The Palestinian Authority on Saturday announced new coronavirus restrictions, including a partial lockdown, for the occupied West Bank as COVID-19 cases increase.
The big picture: The new measures come as Israel, the world leader in vaccinations, is under increasing pressure to ensure that Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip have equal access to vaccines.
- The Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced this week that the country will send a “token amount” of vaccines to the Palestinian Authority and to several countries that have asked for help, Axios’ Barak Ravid reported.
- Although the Palestinian Authority has begun a limited vaccination campaign, with more vaccine shipments on the way, it remains unclear, according to The New York Times, when the majority of the more than 5 million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip will have access to vaccines.
Details: According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, the restrictions in the West Bank, starting Sunday, will last at least 12 days.
- Most schools will have to close and universities will have to switch to virtual education.
- The restrictions include a ban on most trips between provinces and to and from Jerusalem, a curfew and a ban on most trips on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Weddings, parties and funerals are also prohibited.
In numbers: The West Bank and Gaza have recorded more than 181,900 COVID-19 cases and 2,025 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
- The Palestinian Ministry of Health said Saturday that the West Bank has reported 910 new cases and five deaths in the past 24 hours, according to the Times.
Go deeper: Blinken asks Israeli help in facilitating vaccines for Palestinians