Israel has approved a plan to begin vaccinating Palestinian laborers who work inside its territory and in West Bank settlements with Moderna Inc. shots.
Israel will start administering COVID-19 vaccines in the coming days at crossings and in industrial zones throughout the West Bank, according to a statement from an Israeli Defense Ministry unit on Sunday.
Israel’s vaccine drive leads the world with more than half its population inoculated, but the country has also faced pressure to provide vaccines for the millions of Palestinians under its control.
Palestinian workers are a crucial source of labor for the Israeli construction industry as well as the local economy. The 100,000 Palestinians that typically work inside Israel account for about 20% of the $15 billion Palestinian economy, according to the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute.
