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Israeli rights groups demand inoculation of Palestinian prisoners against coronavirus

Sunday, 10 January 2021 1:55 PM [ Last Update: Sunday, 10 January 2021 2:06 PM ]

This file picture shows Palestinian prisoners at an Israeli detention facility in the occupied territories.

Five human rights organizations based in occupied Palestinian territories have called for the COVID-19 vaccination of Palestinian prisoners against the backdrop of a statement by Israeli Public Security Minister Amir Ohana, who has said inoculation of the inmates was “not a priority.”

On Sunday, the Association for Civil Rights, Physicians for Human Rights, Adalah, the Center for the Defense of the Individual, as well as Rabbis for Human Rights submitted a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court.

The five organizations asked the court to order the Israel Prison Service (IPS) to vaccinate all prisoners, not least those over the age of 60.

Amnesty urges Israel to ensure COVID-19 vaccines for Palestinians

The Palestinian Health Ministry has reported more than 100,000 confirmed cases in the West Bank, including 1,100 deaths.

Adalah said the Israeli minister’s stance violates the medical rights of prisoners, and contradicts the guidelines of the Israeli Health Ministry as well as professional medical ethics that guarantee equal treatment for all.

Late last month, Israeli prison authorities closed down the Ramon prison after detecting several coronavirus infections among prisoners and guards.

The Palestinian Prisoner Society (PPS) said on December 27 that the closure was “a serious indication of a possible wide outbreak of the pandemic among the detainees.”

Health mini. raises alarm over coronavirus outbreak among Palestinian inmates in Israeli prisons

The Palestinian health minister warns against an imminent outbreak of coronavirus infection among Palestinian inmates in Israeli detention centers.

On Friday, Ohana reiterated that he would not back down on his decision to deny the vaccine to Palestinian prisoners.

The minister insisted that the shots would only be considered after all prison staff members are vaccinated as well as the “general population of Israelis who are not incarcerated.”

Earlier this month, Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila warned about an imminent outbreak of the virus in Israel's densely crowded detention centers.

Kaila said in a statement on January 3 that Israeli prisons are potential epicenters of the pandemic, which means the lives of many prisoners, particularly the elderly and the sick, are at high risk.

The minister held Israeli authorities responsible for the lives of Palestinian prisoners, especially those incarcerated in Ktzi'ot Prison, where more than 1,200 inmates are currently held.