Israel’s medical apartheid
WITH half of its citizens receiving their second dose of Coronavirus vaccine, daily activities are becoming normal in Israel.
As of 24th February 2021, Israel started vaccinating its citizens above 16 years of age.
However, the disparity lies for its deliberate negligence to avoid the vaccination of Palestinians residing in its occupied territories.
This is a direct violation of the Article 56 of 4th Geneva Convention, which obligates the occupying power to ensure all preventive measures to “combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics”.
However, the Israeli authorities justify their unlawful means by referring towards the Oslo Accords and put the responsibility of vaccination on Palestinian Authority (PA), thus trying to paper over its moral and legal obligation despite the constant call from international community to share its vaccine with Palestinians.
Due to no land or sea routes, the Palestinians need the consent of Israeli forces to allow the medical supplies to move across the territories of Gaza and West Bank, and for people to meet their severe medical needs require an exit permit”.
Moreover, the periodic Israeli aerial and land attacks on Palestinians have inflicted severe damage to the hospitals and other building infrastructures within its occupied territories making it more difficult for the already under-resourced economy to work effectively.
In February, a shipment of 2000 Russian Sputnik V vaccines destined to the Gaza Strip via Israel territory, for frontline health workers, was ‘prevented’ by the COGAT, to conduct a ‘political concession’ with Hamas.
Gaza has been under strict blockade by Israeli forces since 2007 when it was overtaken by Hamas.
Moreover, Israel’s dispatch of vaccines to Honduras and Guatemala, states that shifted their embassies to Jerusalem, while refusing to provide it to Palestinians shows that Israel is engaged in the blatant medical apartheid and has no respect for International Law.
These moves are a ‘new low’ and showcases how Israel puts its national interest above Palestinians’ needs. With global pandemic at rise the poison of Xenophobia is also lurking in many states.
Alongside the Israeli government, its people are also contributing towards undermining the integrity of Palestinian workers who are earning bread for their families under Tel Aviv’s occupation.
There are reported cases of alleged damage to the properties of Palestinians at the hands of Israel’s military followed by illegal Jew settlers residing there.
In the light of the then upcoming elections, Prime Minister Naytenyahu in a move aimed to push forward his election campaign, gave the royal treatment to his citizens and issued “green badges” to those twice vaccinated and called Israel a “vaccination nation”.
However, this failed to silence the critics who have repeatedly accused him of conducting medical apartheid against the Palestinians.
It is a high time that the world infers from territorial, sectarian and religious segregation and stand up for the sake of humanity and human-hood.
Israel must comply with its duties as an occupier and respect international laws instead of putting Palestinian lives at stake.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
