Opinion
8 FEBRUARY 2021
The bitter truth of Israel's vaccination ‘success’ Zahra Jawad BA Politics and Economics The world is racing to vaccinate its population against the notorious Covid-19 virus. Many see Israel's vaccine effort as a triumph because it administered first shots to 2.6m citizens as of mid January, and secured more doses of vaccine than it actually needs. The country leads decisively in this race of man versus virus, however serious ethical concerns are being raised as almost all the 4.5 million Palestinians residing in the occupied territories are yet to receive a jab. According to the United Nations, only Palestinians who hold Israeli IDs get the privilege of taking part in the mass immunisation process. Covid-19 has been nothing short of a humanitarian disaster for the Palestinians. Prior to the crisis, Gaza had been suffocating under the Israeli imposed blockade with access to only six hours of electricity per day, just 500 hospital beds and 70 ICU units. Health officials stated in 2020 that Israel’s ongoing siege was a death sentence for Gaza’s Covid-19 patients. Earlier this month, the Palestinian Authority made a statement on Israel’s
immunization policy, stating that seeking help will give creedence to the case made by Israeli law makers to undermine Palestinian statehood. Israel has claimed in the past that the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Hamas hold rights to govern their own affairs, yet the Israeli authorities still remain largely in control. From collecting taxes on behalf of the Palestinian authority to even regulating the central bank, Netanyahu's right wing regime can pick and choose which aspects of governance they want to deny the Palestinians. Unapologetic Israeli advocates will cite the much misused Oslo Accords, which state that the Palestinian Authory is solely responsible for the health care of Palestinians in the West bank and Gaza. However, this was only agreed under the assumption that there would be better constructed relations of peace between the two peoples. Over the years after 1991, we see that now it is far from fair and peaceful. Illegal settlement in the West Bank has grown exponentially since the signing. On the eve of Joe Biden's inauguration on 20 January, the Israeli government published plans for 2,112 illegal units of housing in the occupied West Bank and 460 in East Jerusalem. Judging by
A mural located near the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip (Credit: Mohammed Abed/ AFP, Getty Images).
these numbers alone we can see there has been no development for bilateral peace. The unfolding of events since 1991 have done nothing more than slowly erase hope for the establishment of a Palestinian state. To all those who remain insistent on defending Israel, it’s worth noting that human rights experts have shot back, stating that Israel is required under the Fourth Geneva Convention under article 56 to use preventive measures necessary to combat the spread of contagious diseases and epidemics as it stands as the occupied power. Israel has violated these terms by doing no such thing. Despite the grim reality which faces the Palestinians, a ray of hope arises as on 11 January the Palestinian health ministry said
it had approved the use of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine. Despite the good news, Russian officials emphasize the harsh reality of short supply, and the agreed upon 4m doses may be delayed. All this would not be a problem if Israel took up its duty and followed its moral and humanitarian obligation to aid the Palestinians. The overheated debate has caused a massive uproar in the international community, which led Health Minister Yuli Edelstein to publicly announce that Palestinian detainees will receive vaccinations in the coming weeks. However, the Israelis must continue to be held to account - how many lives could have been saved if they had bowed to international pressure sooner?
10 Years on, did the Arab Spring bring stability to the region? Clayton Barrington-Russell, BA Arabic and International Relations Freedom of speech, the reduction of sky-high unemployment rates and an end to government corruption and political repression. These were the demands of thousands of protestors who, in 2011, took to the streets of the Arab world from the Maghreb to the Gulf. Unfortunately it is clear that ten years later, many of these demands still have not been met. So what has the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ actually brought to the region? DEMOCRACY Triggered by the self-immolation of the 26-year-old street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi in the central Tunisian city of Sidi Bouzid, the so-called ‘Jasmine Revolution’ led to the overthrow of President Ben Ali, and the deaths of 338 protestors. Their memory lives on through murals and memorials, and their legacy means that Tunisians can now hold regular democratic elections - the most recent being in 2019. Despite this, many of the Revolutionaries' dreams remain unfulfilled. This January’s demonstrations in Tunis are a spitting image of those held almost exactly 10 years ago to the night. Rising unemployment remains as relevant as ever in this small North African nation. CONFLICT While Tunisians now have the right to openly criticise their government, this is not the case for millions on the Mediterranean’s Eastern shores. Despite the resignations of many Syrian politicians, the violent military crackdown on public demonstrations in early 2011 gave rise to the Free Syrian Army - a rebel group aiming to remove President Bashar al-Assad from power. As the Civil War progressed,
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various Islamist factions such as Daesh and al-Nusra Front established footholds in the East, and Kurdish militias in the North. Daesh were driven out of the cities by US-led coalition airstrikes, however their continued presence threatens to destabilise the region. It is no secret that the chaos of the Syrian Civil War has had a devastating impact on the entire region. After approximately half a million deaths, the anti-government sentiment within Syria still remains strong. Recent demonstrations in the government-controlled Southern town of Suweida show that in spite of the merciless annihilation of his political opponents, Syrians are still not afraid to voice their discontent toward al-Assad’s regime. Assad may be close to winning the war on the ground, but he has definitely not won over Syrian hearts. The momentum of the Syrian Revolution relentlessly continues. INSTABILITY Whilst the ghosts of revolution still haunt Syria, the momentum of the Egyptian uprising was crushed just two years afterward. Despite the initial violent responses taken by the government, millions packed the streets of Cairo in February 2011 demanding the resignation of President Mubarak. This was ultimately successful, but Mohamed Morsi - the winner of the resulting democratic elections - was ousted in 2013 by the Egyptian Army. In the words of Professor Gilbert Achar, a renowned regional specialist in Middle Eastern Politics, ‘Euphoria gave way to pessimism as many quarters declared the dreams of the “Arab Spring” to be dead.’ The subsequent instability caused by the coup continues to this day. Calls for current President Sisi to step down grow by the year, while the current instability of the Sinai insurgency threatens to further deepen the religious divisions within Egyptian society.
UNITY In spite of the bloodshed, the speed at which these protests gained momentum undeniably provided much-needed hope to millions across the region. United, Tunisians had disposed of their authoritarian regime, and, despite the ensuing violence, Egyptians held their first elections with more than two candidates. Drawing inspiration and then condemnation from all over the world, this form of united resistance had not been seen in the region for generations.
“These protests… provided muchneeded hope to millions across the region.”
During the past decade, anti-government protests have been ever-present throughout the Arab World, from the initial revolutionary uprisings in Tunisia to the bloody civil wars in Libya, Yemen and Syria. The uniting force of this revolutionary protest has demonstrated that it is here to stay, and in the last few years many smaller demonstrations have taken place within specific regions, such as the Hirak Rif movement of Northern Morocco. Furthermore, the Arab Spring’s momentum and anticipation of change proved influential outside the Middle East, inspiring the Tuareg Rebellion in Mali and protests as far away as the Maldives. One thing is for certain - we have not seen the last of mass protests across North Africa and the Middle East.
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