Israel’s Internal Security Minister Amir Ohanna has directed authorities not to inoculate Palestinian prisoners lodged in Israeli jails. He asked health officials to vaccinate only the jail staff.

Despite the fast rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, Israel’s decision not to vaccinate Palestinian prisoners or those inhabiting the occupied territories has alarmed families and civil rights groups.

Civil rights groups claim that such is the extent of “medical apartheid” unleashed by Israeli authorities that inmates in Remon jail had to fight with prison authorities a few days ago to force them to send Basel Ajaj, a COVID-19 infected Palestinian prisoner, to hospital for treatment.