Israel and the Palestinian Authority have agreed an exchange deal for over 1 million Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination doses, according to a joint announcement from Israel's Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Defense, Trend reports with reference to Globes.
Under the terms of the deal, Israel will transfer to the Palestinian Authority between 1 million and 1.4 million Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination doses, which will soon expire, in exchange for a consignment of Pfizer vaccination doses due to be delivered to the Palestinian Authority in September-October 2021.
Negotiations over such a deal have been conducted over the past few months but the decision to go ahead on the matter was suspended by the previous government. Israel has previously given the Palestinian Authority several thousand vaccine doses for medical teams and vaccinated over 100,000 Palestinians working in Israel.
Israel has conducted one of the world's most successful Covid-19 vaccination rollouts with 5.5 million citizens vaccinated including 5.15 million with two jabs. As a result only a small handful of new Covid-19 cases are diagnosed each day. However, Israel has come under international criticism for failing to extend the vaccination campaign to the Palestinians.
A defense source told "Globes" that the vaccination deal agreed had an element of good will and symbolized a readiness by Israel's new government to improve the lives of the Palestinians.