New editorial in the American Journal of Public Health calls for the renewal of Israeli–Palestinian public health cooperation, even amid the current conflict. Drawing on decades of joint successes—including polio eradication, measles control, maternal health advances, and epidemic surveillance—the editorial urges stakeholders to revive collaborative efforts in critical areas like immunization, environmental health, and hospital rehabilitation. Emphasizing that health partnerships have historically bridged divides, the authors argue against academic boycotts and stress that shared public health is both a moral imperative and a strategic necessity for regional stability and peace.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem proudly announces the publication of an important editorial in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH), titled "Israel and Gaza: Keeping Room for Hope Based on Past Cooperation in Public Health", highlighting decades of successful Israeli–Palestinian collaboration in public health and urges a revival of such partnerships amid the ongoing conflict.
Co-authored by Prof. Theodore H. Tulchinsky (Hebrew University), Prof. Aron M. Troen (Hebrew University), Dr. Dorit Nitzan (Ben Gurion University), Dr. Ron Lobel (Barzilai University Medical Center), and Prof. Gordon DeFriese (University of North Carolina), the editorial documents how public health professionals on both sides worked together from the late 1960s to the mid-1990s to dramatically improve immunization coverage, control infectious diseases, reduce infant mortality, and strengthen epidemic surveillance.
"Even in the face of conflict, public health has long served as a bridge between communities," said the researchers. "This shared legacy is not only a testament to what was possible but a call to action for what must be renewed."
Key Historical Achievements Highlighted
• Polio Eradication Through Vaccine Innovation: In response to a polio outbreak in Gaza in the late 1970s, Palestinian and Israeli health workers collaborated on a groundbreaking immunization strategy combining the Sabin oral and Salk inactivated vaccines. This approach, supported by the World Health Organization, resulted in the near-total elimination of polio in the region for over two decades and later became an international model for eradication efforts.
• Cross-Border Control of Rift Valley Fever: During the 1977–78 outbreak of this potentially deadly mosquito-borne disease in Egypt, Israeli and Palestinian veterinarians and public health authorities coordinated mass animal immunizations—over 1.5 million livestock—and shared disease surveillance protocols, successfully preventing the virus's spread into Gaza and Israel.
• Mother and Child Health System Expansion: In the 1970s, Gaza had only three mother–child health clinics. By 1994, through a combined effort that drew on Israeli health models and Israeli-Palestinian initiatives, that number had grown to 29. This expansion, paired with health personnel training exchanges, halved infant mortality rates and introduced modern maternal care services across the territory.
• Measles Immunization Leadership: Gaza was among the first in the region to adopt a two-dose measles immunization schedule, combining early infant protection with later MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) boosters. This approach, which exceeded 90% vaccine coverage, sharply reduced child mortality and transmission, and was only adopted by Israel years later.
• Regional Disease Surveillance Infrastructure: The establishment of the Middle East Consortium on Infectious Disease Surveillance (MECIDS) in 2003 created a formal mechanism for epidemic preparedness and response. Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian laboratories collaborated through joint training, shared protocols, and coordinated response mechanisms for crises such as avian influenza and COVID-19.
• Joint Nutrition and Environmental Health Initiatives: Bilateral research efforts led to successful public health interventions such as the Palestinian Authority's mandatory salt iodization program and flour fortification to combat harmful micronutrient deficiencies. These efforts were informed by Israeli, Palestinian and international research and extended globally through international and NGO partnerships to remote areas.
These shared successes—grounded in evidence, mutual respect, and practical necessity—serve as powerful precedents for what is still possible today.
Relevance Amid Ongoing Crisis
In the context of the ongoing 2023–2025 Israeli–Hamas war, the editorial highlights the resilience of health cooperation. A 2024 polio vaccination campaign—coordinated by Palestinian, Israeli, and international agencies—successfully reached approximately 560,000 children, despite active conflict and collapsed infrastructure.
The authors argue that continued collaboration at all times in water safety, agriculture and water, environmental health, sanitation, immunization, and hospital rehabilitation is not just beneficial but essential for both sides.
A Rebuttal to Academic Boycotts
The editorial's message also serves as a strong rebuttal to current calls to isolate Israeli academia and science. Such boycotts ignore the tangible, life-saving benefits produced through decades of Israeli–Palestinian scientific cooperation. Efforts to cut academic ties directly contradict the editorial's evidence that scientific engagement fosters mutual understanding, improves public health, and builds pathways to peace.
The authors conclude with a powerful reminder: shared public health is a shared responsibility. Rebuilding Gaza's devastated health infrastructure will require cross-border partnerships, knowledge-sharing, and training. Regional stability depends on it.
