Israel Administers Vaccines to 700 Palestinian Workers

JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel successfully vaccinated 700 Palestinian workers on Thursday in a pilot program, according to a press release from Israeli authorities.

The vaccines were administered at the Sha’ar Efraim crossing between Israel and the West Bank – biblical Judea and Samaria.

Israel is preparing to vaccinate some 100,000 Palestinians with Israeli work permits starting on Sunday.

Photo Credit: COGAT Spokesperson's Office

Officials say they will set up seven more sites at various crossings, as well as four vaccination sites in industrial zones in Israeli settlement communities where Palestinians work.

Israel, which has already vaccinated more than half of its population in one of the world’s most successful vaccination campaigns, has faced some criticism for not sending large amounts of vaccines to the Palestinians. Israel has facilitated the transfer of several thousand vaccines to the Palestinian Authority.

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Still, the vast majority of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip do not have access to vaccines. While many Palestinians blame Israel, others are also voicing outrage with their leaders.

Like most governments, the PA is reserving the few doses it has to health workers and key government leaders. But The New York Times reported that PA has secretly diverted thousands of doses of the vaccine to some senior members of the ruling party who have no formal role in the government.

The limited vaccine supply was also given to family members of certain government officials and even top figures of government-run news outlets.

The PA’s Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that it has received 12,000 vaccines — 10,000 from Russia and 2,000 from Israel. It says 2,000 were sent to the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by the Hamas terror group.