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Israel, Palestinians Cooperate to Combat Coronavirus
(Jerusalem Post) Khaled Abu Toameh - Israel and the Palestinian Authority have set up a joint operations room to combat the coronavirus pandemic, PA spokesman Ibrahim Milhem revealed on Tuesday. "We have been working with the Israeli authorities from day one to fight the virus," said a Bethlehem-based Palestinian health official. "Most of the measures we took in the Bethlehem area after the first cases were detected were done in full coordination with the Israeli authorities." The PA leadership is often criticized for promoting normalization with Israel. But "anyone who opposes cooperation with Israel in the medical field would be acting against the interests of our people," said a PA official in Ramallah. "This is the time to lay aside our differences and work together against the pandemic, which does not distinguish between Jew and Arab." Maj. Yotam Shefer, head of the International Department of the Civil Administration, said on Wednesday that in the last three weeks, "Israel delivered to the PA 400 medical kits enabling observation of the virus and 500 protective equipment kits for Palestinian medical staff and security forces as well. Also, there are joint tutorials and professional medical workshops for Israeli and Palestinian medical staff."