Red Cross Deigns to Accept Jews - As Long as They Don't Act Too Jewish
In the past, we've suggested the possibility that the Red Cross's refusal to accept the full membership of the Jewish Magen David Adom (the Red Star of David) - while accepting the Muslim Red Crescent - might be kind of anti-Semitic:
Israel has never been admitted to full membership in the International Committee of the Red Cross... The pretext thus far was Magen David Adom's refusal to replace its red Star of David with either the cross or crescent... Only the Jewish state's first-aid services are required to operate under the emblems of others, which are either historically or currently inimical to its citizens...
In March 2000, [International Red Cross] ex-chief Cornelio Sommaruga opined "If we're going to have the Shield of David, why would we not have to accept the swastika?"
Well, luckily, the Red Cross is now willing to accept Magen David Adom - as long as they don't insist on looking too Jewish:
The Magen David Adom rescue service 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. 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. Magen David Adom 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.
Because it would be positively awful if anyone found out that they were being saved from a disaster by Jews. At least now the Jewish branch of the Red Cross is being allowed to help people while declaring themselves to be kind of Jewish.
Israel has never been admitted to full membership in the International Committee of the Red Cross... The pretext thus far was Magen David Adom's refusal to replace its red Star of David with either the cross or crescent... Only the Jewish state's first-aid services are required to operate under the emblems of others, which are either historically or currently inimical to its citizens...
In March 2000, [International Red Cross] ex-chief Cornelio Sommaruga opined "If we're going to have the Shield of David, why would we not have to accept the swastika?"
Well, luckily, the Red Cross is now willing to accept Magen David Adom - as long as they don't insist on looking too Jewish:
The Magen David Adom rescue service 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. 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. Magen David Adom 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.
Because it would be positively awful if anyone found out that they were being saved from a disaster by Jews. At least now the Jewish branch of the Red Cross is being allowed to help people while declaring themselves to be kind of Jewish.
