“Administration of Gilboa prison informed the prisoners that they will not have the COVID-19 vaccine for a month or two months; until Israel’s government issues a new decision regarding the vaccination,” Detainees and Ex-detainees Commission said.

The prisoners told the commission’s lawyer that this decision came after the complaint filed to Amir Ohana, Minister of Public Security of Israel, by Israeli settlers to prevent the Palestinian prisoners from the vaccination.

 “Amir Ohana previously gave orders not to vaccinate the Palestinians in Israel jails. This confirms that Israel’s government is the main reason behind the risks resulted from the spread of the virus among the prisoners,” the commission added.

It also reported that Galboa prison recorded more than 100 COVID-19 cases among the Palestinian prisoners. It has been closed and announced as a red area, noting that 140 cases were recorded since March.

The commission hold the Israeli authorities responsible for the prisoners’ lives, mentioning that the administration of Israeli jails turned the coronavirus into a tool of oppression and brutality against the Prisoners. It kept up ignoring the prisoners’ cases by depriving them from their rights of prevention.

It pointed out that they force the Palestinian to buy sterilants and masks on their own expense, delay the process of taking swabs to test them, and arrest them in harsh conditions of detention which encourages the virus to spread more.

Detainees and Ex-Detainees Commission finally called for the international society to step in and force Israel to vaccinate the Palestinian prisoners against COVID-19, confirming that there must be a medical committee to follow up with the vaccination and with their medical conditions.

 

Source : Safa