Palestinian Authority cancels deal for Israeli vaccine doses

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has cancelled a deal whereby Israel would have given it one million Covid vaccine doses in exchange for a later shipment.

The PA made the move because many of the doses were set to expire in the coming weeks, according to Haaretz. 

By the time Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila announced the cancellation, 100,000 of the doses had already been delivered. The decision constituted a change of Israeli policy following months during which Israel was criticized for not helping Palestinians get vaccinated. 

In return for the shipments, the PA was to send Israel shipments of Pfizer doses it is set to receive in the future. The deal had been initiated by the previous Israeli government and finalised by the new coalition.