H eadlines
ISRAELBRIEFS Palestinian Peace Negotiator Saeb Erekat
Dies of Coronavirus
SAEB EREKAT, the Palestinian peace negoti-
ator who forged close relationships with his Israeli
counterparts and pushed for a two-state outcome
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, died Nov 10 from
coronavirus, JTA reported. He was 65.

Erekat died in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem
suburb Ein Kerem in the care of Israeli physicians.

Erekat’s spent much of his adult life trying to
reach a peace agreement with Israel and was the
deputy head of the Palestinian delegation at the
1991 Madrid talks convened by President George
H. W. Bush.

He became the chief Palestinian negotiator in
1993 once the Oslo peace process direct talks were
underway and was also the secretary-general of
the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation
Organization. “Saeb dedicated his life to his people,” said
Tzipi Livni, who, as Israeli foreign minister,
negotiated with Erekat during the 2007-2008
Annapolis talks.

“Reaching Peace is my destiny he used to say,”
she said on Twitter. “Being sick, he texted me: ‘I’m
not finished with what I was born to do’. My deepest
condolences to the Palestinians and his family.”
Netanyahu: Israel to Get Pfizer Coronavirus
Vaccines in January
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Nov. 12
that Israel will start receiving Pfizer’s coronavirus
vaccine as early as January, the Times of Israel
reported. “Together with the legal advisers on both sides,
we have removed the last obstacle before signing a
contract with Pfizer for the supply of vaccines to
Israel,” Netanyahu said in statement broadcast live.

“We will get these vaccines like the leading
countries in the world. It will start in January, it will
grow from month to month. And we are working, and
I am working, to bring vaccines from other sources as
well. The more, the better,” he added.

Those comments do differ from those of outgoing
coronavirus czar Roni Gamzu, who said April is more
likely, with March a possibility. Gamzu’s term ended
Nov. 12, and he was replaced by former Israel Defense
Forces Chief Medical Officer Nachman Ash.

in 2019 were women, The Jerusalem Post reported,
citing data from the Israel Pharmacy Association.

In all, the association said, 61% of all license
holders are women.

The data was released in association with
Pharmacists’ Day in Israel.

In the past year, pharmacists in the state of Israel
and around the world have been at the forefront of
the struggle against coronavirus, along with other
medical staff,” said Dr. Alina Amitai, who chairs the
association. Knesset Allows Resort Area Hotels to Reopen
The Knesset voted unanimously on Nov. 11 to approve
the Tourist Islands Law to allow hotels in Eilat and
the Ein Bokek hotel zone by the Dead Sea to reopen,
Globes reported.

Guests will be required to show a negative
COVID-19 test from the prior 72 hours, while hotel
workers and residents will be required to show a
negative test once weekly when entering Ein Bokek
or Eilat.

In addition, restrictions were eased in areas around
the hotels, so businesses, including restaurants, bars,
Women Comprise Three of Every Four New
cafes and tourist attractions, could reopen. l
Pharmacists in Israel
About 77% of newly registered Israeli pharmacists
— Compiled by Andy Gotlieb
Name: Jewish Fed. of Greater Phila. (
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