By Canadian Press

NDP MP’s post on Israeli vaccinations in West Bank sparks social media dust-up

Jan 4, 2021 | 1:11 PM

OTTAWA — A Twitter post by NDP MP Charlie Angus on Israel’s vaccination policy has kicked up a storm of social media controversy.

The online post links to an article in The Guardian newspaper that highlights how Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza are not among the beneficiaries of Israel’s rapid rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, whereas Jewish settlers are.

Angus calls the situation “appalling” and caps off the tweet with the words, “#apartheidstate.”

The post Sunday sparked more than 1,000 likes, but also backlash, including from Liberal MP Ya’ara Saks.

Saks, who represents Toronto’s York Centre riding — which includes a sizable Jewish community — said in a reply that the Palestinian Authority is responsible for the medical care of its citizens, and noted the article states the authority has not officially asked for help from Israel.

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Israel has led the world in per-capita inoculations, but which shoulders receive the shots remains a controversial issue.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2021.

The Canadian Press