The Palestinian Authority has cancelled a deal with Israel that would have seen one million doses of the Pfizer vaccine transferred to the West Bank. 

Following lengthy negotiations, Israel agreed to provide vaccine doses nearing expiration to the PA in return for shipments due for the West Bank in September and October.

However, the PA said the doses it was given by Israel were too close to their expiry date.

According to Health Minister Mai Alkaila, the Israeli government said the vaccines would expire in July or August, but those that arrived had a use-by day of June.

PA spokesman Ibrahim Melhem said Israel’s initial delivery of around 100,000 doses did not match "the specifications contained in the agreement, and accordingly Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh instructed the minister of health to cancel the agreement".

He added: "The government refuses to receive vaccines that are about to expire.”

Last Friday Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid tweeted: “We will continue to find effective ways to cooperate for the benefit of people in the region.”

According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, three countries have since contacted the Jewish state to inquire about taking the vaccines in place of the PA.