Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) argued in a January 19 interview on Democracy Now! that Israel is excluding Palestinians from the COVID-19 vaccine because Israel is a racist and apartheid state.
The host, Amy Goodman, asked Tlaib for her thoughts on Israel vaccinating 20% of its citizenry while Palestinians have not been vaccinated. Representative Tlaib replied, “Israel is a racist state, and that they would deny Palestinians like my grandmother access to a vaccine, that they don’t believe that she is an equal human being who deserves to live, deserves to be able to be protected by this global pandemic.”
Tlaib added, “it’s really hard to watch as this apartheid state continues to deny their own neighbors, the people that breathe the same air they breathe, that live in the same communities — you can put a settlement whereever you want, but on the other side of that wall is a farm community, a village where my grandmother lives. And many of our various family members and others that I know are trying to live a good life, a free life, free from these racist policies that deny them access to public health.”
She proceeded to accuse the United States of enabling Israel’s “inhumane” treatment of Palestinians. “I hope our colleagues, I hope our country sees what the Palestinians have been trying to tell us for a very long time, that Israel has no intention of ever being caring or allow equality or freedom for them as their neighbors, and you can see it with the distribution of the vaccine,” Tlaib said.
Rep. @RashidaTlaib on Israel not vaccinating Palestinians:
“It’s really important to understand that Israel is a racist state, in that they would deny Palestinians like my grandmother access to a vaccine, that they don’t believe she’s an equal human being who deserves to live." pic.twitter.com/vPCeXjdqrZ
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 19, 2021
Jewish groups condemned Tlaib for her remarks.
“.@RashidaTlaib, you are entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts. Israel is giving the vaccine to all its citizens, Jewish and Arab alike,” the American Jewish Committee tweeted.
“The PA [Palestinian Authority], responsible for Palestinian healthcare, has rejected Israel’s help and ordered its own vaccines.”
.@RashidaTlaib, you are entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts.
Israel is giving the vaccine to all its citizens, Jewish and Arab alike.
The PA, responsible for Palestinian healthcare, has rejected Israel's help and ordered its own vaccines. pic.twitter.com/zbPaOvynsQ
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) January 19, 2021
The Stop Antisemitism.org watchdog similarly tweeted that under the Oslo Accords, the Palestinians are responsible for their own health care, including vaccinations.
“P.S. – how many Jews live in Gaza? ZERO,” they added.
A sitting Congresswoman (Palestinian) is clueless about the Oslo Accords
Let us help:
Article 17 Health
1. Powers and responsibilities in the sphere of Health in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip will be transferred to the Palestinian side, including the health insurance system. https://t.co/Mdxt2o1IJs— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) January 19, 2021
2. The Palestinian side shall continue to apply the present standards of vaccinations of Palestinians and shall improve them according to the internationally accepted standards in the field, taking into account WHO recommendations.
P.S. – how many Jews live in Gaza?
ZERO.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) January 19, 2021
The Jerusalem Post’s Lahav Harkov has previously noted that Israel has already started vaccinating Palestinians in East Jerusalem and plans to vaccinate Palestinians in Israeli prisons. The PA is expected to receive thousands of doses of vaccines from Russia by the end of the week.
