The facts about Israel and vaccines

Re: Learn about life on the ground for Palestinians (Jan. 28)

Israel leads the world in coronavirus vaccinations. As of Jan. 29, its reported rollout rate was 51.20 per 100 persons (vs. 8.31 per 100 in the U.S. and 2.42 per 100 in Canada) but, rather than applauding this record, the letter writer resorts to distraction, misinformation and propagandist tropes to accuse the Jewish state of obstructing vaccine deployment to Palestinians.

Firstly, in accordance with the 1995 Oslo Accords, health care for residents of the West Bank and Gaza became the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority (PA). These agreements specifically included vaccination programs. The accords have remained in effect and have been the cornerstone of negotiations between Israel and the PA.

Secondly, the PA made it abundantly clear several months ago that they would not partner with Israel procuring vaccine supplies, opting instead to order the bulk of what they needed from a Russian source and supplementing this with independent purchases.

Thirdly, Israel has held training courses in vaccine distribution for Palestinian medical teams while Palestinians in Israeli prisons have been vaccinated, as have Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem. Moreover, a shipment of 5,000 doses of vaccine was authorized by Israel for delivery to health-care workers in the West Bank in early February, following an earlier smaller supply that has already reached the PA.

It is indeed important that we learn about life on the ground for Palestinians; in doing so we would find that the reality is much different from the fiction portrayed by the letter writer.

Lawrence Hart, Ancaster