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Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Wednesday 2nd February 2022

Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of a health crisis in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 there; what steps they are taking to support the relevant authorities in relieving any such crisis in the camps; and what recent discussions they have held with the UN Relief and Works Agency on this matter.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In support of Lebanon's response to coronavirus, the UK has contributed nearly £4.5 million for medical supplies via World Health Organisation, support through the British Red Cross, training to medical professionals, and funding for 10 isolation centres.

The UK is committed to supporting vulnerable Palestinian refugees in Lebanon through our annual support to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). UK aid helps UNRWA provide essential services to vulnerable Palestinian refugees including responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.


Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Friday 10th September 2021

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the financial capacity of the Palestinian Ministry of Health to respond to ongoing needs during the covid-19 pandemic.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

We welcome the steps that the Israeli and Palestinian authorities have taken so far to coordinate responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage further dialogue in this regard. The UK is committed to global equitable access to effective vaccines as demonstrated by our £548 million contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines. The Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) were among the first to benefit from the COVAX scheme with its first delivery of vaccines on 17 March 2021. Since that initial shipment, we are pleased that several further deliveries have arrived in the OPTs, including most recently on 25 August 2021.


Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Tuesday 20th July 2021

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the Israeli Government on that Government's obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention to provide vaccines for the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

We recognise that under International Humanitarian Law, Israel, as the occupying power, has a duty of ensuring and maintaining public health and hygiene, to the fullest extent of the means available to it, including in relation to combating the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). We also recognise the Palestinian Authority's responsibilities for vaccinations under the Oslo Accords (under Article 17). Cooperation is key to tackling Covid-19: the British Embassy Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General Jerusalem are in regular contact with both parties and continue to urge them to coordinate on vaccine access.


Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Friday 16th July 2021

Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Government will provide covid-19 vaccines to the Palestinian Authority from supplies surplus to UK needs.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

The UK is committed to global equitable access to effective vaccines as demonstrated by our £548 million contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines. We are pleased that the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) were among the first to benefit from the COVAX scheme with its first delivery on 17 March 2021. Since that initial shipment, we are pleased that several further deliveries have arrived in the OPTs, including most recently on 2 June 2021.


Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Monday 17th May 2021

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on ensuring access to covid-19 vaccines in the Palestinian Occupied Territories.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

The British Embassy Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General Jerusalem are in regular contact with the parties and will continue to raise the issue of timely access to vaccines. The UK is committed to global equitable access to effective vaccines as demonstrated by our £548 million contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines. We are pleased that the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) were among the first to benefit from the COVAX scheme with delivery of over 61,000 doses that arrived on 17 March. A second shipment of 72,000 doses from COVAX arrived in the OPTs on 19 April with more due later in May.


Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Palestinians were denied entry to the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan by Israeli forces on the basis that they had not been (1) tested for COVID-19, or (2) vaccinated against COVID-19; and what assessment they have made of the availability of COVID-19 (a) tests, and (b) vaccines, to Palestinians living in the West Bank.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount and Jerusalem hold particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. We support the freedom of Muslims to worship at Al Haram Al Sharif. In meetings with the Israeli authorities we regularly raise the need to respect the status quo of the holy sites in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The UK is committed to global equitable access to effective vaccines as demonstrated by our £548 million contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines. We remain in close contact with the Palestinian Authority on their vaccination campaign and ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Cleverly most recently discussed this issue with the Palestinian Health Minister on 23 March 2021. We also continue to raise the importance of timely and appropriate access to COVID-19 vaccines with the Israeli Authorities, including through our Embassy in Tel Aviv.


Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Tuesday 20th April 2021

Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of Palestinians residing in East Jerusalem that have received the covid-19 vaccination from the Government of Israel.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

The UK is committed to global equitable access to effective vaccines as demonstrated by our £548 million contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines. We were pleased to note that the first shipment of over 60,000 doses from the COVAX scheme arrived in the OPTs on 17 March and that over 21,000 were sent to Gaza.

The British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem are in regular contact with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities respectively, and will continue to raise timely and appropriate access to COVID-19 vaccines.


Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Tuesday 20th April 2021

Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the use of covid-19 vaccinations that have been made available to the Palestinian Authority.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

The UK is committed to global equitable access to effective vaccines as demonstrated by our £548 million contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines. We were pleased to note that the first shipment of over 60,000 doses from the COVAX scheme arrived in the OPTs on 17 March and that over 21,000 were sent to Gaza.

The British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem are in regular contact with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities respectively, and will continue to raise timely and appropriate access to COVID-19 vaccines.


Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Thursday 8th April 2021

Asked by: Baroness Sheehan (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to the Palestinian Authority to ensure that supplies of COVID-19 vaccines (1) to the West Bank, and (2) to Gaza, are not delayed.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

The UK is committed to global equitable access to effective vaccines as demonstrated by our £548 million contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) - the international initiative to support global equitable access to vaccines. We were pleased to note that the first shipment of over 60,000 doses from the COVAX scheme arrived in the OPTs on the 17th March and that over 21,000 were sent to Gaza.

The British Consulate-General in Jerusalem is in regular contact with the Palestinian Authority and will continue to raise timely and appropriate access to COVID-19 vaccines. UN agencies, the PA and the Israeli Government are also working together to ensure that essential medical supplies and staff can access Gaza.


Written Question
Palestinians: Coronavirus
Monday 15th March 2021

Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the responsibilities of the government of Israel in relation to the provision of COVID-19 vaccinations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and what plans they have to make representations about this matter to the government of Israel.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised the issue of vaccines with the Israeli Authorities on 24 February, encouraging the Government of Israel to continue to facilitate the transfer of vaccines to the PA when required. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem will continue to raise timely and appropriate access to COVID-19 vaccines and medical equipment.