Israel: End vaccine discrimination now!

April 9, 2021

IFHHRO has signed a petition issued by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel in support of its appeal to the Israelian Supreme Court to ensure vaccine access for all Palestinians. Two weeks ago, five Israeli & Palestinian Organizations including PHR-I urged the Court to immediately secure a uniform supply of vaccines to the Palestinian population, who have been deprived of access to this life-saving resource so far.

Vaccine discrimination

On its website, PHR-I calls for the end of vaccine discrimination in the country. As the petition states: “… only 135,000 vaccine doses, intended for only 67,500 people, have been provided to Palestinians in the oPt [occupied Palestinian territories], less than 1.5% of the Palestinian population. At the same time, Israel has vaccinated almost 5.2 million people: over half of its population. Directly, Israel provided only 2,000 of the vaccines that have been provided to the oPt, with the rest donated by other countries or provided through the COVAX mechanism. ”

Providing vaccines to Palestinians in the occupied territories will reduce the spread of COVID-19 and save the lives of both Palestinians and Israelis, as the petition states. “It will allow Palestinian residents to resume their lives – to work, study, access medical treatment, and to reunite with loved ones. It is also Israel’s legal obligation as an Occupying Power and an obligation under the right to health for Israel to guarantee vaccine access to all without discrimination.”

More information: https://www.phr.org.il/en/