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WORLD NEWS Friday 11 december 2020
African health official blasts 'terrible' vaccine inequality

By CARA ANNA called this "a pivotal mo-
Associated Press ment in the history of our
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — "It continent" with develop-
will be extremely terrible to ment in the balance.
see" rich countries receiv- As he spoke, the World
ing COVID-19 vaccines Trade Organization was
while African countries go meeting in Geneva on a
without, especially as a request by South Africa
new surge in cases begins and India to waive some in-
on the continent of 1.3 bil- tellectual property rules to
lion people, Africa's top allow for faster, easier ac-
public health official said cess to COVID-19 vaccines
Thursday. around the world.
As the world watches mass "But a small group of high-
vaccinations begin in Brit- income countries and their
ain, Africa Centers for Dis- trading partners have op-
ease Control and Preven- posed it including Brazil, the
tion director John Nkengas- European Union, Canada,
ong has warned that Africa the United States, Japan
might not see vaccines un- and the United Kingdom,"
til after the second quarter Human Rights Watch said
of 2021. in a statement with Amnes-
Nkengasong urged the A grave digger prepares graves at the Motherwell Cemetery in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Friday, ty International supporting
United Nations to summon Dec. 4, 2020. the waiver.
a special session to discuss Associated Press The U.S. has said the waiv-
the ethical, fair distribution er would be a "broad and
of vaccines to avoid "this COVAX facility," the multi- countries with excess doses calling it a "real problem" unprecedented step," ac-
North-South distrust in re- national initiative designed to give them to COVAX or as some countries have or- cording to notes from an
spect to vaccines, which is to deliver at least some countries in need. dered far more doses than internal WTO meeting last
a common good." vaccines to less developed He has warned that the needed. month. The EU said the
COVID-19 will not be de- countries. coronavirus could become Africa's 54 countries now waiver could "undermine
feated in the West alone, Africa won't receive near- endemic in Africa if vacci- have a total of more than the ongoing public-private
he said, and he took aim at ly enough vaccines from nations take too long. 2.3 million confirmed infec- collaboration" on equi-
"today's dialogue of suspi- COVAX to reach the goal In a separate briefing, Rich- tions, including 100,000 in table access and stressed
cion" as rich countries buy of vaccinating 60% of the ard Mihigo of the World the past week. the need to "preserve in-
vaccines "in excess of their population to achieve herd Health Organization said it's "Clearly the second wave centives." Britain said the
needs while we in Africa immunity, Nkengasong time "to make a strong ap- is here, no doubt," the Af- waiver would create "long-
are still struggling with the said, and he appealed to peal" for equitable access, rica CDC director said. He term uncertainty."q

Israeli tribunal backs soldier's plea deal in fatal shooting

By ILAN BEN ZION military court of excessive took Ghayadah to a hospi-
JERUSALEM (AP) — An Is- leniency, and the deal was tal, while Manasra offered
raeli military tribunal has fiercely criticized by the to drive Ghayadah's wife
upheld a contentious plea victims' families. and two young daughters
bargain that avoids jail Critics say potentially crimi- behind them. When their
time for a soldier who killed nal shootings of Palestinians car wouldn't start, he got
a Palestinian man and seri- rarely result in convictions out of the vehicle and was
ously wounded another in or even indictments, and shot himself, according to
the West Bank last year. that the military justice sys- B'Tselem.
The plea deal offered the tem is biased in favor of sol- Manasra's family appealed
soldier — who remains un- diers. Indictments of Israeli to Israel's Supreme Court to
identified — three months soldiers are very rare. strike down the plea deal,
of military labor service for In the March 20, 2019, inci- but the court rejected the
admitting to killing 22-year- dent, Ghadayah pulled off appeal in November.
old Ahmad Manasra and the road following a traffic In a ruling Wednesday, a
shooting Alaa Ghayadah dispute. When he got out majority of the military tri-
at a junction near the West of his car, the accused sol- bunal upheld the agree- In this March 21, 2019 file photo, Wafa Manasra, mother of
22-year-old Palestinian Ahmad Manasra, kisses him goodbye
Bank town of Bethlehem in dier, who was stationed in ment, calling the shoot- during his funeral in the West Bank village of Wad Fokin, near
March 2019. a nearby guard tower, shot ing a "clear operational Bethlehem.
The soldier has claimed he him, according to witness incident." It said "mistaken Associated Press
mistook the victims for at- testimony gathered by the identity is what brought the
tackers, and said he had Israeli rights group B'Tselem. accused to a reckless act case of Ahmad's killing. icy of "systemic whitewash-
been instructed by com- Manasra and three others and not intent to harm in- "He wanted to help a fam- ing and lack of account-
manding officers to be on were driving home from nocents, desire to violate ily and was shot for no rea- ability for Israeli security
high alert following a string a wedding near Bethle- orders or readiness to take son," Manasra said. "I lost forces who shoot and kill
of Palestinian attacks on Is- hem when they saw Gha- justice into his own hands." him and now I don't see jus- Palestinian with no justifica-
raelis in the vicinity. dayah's wife on the side of Jamal Manasra, the slain tice for him." tion, instead of using law
Palestinians and Israeli rights the road asking for help. man's father, said that B'Tselem said the tribunal's enforcement to protect
groups have accused the Manasra's companions "there is no justice" in the decision was part of a pol- the victims."q