New Red Cross logo paves way for Israel to join

The American Red Cross has been campaigning for years to end Magen David Adom’s exclusion.

“Not only does it create a neutral emblem devoid of cultural, political and religious connotation,” Devorah Goldburg, spokeswoman for the U.S. society, told The Associated Press. “It paves the way for Magen David Adom to become a full voting member of the international Red Cross movement.”

Goldburg also noted that the U.S. society had withheld more than $35 million in dues to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies since 2000 in an effort to win the Israeli society’s acceptance.

United States hails decision
The U.S. government also welcomed the decision. “This will enable the Israeli national society, the Magen David Adom, to join we hope soon next year into the international Red Cross Red Crescent movement,” said John B. Bellinger III, head of the U.S. delegation.

A hurdle to Arab support was believed to have been cleared last week when Magen David and the Palestine Red Crescent struck a deal allowing each other’s paramedics to operate unmolested.

Mohammad Abu-Koash, Palestinian ambassador to international organizations in Geneva, said the emblem was a humanitarian issue.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies also welcomed the adoption of the red crystal and said it believed it would “provide a comprehensive and lasting solution to the emblem question.”

The red cross symbol was first adopted in 1863 and it reverses the colors of the neutral Swiss flag, without any religious intent. But most Muslim countries refused to use it and the Ottoman empire used the red crescent instead to protect medical workers in the 1876 Russo-Turkish war.

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