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

 
 
Following is the text of a resolution adopted by the Governing Board of the World Jewish Congress at it's meeting in Cordoba, Spain on June 7, 2005.
 

RESOLUTION
ON CONVENING A DIPLOMATIC CONFERENCE
TO AMEND THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS

To Facilitate Admission of Israel’s National Society into the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Whereas in 1930, Magen David Adom (Red Star of David) was officially chartered and recognized as an emergency lifesaving service, and in 1950 the Israel Knesset voted that MDA would be officially recognized as an equivalent to a Red Cross Society to serve the people and the world accordingly; and

Whereas Israel is a signatory to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, which recognizes only the red cross, red crescent and red lion as official emblems of the Red Cross movement; and

Whereas the MDA is the only national society to be excluded from the Movement of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, by reason of the emblem; and

Whereas exclusion of the MDA from the Movement and the Federation, which now comprise 181 national societies in sovereign nations, is a betrayal of the Red Cross Fundamental Principles; and

Whereas since 1957, the MDA has participated as an observer in the General Assembly of the International Federation and the statutory meetings of the Movement; and

Whereas for the past decade the World Jewish Congress has consistently campaigned for the MDA’s accession to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement; and

Whereas in recent years the MDA has contributed to emergency operations or joint activities of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, for example:

• October 1999 – an MDA doctor carried out a mission to Kosovo as “staff on loan” to the International Committee of the Red Cross to study the possibility of implementing a blood transfusion project under ICRC auspices;
• May 2000 – the MDA organized the delivery of 40 tons of relief goods to Ethiopian famine victims in close coordination with the ICRC;
• November 2004 – six MDA staff and volunteers participated together with Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies from the Balkans and Eastern Europe in a Regional Disaster Response training session in Turkey organized by the International Federation and the ICRC;
• January 2005 – MDA donated a mobile clinic and sent medical personnel to establish a first aid treatment center in Sri Lanka, as well as sending a tracing officer to support the ICRC’s delegation; and

Whereas in December of 2003, the 28th session of the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent adopted a resolution affirming their commitment to find lasting solutions to issues surrounding the Movement’s emblems and related laws; and

Whereas the Swiss Government sent a notice to all foreign ministries of the countries that are signatories to the Geneva Conventions, seeking support for a diplomatic conference before the November 11-14, 2005, biennial meeting of the International Federation of the Red Cross in Seoul, Korea, for the specific purpose of amending the third protocol of the Geneva Conventions; and

Whereas a significant majority of governments support the convening of such a conference; and

Whereas the final date to receive responses from governments is June 17, 2005, if such a conference is to occur in time for the November 2005 General Assembly;

Therefore, the World Jewish Congress Governing Board:

1. Commends the Swiss Government for its willingness to commence this  historic process;
2. Expresses particular appreciation to the United States Government and  the American Red Cross for their consistent support of the MDA’s right to be  recognized and represented alongside all other national societies
3. Urges all governments, if they have not already done so, to reply immediately to the Swiss request with an expression of full support for  convening a diplomatic conference in advance of the November General Assembly;
4. Encourages all Jewish communities and organizations to contact relevant  governments and leaders at the very earliest opportunity, with an appeal for  timely response to the Swiss request before June 17, and to disseminate copies  of this resolution;
5. Issues a special appeal to Foreign Ministers and government representatives attending the Conference on Anti-Semitism and on Other Forms of Intolerance, sponsored in Cordoba by the Organization for Security and  Cooperation in Europe, to express their support and instruct their offices to respond positively and expeditiously to the Swiss request.