Red Cross Adds Symbol For MDA
The Red Cross accepted a third symbol last night that will allow Israel to become an official member of the international humanitarian organisation.
Representatives of the 192 signatory countries to the Geneva Convention voted 98 to 27 to adopt a new “neutral” symbol, a red crystal, alongside the red cross and crescent. A number of delegates abstained from the vote.
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Representatives at the conference in Geneva had been expected to give their backing to the proposal on Tuesday.
But the delegates, from signatory states to the Geneva Convention, were forced to return for a third day after Syria said it would oppose the move unless Israel gave Syrian Red Crescent ambulances access to the Golan Heights.
The demand came after Israel signed a deal with the Palestinian Red Crescent last month making it the official emergency service in the occupied territories.
It had been expected that the decision to create the new symbol would be passed by consensus but the Syrian demand meant the decision had to go to a vote, against many delegates’ wishes.
MDA UK Executive Director Eli Benson told the Jewish News he hoped the red box symbol would ultimately become the main one of the International Red Cross.
He continued: “Although the crescent and the cross are not officially religious symbols, the perception is that they are. A neutral one will really be non-religious and hopefully one day will be the main humanitarian symbol.”
The red box symbol will be used by MDA only when it participates in international rescue operations and the red Magen David will continue to emblazon Israeli ambulances and will remain as the organisation’s badge.
Benson said: “MDA has been carrying out international Red Cross work, such as the tsunami operation for years without being officially part of the Red Cross family. But with the new symbol we will be now officially protected.”
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