Palestinian PM accuses IDF troops of deliberately spreading coronavirus

Firebrand politician claims was 'exposed to testimonies of Israeli soldiers trying to spread virus on car handles', cites racism and hatred as main motive behind actions
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Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh on Sunday accused IDF soldiers of deliberately spreading the novel coronavirus among the West Bank's Palestinian population.
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    • In the latest iteration of an ongoing and long-standing blood libel, Shtayyeh claimed, "We were exposed to testimonies that some of the (Israeli) soldiers are trying to spread the virus on car handles."
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    השבעת הממשלה הפלסטינית החדשה    השבעת הממשלה הפלסטינית החדשה
    Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh
    (Photo: AFP)
    The firebrand politician cited racism as the main motive behind the soldiers' actions.
    "This is racism and hatred of people who long for the death of the other. We will record this in the list of crimes [against Israel], " Shtayyeh said.
    During his address, the Palestinian diplomat called on Israel to release Palestinian prisoners, particularly the sick, women and children. He added that Israel should be responsible to pay up to 90,000 Palestinian workers to cover their enforced absence from work.
    Shtayyeh, a long-standing advocate against Israel, has previously accused the Jewish State of "waging war on the Palestinian narrative" as well as attempting to "Judaize the history of the Holy Land."
    The Palestinian Authority (PA) revealed that there are now more than 100 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. To date, there has only been one fatality - a West Bank woman in her sixties who did not travel overseas lately, nor come into contact with other confirmed coronavirus patients.
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    Gaza health workers disinfecting the streets     Gaza health workers disinfecting the streets
    Gaza health workers disinfecting the streets
    (Photo: EPA)
    After the Gaza Strip confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus last week, Executive Director of Physicians for Human Rights in Israel (PHRI) Ran Goldstein told i24NEWS last Monday that the coastal enclave is underequipped and lacks medical personnel to tackle a large-scale outbreak of COVID-19.
    “From a human rights perspective, I think it’s important to talk about the responsibility of Israel, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority and the world,” Goldstein said. "The situation in Gaza must have a better solution than just a military solution. Now when we see that there are health needs, hopefully, the world will come and help Gaza, as well as Israel because there is a shared interest."
    There is a shortage of ventilators in Gaza, and there are only 17 intensive care beds available."
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    6.
    No corona fear in the Arab villages
    Where i live in the Galilee most of my neighboring communities are Muslim Arabs, I frequently shop in these villages and what I've witnessed over the past few weeks is a total disregard for any obedience towards the quarantine. The young ladies who work at the check outs, some of whom I've known for years at best are wearing gloves but no masks and they're constantly touching their faces. I can only say that they have a totally different approach to this epidemic. Inshallah
    Dov Wiseman| 03.31.20
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    5.
    But he has nothing to say to China originator of virus
    Steve Benassi| 03.30.20
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    4.
    gantz an insecure and weak character
    bibi will of course try to cut his own deal to save his rear end. in the process of doing this, he shows himself to be a lousy negotiator, prone to offer too many concessions. it was gantz who decided to move over to likud. there was no reason to offer him so many ministries. bibi who has his own character flaws, sat there dithering with gantz during the gaza war where gantz was slow, passive and wrong about the danger of tunnels. to now reward him with defense is madness,especially since Bennett is far superior to him and doing a great job-finally a defense minister on the attack calling his own game. here is what bibi should have offered gantz-strategic affairs, justice, foreign affairs, and agriculture. and that is it. no need to offer him more. let him go back to lapid if he will take him. also if gantz believed in lapid and their path, he should not have veered off it. moreover, he should not have lied to trump saying he would bring his plan to the knesset as he believed in it. and to give egypt and jordan a veto over annexation hosws how unrealistic gantz is.israel does not need to beg and does not need their permission. gantz will not survive politically another election. bibi should go to election 4.
    mark| 03.30.20
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