GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — A rival to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says the United Arab Emirates is sending 20,000 doses of the Russian coronavirus vaccine to the Gaza Strip. Thursday’s announcement by Mohammed Dahlan could have repercussions for upcoming Palestinian elections. Dahlan is a former close aide to Abbas but was was forced into exile in 2011 after a falling out with the Palestinian president. He has lived in the UAE since then. The vaccines are expected to arrive on Sunday through Gaza’s border with Egypt. Dahlan is calling the vaccines a generous grant from the UAE. But the delivery could also embarrass Abbas and bolster Dahlan’s rivals in the May parliamentary elections.
