Palestinian media compares Israel to coronavirus - report

"Just as we will overcome the coronavirus, we will certainly overcome the occupation’s viruses that are more dangerous than all of nature’s viruses.”

By ZACHARY KEYSER
Palestinian workers, wearing masks amid coronavirus precautions, bake bread at a bakery in Gaza City March 8, 2020 (photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)
Palestinian workers, wearing masks amid coronavirus precautions, bake bread at a bakery in Gaza City March 8, 2020
(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)
Al Hayat Al Jadida, the official newspaper of the Palestinian Authority, published an op-ed comparing Israeli policies to the coronavirus Tuesday, according to a report by the Palestinian Media Watch (PMW).
"Just as we will overcome the coronavirus, we will certainly overcome the occupation’s viruses that are more dangerous than all of nature’s viruses,” the opinion piece read, adding that Israel is comparable to and "more dangerous" than "all of nature's viruses."
The media watchdog proclaimed that this is just one instance of speech among many targeting Israel following the outbreak of the coronavirus, that were found being disseminated to the public by Palestinian officials and daily newspapers.
“For weeks, PA media has been immersed in the coronavirus story, including occasional demonization of Israel – without mentioning Israel's efforts in helping the PA," according to Nan Jacques Zilberdik, senior analyst for PMW. "Finally yesterday, the PA government spokesman informed Palestinians of the vast cooperation between Israel and the PA in fighting corona, including having established a joint situation room to deal with this pandemic.”
The report revealed three other cases mentioned in the op-ed. On Monday, the newpaper published a cartoon depicting an Israeli tank where the turret was in the shape of the peplomer proteins illustrated in the scientific model of the coronavirus.
Another instance included PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh posting a video on his official Facebook page claiming that the Palestinian Authority was dealing with both "the coronavirus and the occupation virus." Similarly, Ramallah Governor Laila Ghannam correlated living with Israel to living with the virus, adding that the "coronavirus is not more difficult than the occupation, not more difficult than the siege.”
Israel and the Palestinian Authority have launched numerous joint efforts in recent weeks aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus throughout the region together.
Just yesterday, the two typically rivaling sides set up a joint operations room to combat the pandemic, according to the PA spokesman Ibrahim Milhem.
Before the joint operations were announced, Al Hayat Al Jadida had accused Israel of "helping the coronavirus" spread across the Palestinian territories, adding that the Israeli government shows "indifference regarding the spread of the virus among the Palestinians."
A Defense Ministry official confirmed that a joint operations room has been set up with the Palestinians, but declined to provide further details.
“Our shared borders and relations do not leave room for hesitation to take severe measures and cooperate on the highest levels to prevent the spread of the virus,” Milhem said on Tuesday.
Additionally, COGAT announced earlier this month that they delivered 250 COVID-19 testing kits to the Palestinian Authority at the instruction of COGAT health coordinator Dalia Bassa. The coordinator unit has also been organizing joint training sessions for Israeli and Palestinian medical staff, including providing information on personal protection while handling a suspected coronavirus patient.
COGAT also provided the Palestinian public in the PA-ruled West Bank and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip with an Arabic translation of the Health Ministry's instructions on self-quarantine. The digital instructions were also made accessible on various online platforms.
Leon Sverdlov and Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report.