Campaigns

Recognition for Magen David Adom

Panel Discussion with Jewish Parliamentarians

For many years, the World Jewish Congress has been urging governments to support the convening of a diplomatic conference to facilitate full admission of Israel's Magen David Adom (Red Star of David) into the international Red Cross movement.

In letters to United Nations ambassadors, the WJC president Edgar Bronfman and the chairman of the organization, Israel Singer, repeatedly asked governments to give their support for a conference to amend the Geneva conventions and recognize the Red Star of David, the symbol of Israel's national society.

The MDA has been excluded from membership in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent movement since its inception in the 1930s mainly for political reasons. Bronfman and Singer called the Magen David Adom "an internationally recognized humanitarian organization, which provides assistance and cooperation in international disaster relief efforts". The acceptance of a neutral, non-religious symbol would enable Israel to fully participate alongside other countries, they pointed out.

On 8 December 2005, and following protracted negotiations, a diplomatic conference in Geneva convened by the Swiss government adopted by 98 votes to 27 the Third Protocol amending the 1949 Geneva Conventions. With this amendment, the Red Cross movement will get a new, neutral emblem, the so-called Red Crystal. This will also allow Israel's national society Magen David Adom (MDA) to apply for full membership of the International Federation of the Red Cross & Red Crescent movement. The symbol of the MDA, the Red Star of David, could then be used within the Red Crystal for MDA's missions outside Israel. A decision about MDA's membership is expected in March 2006.

NEWS:

15 January 2007 Red Crystal symbol becomes operational

22 June 2006 Red Cross vote reflects decades of lobbying, and last-minute push

08 December 2005 World Jewish Congress welcomes adoption of new Red Crystal emblem

22 November 2005 Deal paves the way for international acceptance of Magen David Adom

23 September 2005 US Congressmen urge Swiss to propose neutral symbol for Red Cross

14 September 2005 Switzerland to sponsor conference to dicusss new Red Cross symbol

07 June 2005 WJC Governing Board adopts resolution on diplomatic conference to ammend Geneva conventions