Israel greets proposed Red Cross symbol

[eyl]

Israel’s rescue service on Tuesday welcomed the intention of the international Red Cross to introduce a new emblem that will pave the way for Israel’s inclusion into the lifesaving organization.

Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom meets with Swiss counterpart; says a diplomatic conference is scheduled to decide whether to include Magen David Adom into Red Cross

Switzerland will host a diplomatic conference in early December to approve the proposed new emblem, to be called the red crystal. The conference is expected to resolve a long-running dispute between Israel and the international Red Cross.

Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service currently uses a red Star of David to identify its ambulances and medical workers, rejecting the red cross used by most countries and the red crescent preferred by Muslim nations.

But Israel has not been permitted to use its symbol on international humanitarian missions, and has been denied full membership in the international Red Cross for 57 years because of the issue.

The red crystal depicts a square standing on one corner, with a blank white interior and a thick red border. Dr. Noam Yifrach, chairman of Magen David Adom, said Israeli aid workers would be able to insert a Star of David symbol into the crystal when working overseas.

More

[papau]

1. 2000 PR? I WONDER IF THEY WILL ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING THIS TIME?

Photo 13 on the ICRC web site shows new flag but DU says illegal code:

...www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/photos-emblem-271005-res/$File/crystal_m.jpg....

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.../$FILE/logo_lang.gif

....www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/htmlall/movement/$File/cer-e-00137_m.jpg....

11-05-2000
Towards a third emblem: Red Cross Red Crescent breakthrough
Press release issued by the Standing Commission of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, Geneva, 11 May 2000

The Standing Commission of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement held a special meeting on 11 May in Nice under the chairmanship of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands.

The Chairman said a consensus was emerging on a way to admit the Magen David Adom in Israel Society and the Red Crescent and Red Cross Society of Kazakhstan to full membership of the Movement before the end of 2000.

The red crescent emblem was adopted by the Ottoman Empire in 1876, during the war with Russia, because the authorities believed that the red cross was, by its very nature, offensive to Muslim soldiers. The red crescent was recognized by the 1929 Geneva Convention along with the Persian red lion and sun, which was abandoned in 1980 by the Iranian government in favour of the red crescent. National Societies may use only one emblem and it must be the same as that used by their country's armed forces medical services.

The red cross is used by 150 National Societies and the red crescent by 32. Displaying the emblem to protect combatants or military equipment engaging in hostile acts is a clear case of misuse. Even though this scene is fictional, it calls into question the ICRC’s neutrality and operational methods. In real life, the Geneva Conventions define misuse of the emblem as a war crime.

The MDA is currently the only National Society to use an emblem – the Red Star of David – other than those provided for by the Geneva Conventions. This prevents it from being officially recognized as a member of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The situation could be remedied by the adoption of a third protocol additional to the Conventions that would provide for the possibility of inserting, at the centre of the new emblem – when displayed for indicative purposes – a sign that is in use and has been duly notified to the ICRC and to Swizerland, the depository State of the Geneva Conventions. This is the case with the Red Star of David. While awaiting recognition by the Movement , the MDA works in close cooperation with the ICRC, the International Federation and other National Societies.

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I WONDER IF THEY WILL ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING THIS TIME?

[Coastie for Truth]

2. Note - my avatar - the "new" Red Crystal" Symbol

[papau]

3. Excellent - I used the jpg URL and no problem - but DU has a problem

with it.

Nice that the Red Cross has gotten a bit further ago than in 2000.