On 14 January 2021, Al-Haq sent a letter to Pfizer expressing concern at Israel’s racially discriminatory exclusion of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip from its vaccination efforts and reminding the company of its international obligations under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Al-Haq said, “The exclusion of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the inclusion of illegal Israeli settlers, in Israel’s vaccination program is not only a component of the existing institutionalised regime of racial domination and oppression over the Palestinian people as a whole but serves to strengthen and further entrench the discriminatory situation on the ground.” Al-Haq requested that Pfizer provide information as to whether it sought assurances from Israel that the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine would be used following international legal standards, including those under international human rights and humanitarian law, and called on the company to issue a public statement in support of the principle of non-discrimination in public health.  To check the news, click here