The Star of David joins finally the Red Cross

Not merely a symbolic correction

By Haaretz Editorial

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies yesterday admitted Magen David Adom to the organization, ending a battle that began 60 years ago, even before the state was founded. The Star of David symbol will have to appear inside a diamond-shaped logo, but MDA will be a full and equal member of the body, without having to adopt the cross or crescent symbols used by the other 184 members of the global movement. Israel - under MDA's symbol - will join the Red Cross and Red Crescent in humanitarian activities such as treating the wounded and dealing with the dead on battlefields, visiting prison camps and helping with prisoner of war exchanges. Until now, MDA was unable to use its emblem, which was not universally recognized, without the approval of the host state.

The decision made by Red Cross in its Geneva headquarters yesterday is not only symbolic, but primarily political. It was made by majority vote, over the opposition of Arab and Muslim states, which objected to MDA joining the organization and to recognizing MDA's symbol as long as the occupation continues. Their position was completely rejected.

The turning point in the Red Cross' attitude toward MDA followed Israel's decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Francois Bellon, the organization's chairman, promised during his visit to Israel in 2004 that he would use the withdrawal to advance Israel's request to join the Red Cross. He kept his promise. Together with the Swiss Foreign Ministry, and especially the Swiss embassy in Tel Aviv, he acted resolutely to obtain the required majority for the decision.

The demand by Israel and Jewish organizations that the Star of David be given a status equal to that of the cross and crescent met with more than political and religious objections. The Red Cross feared that other states would demand recognition of their symbols, whether national, political or religious. Seeking to prevent what they saw as a chain reaction, Red Cross officials tried to ward off the American-backed Israeli and Jewish pressure. They noted that the Sri Lanka organization's symbol is the swastika. How would you react, they asked, if Sri Lanka insisted on having its symbol recognized? But Israel insisted.

Ultimately, yesterday's decision is a compromise. It officially established the "red crystal" as the third recognized Red Cross symbol, but permits Israel, if it so decides - and it is the only one that has asked to do so - to put the Star of David into the crystal. To appease the Arab states, the Red Cross also decided to admit the Palestinian Red Crescent into the organization.

Being a full member of the Red Cross has its perks. MDA will be entitled to research and development grants, information exchanges and full participation in international conferences.

But the decision may also be seen as historic redress. In World War II, the Red Cross - like Switzerland, the country of its birth - suffered from moral failure. It turned a blind eye to the murder of Jews and at times even cooperated with the Nazis. By recognizing the Jewish state's symbol in this way, the organization corrects an ongoing injustice.