President Mahmoud Abbas said today that despite the scarce resources available for the Palestinians, the government has so far been able to keep the risk of novel COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Palestine to the bare minimum.
In a speech aired through official Palestine TV, the President said that from the first day the first case of coronavirus was reported in Palestine, he “gave orders to the Palestinian government to take all necessary measures to ensure preventive protection for all, and to provide care and treatment for those who have been infected with this virus.”
“We are doing our best and making use of all our potential to confront this dangerous virus that is attacking the entire world. We are working through specialized institutions to protect our people from [the disease],” he continued.
President Abbas added that he had asked the government to consider the economic repercussions of the current health crisis and ways to handle them.
He also called upon the private sector to engage with the government in its ongoing struggle against the novel disease.
Meanwhile, the President called for the immediate release of the Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli detention at this critical time, and held Israel responsible for their safety.
