

Over the past few weeks, the PNA has been negotiating with several pharmaceutical companies for vaccines.

A first Russian-developed Sputnik V batch is expected to arrive within days or weeks, according to media.