Palestinian Authority closes case on vaccine deal, says none were purchased

A fact-finding committee that was investigating a deal to purchase Pfizer vaccines for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank last year has decided to close the case as it said it found no wrongdoing.

The committee, formed in June 2021 by the Palestinian Council of Ministers, said it was “satisfied” with the findings and stressed that no financial transactions were made to buy 93,600 doses of vaccines from Israel, thus posing no harm to public health.

"The results of the investigation do justice to the Ministry of Health and its cadres, after a wave of rumours that damaged the ministry's reputation," said Palestinian Health Minister Mai Al-Kaila.

The deal had caused a stir in the West Bank as it was revealed that the vaccines bought by the Palestinian Authority were close to their expiry dates. The government later confirmed that it cancelled the agreement with Israel.

The issue was raised by Nizar Banat, a well-known critic of the Palestinian Authority who died in police custody in June last year.

Banat had spoken of the deal on his Facebook page only three days before his death was announced.