The global pandemic has hit every country’s economy and way of life dramatically, but for those already living under occupation in Palestine it had hit exceptionally hard.
Employment for Palestinians is already difficult, many have no choice other than to work in Israeli factories for low wages. For this work permits are usually granted to Palestinians who otherwise would have restrictions on their freedom of movement. Many have continued to work due to the need for income throughout the lockdown periods.
They go every day to work in Israeli factories holding temporary permits. Despite the frequent restrictions imposed on movement and life in Israel during the pandemic, these permits are always granted, as the factories need cheap Palestinian labour. These 133,000 workers have been the highest of those infected by COVID19.
Israel is a world leading when it comes to the number of doses per head of population, with almost a quarter of it’s Israeli population already vaccinated. By law the occupying power is responsible for the healthcare of its citizens, but despite the successful rollout of the COIVD19 vaccine by Israel, there was no plan on providing vaccinations for Palestinians. This has been called by many activist groups as, ‘vaccine apartheid’. Considering Israelis and Palestinians co-exist in the same living and working space this is counter productive to controlling the spread of the virus not only in Palestine but also in Israel. Israel control water supplies to the West Bank for Palestinians often cutting off supplies which makes it difficult for Palestinians to protect themselves by washing their hands.
The Oslo Accords state, “Israel and the Palestinian side shall exchange information regarding epidemics and contagious diseases, shall co-operate in combating them and shall develop methods for [the] exchange of medical files and documents.” However international laws override this agreement.
In a statement the United Nations have said it is the responsibility of Israel to provide access to Covid-19 vaccines for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The statement has also addressed the different level of access for Palestinians to Israelis as “morally and legally” unacceptable under international law laid out in the Geneva Conventions on the regulation of occupied territories.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health is now working to supply vaccines to the Palestinians, and only now have 2,000 vaccine doses been supplied to the West Bank by Israel under international pressure.
The blockages in Gaza by Israel and Egypt create logistical issues for the delivery of the vaccine although Covax have said they will supply doses.
