Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East
Peace Process, has praised the coordination between the Israeli
and Palestine authorities in reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Mladenov’s comments were made during a telephone conversation
with the other members of the Middle East Quartet, a body set up
to mediate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. It is made up
of representatives of the European Union, Russia, the USA, and
the United Nations.
During the call, which took place on Thursday, Mr. Mladenov gave
a detailed briefing on the UN COVID-19 response plan,
focusing mainly on Gaza, where there is a substantial risk of the
disease spreading.
In a statement released on Friday, the coordination and
cooperation established between Israel and Palestine, with regard
to tackling COVID-19, was described as “excellent”.
The Israeli and Palestinian authorities are continuing to
coordinate their responses closely and constructively, the
statement said, which is a major factor in the level of disease
containment achieved so far.
The Israeli government has reportedly approved measures to limit
the movement of people and trade, including closing schools and
banning mass gatherings, whilst the Palestinian Prime Minister is
reported to have ordered a lockdown on Sunday night.
Latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures
show more than 3,300 confirmed cases in Israel, and more than 80
in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Since the beginning of the crisis, Israel has allowed the entry
of critical supplies and equipment into Gaza: examples of
critical supplies include swabs for collection of samples and
other laboratory supplies required for COVID-19 testing, and
Personal Protective Equipment to protect health workers.
The statement also noted Israel’s cooperation in allowing health
workers and other personnel involved in the COVID-19 response to
move in and out of the West Bank and Gaza.
