Israel set to vaccinate 120,000 Palestinian workers
After much controversy and debate, the Cabinet approved for the Health Ministry to start vaccinating 120,000 Palestinian workers on Sunday.
![A health worker arranges vials of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine at the Clalit Health Services in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Beit Hanina, in the Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem on March 2, 2021. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by AHMAD GHARABLI has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [March 2] instead of [March 3]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention from all your online services and delete it from yo](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_large/public/almpics/2021/03/GettyImages-1231471153.jpg/GettyImages-1231471153.jpg?h=a5ae579a&itok=-nDf_pmm "1231471153")
Israel starts a pilot operation today to vaccinate Palestinian workers, apparently this evening at one of the West Bank crossing points.
On March 7, the country will launch a vast campaign to vaccinate all 120,000 Palestinians legally working in Israel and in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. The decision concerns 87,000 Palestinians holding work permits in Israel and 35,000 Palestinians legally working in settlements, mainly in industrial parks. According to estimates, thousands of Palestinians are working illegaly in Israel, but they will not be vaccinated by Israeli authorities.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said Feb. 28 that the vaccination drive had been "approved by the political echelon," adding that Israel will "conduct a vaccination campaign for Palestinian workers with employment licenses in Israel and in the communities across Judea and Samaria [West Bank]." In a March 3 announcement, COGAT’s office said it will roll out next week the vaccination campaign at checkpoints and industrial zones across the West Bank.
As a first step, 12 vaccination compounds are scheduled to be set up — eight at checkpoints for those employed in Israel and four at settlements for those employed in the West Bank. The vaccination centers will be staffed by Israeli medical teams. COGAT stated that vaccinations would be done on a voluntarily basis, and that Israeli employers were told they cannot force their workers to receive the shots. The employers will be the ones responsible for scheduling appointments for their workers to get vaccinated. Instructions are for the workers to get vaccinated at the end of the work day, when leaving Israeli territory, not in the morning when entering, so as not to delay their arrival to work.
