Published: 12 May 2020
Last updated: 4 March 2024
WITH COVID-19 STILL spreading death and disease across the globe and spiralling relentlessly in the US and UK, the Palestinian Authority that has self-rule in the West Bank (subject to Israeli occupation) reached a positive milestone last Wednesday: there were zero new cases of coronavirus.
As of May 6, there had been two deaths from coronavirus in the West Bank and 543 cases, with 222 recoveries, according to the PA ministry of health. That is a remarkable feat for the PA, which has repeatedly been labelled a "failed state " by the Israeli Right. Thus far, when it comes to curbing corona, the "failed state", despite limited resources and medical infrastructure, has done even better than Israel.
Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas and not the PA, had 12 officially confirmed cases at the time of publication but there were still fears the virus could spread disastrously through the densely inhabited coastal strip. Nor were the West Bank results cause for all-out celebration because the lockdown that achieved them was igniting further shocks to the already fragile economy.
Still, for a change the PA could relish a success acknowledged also by Israeli observers. "The functioning [of the PA] deserves a lot of praise," said Aviv Tatarsky, an analyst at the Forum for Regional Thinking, an independent Jewish and Arab research institute. "People thought things would be worse there than in Israel. But the functioning has been successful so far. At this point, corona has hurt Israel more than the PA and this is the result of the PA's decisions."
People thought things would be worse there than in Israel. But the functioning has been successful so far. At this point, corona has hurt Israel more than the PA and this is the result of the PA's decisions.
In particular, Palestinian analysts say, the PA got it right by responding quickly in declaring a state of emergency and shuttering schools and shops right after the first cases were discovered in Bethlehem in early March. Impacted areas were sealed off and a full lockdown ensued.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh "understood the health capabilities are very limited so he focused on preventive measures which enabled him to succeed in slowing the spread of the virus so the figures on our side are relatively impressive," said Ghassan Khatib, a former PA minister who teaches at Bir Zeit University.
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Along with the success, the popularity of both Shtayyeh and the normally-derided PA shot up, although the gains may well evaporate unless solutions are found for the heightened economic distress.
Shtayyeh also won public confidence with an effective media strategy in which he, PA spokesman Ibrahim Milhim and ministers, held frequent briefings and press conferences. "People were informed every day about the situation and how to deal with it," said Ashraf Ajrami, former PA minister for prisoner affairs.
But Israelis were less than pleased with the media strategy, which often blamed Israel and in the view of some, even veered into anti-Semitism.
Milhim, who did not respond to a request to be interviewed for this article, at one point termed Israel "the agent of corona" amid PA anger that Israel was not organising an orderly and staged return of Palestinian labourers to the West Bank. Most of the Palestinian corona cases originated from labourers who were infected while in Israel, according to PA officials.
Shtayyeh tweeted on April 1 "the real weakness in our battle against Covid-19 is the Israeli occupation and all its policies that attempt to thwart our efforts to protect our people. We don't accept Israeli guardianship over our measures. What is required is for Israel to leave us alone."
PA spokesman Ibrahim Milhim at one point termed Israel 'the agent of corona' amid PA anger that Israel was not organising an orderly and staged return of Palestinian labourers to the West Bank.
According to an April 14 report in the Times of Israel, Israeli officials termed the claims Israel was spreading corona "incitement" and warned of significant consequences if they were repeated. But the PA refused to back down.
Despite the success in curbing corona, because of its economic impact the Palestinians are "one of the underdeveloped nations hit hardest" said West Bank business magnate Bashar al.-Masri. "The consequences are severe. Things have been closed for six weeks. Thousands of small businesses will go bankrupt," he added.
Masri, who founded the town of Rawabi near Ramallah, put four hotels that he owns at the disposal of the PA to use as quarantine sites and to house medical staff. He says tourism has been the hardest hit sector with no open hotels. But it will also recover quickly when the plague is over, he predicted.
"Tourists come because of holy shrines and history and coronavirus can't change what happened in history," he said.
He called on the PA to reopen the economy after the al-Fitr holiday ending Ramadan towards the end of May. "It's important that the PA open up immediately after the holiday, that's when people want to go back to normal. People still fear the disease, but they need the income."
READ MORE
Pandemic boosts Palestinian PM as potential Abbas successor (Ynet)
Mohammad Shtayyeh's success in tackling the coronavirus outbreak in the West Bank has brought many to consider him a worthy successor, especially considering the deteriorating economic situation within the Palestinian Authority
In Israel, coronavirus crisis improves Jewish-Arab relations (Al-Monitor)
Contrary to past emergency situations, the COVID-19 crisis seems to have helped improve the relationship between the Jewish and Arab communities
Photo: Police spray disinfectant on a Gaza street
