BBC backtracks over claim Israel is responsible for vaccinating Palestinians

The BBC has backtracked on a claim that Israel is responsible for vaccinating Palestinians under the Oslo Accords.

Shaun Ley, presenter of Dateline London, which discusses international affairs, suggested the Accords meant that the Israeli government had responsibility for vaccinating Palestinians in a segment aired January 16.

The claim was rebutted by a journalist being interviewed for the BBC News channel show, Jonathan Sacerdoti, who said it was the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority.

The BBC this week issued a clarification, admitting responsibility does lie with the Palestinian Authority.

“Although there is a wider dispute over the issue, the Accords – which Israel signed with the Palestine Liberation Organisation – give the Palestinian Authority oversight of public health under the principles of self-determination,” said the broadcaster.

Israel has begun transferring some vaccine doses to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza for frontline health workers.

The correction comes after the Observer newspaper refused last month to change a headline which alleged Palestinians were being excluded from the vaccine rollout.

The newspaper said its headline, which read “Palestinians excluded from Israeli Covid vaccine rollout as jabs go to settlers”, was “not in breach of the Guardian’s editorial code of conduct.