Bernie Sanders hits out at Israel for not sending coronavirus vaccines to Palestinians

As Israel continues to vaccinate its citizens at a rapid pace, US Senator Bernie Sanders hit out at the Israeli government asserting that Palestinians are still waiting for the vaccines.

"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," Bernie Sanders said.

Israel has already vaccinated over a third of its population ensuring Pfizer-BioNTech jabs for 3.2 million people ever since its inoculation drive began in December. The authorities however remain cautions as they imposed curfew for the Jewish holiday of Purim disallowing late-night parties as a precaution after last year's festivities became a COVID-19 super-spreaders.

Israel has been gradually reopening its economy after a third lockdown amid a surge in cases late last year, however, the rapid pace of vaccination has allowed authorities to turn the tide on the pandemic.

Israel had earlier reportedly sent vaccine doses to the occupied West Bank to inoculate Palestinian Authority medical workers.

However, the country's justice department said plans to distribute surplus coronavirus vaccines has been halted.  

Netanyahu had said earlier that his government will be sending "limited quantity" of vaccines to the Palestinians and to several allies, however, the justice ministry later said that  "the attorney general was examining the claim that vaccines were transferred to foreign countries without authority."