UN human rights experts issued a statement on Thursday calling on Israel to ensure that the Palestinian people under occupation receive equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines
UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2021) UN human rights experts issued a statement on Thursday calling on Israel to ensure that the Palestinian people under occupation receive equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
"Israel's roll-out of its vaccination program against the COVID-19 pandemic for its citizens has been impressive," the expert said. "However, Israel has not ensured that Palestinians under occupation in the West Bank and Gaza will have any near-future access to the available vaccines."
The experts noted that while Israel's vaccination program has delivered doses to a higher percentage of its citizens than any other country, available data indicates that vaccines may not be delivered en mass to the West Bank and Gaza for many weeks.
As the result, more than 4.5 million Palestinians will remain exposed to COVID-19, the experts added.
Israel, as the occupying power, is required under the Fourth Geneva Convention to maintain health services in the occupied territory, the experts pointed out. Moreover, if the protected population is inadequately supplied, the occupying power is required to facilitate relief schemes by all means available.
The UN experts also called on the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas in Gaza to cooperate on the implementation of the vaccination program for the Palestinians.
