The Israeli government announced on Sunday that it would transfer 5,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Palestinians to immunize front-line health workers, The Associated Press reports.
The office of Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz made the announcement, the AP noted, adding that the statement marked the first official confirmation of a transfer. According to the news service, no calendar was published for when the transfer would take place.
Palestinian officials have stated that their government does not have the funds to buy enough vaccines for its population. The PA notes that the Palestinian Authority is trying to acquire doses through the World Health Organization (WHO) COVAX program, which seeks to provide doses to countries in need. However, the program has been slow to start distribution.
So far Israel has excelled in vaccinating its population, but has withheld vaccines from those living under the Palestinian Authority. Israel has previously acknowledged that it would be in its own interest to provide vaccines to Palestinians, given their proximity, but officials said they would not provide any doses until their own population was inoculated.
Many world health leaders have called for inequity in the global distribution of vaccines, with richer nations previously buying more than enough doses to immunize their populations, while some poorer countries receive almost none.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus soiled vaccine manufacturers in early January, accusing them of prioritizing profits by concentrating approval efforts on richer countries. He noted during the WHO executive council meeting that a poorer country, Guinea, had only received 25 doses.