Israel: use of Covid vaccines in prisoner swap deal sparks row

Secret deal reportedly involved Israel paying Russia $1.2m to send Sputnik jabs to Syria

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Israel's agreement to secretly provide coronavirus vaccines for the Syrian regime to sweeten a prisoner swap deal has raised questions about whether limited global vaccine supplies could see doses become a new form of diplomatic currency.

The clandestine deal made last week, and confirmed by an Israeli source who asked for anonymity, reportedly involved Israel paying Russia $1.2m (850,000) to send Sputnik V jabs to Syria.