Israel crossed the significant milestone of vaccinating over two million of its population on Thursday, with the Prime Minister giving a hopeful message of  “light at the end of the tunnel”.

Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Israel will become the first country to emerge from the corona crisis.”

“We see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said, as he witnessed a woman become the second millionth to receive the COVID-19 jab.

A sign held by Margaret Alsoso while receiving the vaccine read “I am the second millionth.”

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Netanyahu highlighted his personal contribution towards the immensely successful vaccination drive of Israel. 

The prime minister was the first to get the jab on December 19, when Israel launched its inoculation campaign with the vaccine made by US-German pharma alliance Pfizer-BioNTech.

In early January the government claimed that at least two million people would receive a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the month. However, only 150,000 people have been administered with both doses of the vaccine as of Thursday. 

But as Israel pushes aggressively with its vaccination drive, it is also witnessing a surge in the pandemic with some 9,000 coronavirus cases registered daily.

According to official data provided by Israel’s health ministry, a total of 523,000 cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the country with over 3,850 deaths. 

Amnesty International has called on Israel to provide coronavirus vaccine doses to Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the blockaded Gaza Strip, saying the Jewish state is obliged to do so under international law.

Amir Ohana, the Public Security Minister of Israel, came under heavy criticism after stating that the Palestinian prisoners will at the bottom of the barrel for COVID-19 vaccines.  

Multiple human rights activists and organisations have petitioned the supreme court for providing vaccinations to Palestinian prisoners. 

Also Read: US administers 10 million COVID-19 vaccines but remains behind target

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said Thursday the first doses of the vaccine would be distributed to prisons next week, adding that a medical committee would decide who would get the first jabs.

According to the Palestinian Prisoners Club, a rights group, 190 Palestinian inmates, out of around 4,400 held in Israeli jails, have tested positive for coronavirus since April.

The Palestinian Authority has not publicly said whether it has sought vaccines from Israel.

But on Monday the Palestine Liberation Organisation called on the international community “to hold Israel to account” and ensure the Jewish state provides vaccines to all Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.