Bernie Sanders Slams Israel for Not Sending Vaccines to Palestinians (It Did)

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has slammed Israel for sending coronavirus vaccines to overseas allies before sending them to the Palestinians, even though Jerusalem has sent Ramallah far more vaccines than any other foreign nation.

Writing in a tweet, Sanders said: “Israel is responsible for the health of all the people under its control. It is outrageous that Netanyahu would use spare vaccines to reward his foreign allies while so many Palestinians in the occupied territories are still waiting.”

As the occupying power, Israel is responsible for the health of all the people under its control. It is outrageous that Netanyahu would use spare vaccines to reward his foreign allies while so many Palestinians in the occupied territories are still waiting. https://t.co/kx4qFPtRQl

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) February 24, 2021

He was responding to a New York Times tweet stating: “Israel’s vaccine donations to faraway countries have angered Palestinians who say Israel is responsible for the well-being of Palestinians in the occupied territories, where vaccines are scarce.”

However, the very same article that the NYT referred to pointed to the fact Israel had already given several thousand vaccines to the Palestinian Authority to inoculate medical workers. The PA itself on Friday also said it had closed a deal with Israel’s Health Ministry to vaccinate 100,000 Palestinians who work in Israel.

The Oslo Accords stipulate the responsibility to vaccinate Palestinians lies entirely with the PA.

According to Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. and U.N., Gilad Erdan, the PA had further “informed Israel they intend to purchase vaccines from the Russian government and Israel has announced it will facilitate their transfer,” which Israel has done.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Sometimes I read the NY Times on Israel and wonder which other countries it's misleading me about.

— Lahav Harkov, Space Laser Controller (@LahavHarkov) February 24, 2021

Israel sent several allies a limited number of the Moderna vaccine, between 1,000 – 5,000 doses, and was also reported to have sent to countries it doesn’t have diplomatic relations with in a bid to shore up support.