Red Star of David--The symbol Israel must adopt to join the Red Cross is a disgrace.

Wall St Journal ^ | 12-9-05

[SJackson]

After almost six decades of rejection, Israel saw the road cleared yesterday for its emergency and disaster relief organization to join the International Red Cross. The price of admission was relinquishing its symbol, the Red Star of David.

Instead, the Red Cross approved a new "neutral" symbol -- a Red Crystal, which Israel must adopt to become a member, possibly next spring. The Star of David may still be used at home, and on foreign missions it can be put inside the Crystal, provided the host country agrees.

Israeli diplomats are celebrating the Crystal as a great victory. If that's a victory, we'd hate to see a defeat. Even this compromise, which was opposed by most Muslim countries, came only after the American Red Cross withheld its contributions to protest Israel's exclusion from the international body.

Some Crystal backers argue that the Red Cross carries no religious symbolism. Under this rewriting of history, Swiss Red Cross founder Henry Dunant adopted the inverse design of his homeland's flag without any religious motivation. But the Swiss flag dates back to the Holy Roman Empire and of course has strong Christian connotations. This cannot have escaped the deeply religious Dunant who, by the way, was also a fervent Zionist.

Irrespective of Dunant's intentions, the Red Cross came to be seen as a Christian symbol. That's why Muslim countries refused to adopt it, and instead chose the Red Crescent, the only other recognized symbol. It's a disgrace that the Star of David, which symbolizes the faith that spawned both Christianity and Islam, is excluded.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

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[CondorFlight]

You're right. Israel capitulated. They should have held out.

There are THREE symbols currently used--the Red Cross (the reverse of the Swiss flag); the Red Crescent; and the Iranian symbol (which used to be a lion and sword, but since the fall of the Shah has been revised in light of the Islamic Revolution).
A fourth would be no particular problem.

If multiple symbols ARE a problem, then let the Red Cross ban them all, and come up with one universally recognized
symbol, which has absolutely no religious meaning at all.
(At this point, I would be ready to accept an index finger
pointed straight up. . .)

And I'm sure that the Red Cross would accept ANY symbol, as long as it is not Jewish or affiliated with Israel.

[t2buckeye]

If the Red Cross is "neutral" and non-religious, then why did they bow to Muslim demands to use the Red Crescent? Either the Red Cross ONLY should be used...or Israel should be able to retain its own name. Of course, the reason it won't be allowed is because IF they were to have the Red Star of David, the relief agency itself would be targeted by the members of "religion of peace."

[GregoTX]

Is this the same International Red Cross organization that accuses the US and President Bush or torture and war crimes? I dont think Israel should join that socialist organization. They side with the terrorists in our effort, they criticize Israel for their efforts against terrorism, then Israel want to change their sacred symbol to be a part of them? WHY?

[Alouette]

The Star of David can still be used, as long as it is not red:

[visualops]

A Red Crystal???

What an absurdity. If the other groups get to use the symbol from their flags, then so should the Israelis.

[BenLurkin]

BUMP

[reagan_fanatic]

Incredible. How the Israeli diplomats consider this a victory is beyond me. The IRC should hang their collective heads in shame.

[contemplator]

I am wondering why there would be such an overwhelming desire to become affilliated with the International Red Cross that they would cave on something like this. The only thing I can come up with is that there must be money involved. It occurs to me that money donated to the Red Cross, unless specifically earmarked by the donator to go to the U.S. Red Cross or whatever affilliate they choose might default into a pool which supplies funds for all of the affilliates. This is pure speculation on my part, does anyone know if my thinking is correct?

[Anselma]

Thanks for the post.

1) No "religious" connotation?! It's a CROSS, for gosh sakes! Even the Mussies get to have a Red Crescent, don't they? Or is the Red Crescent not a chapter of the IRC?

2) I always assumed, without knowing the history, that Red Cross was somehow associated with those Rosicrutian (spelling?) guys. "Rosicrutian" means red cross (the "Chemical Wedding of Kristian Rozencruz" and all that hoaky "mystery" stuff).

[tallhappy]

The following is the sort of thing I'd never thought would be written or true it's an example of how inside-out and upside our world has gone: Red Cross are scum and not worth supporting.

[Convert from ECUSA]

I'll reiterate the comment I made here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1536992/posts?page=14#14

[Zionist Conspirator]

The International Red Cross is a bunch of Jew-haters who spied on the First Zionist Congress in 1897 to see if it was plotting "world rule." Israel doesn't need to belong to such an organization. Where does this need for approval from Jew-haters (while genuine philo-Semites like Southern Baptists and Pentecostals are often bashed) come from? It's insane!

It's too bad our own American Red Cross is affiliated with such an organization.

[texianyankee]

any pics of this "red crystal?"

[Stashiu]

A red crystal? How New Age!!!

[theFIRMbss]

>any pics of this "red crystal?"

One step to go. The world governments have now accepted the Red Diamond as a recognized neutral symbol with diplomatic immunity. We now await the vote of the International Red Cross in March for full acceptance. Currently, the International Red Cross only recognizes the cross and crescent and not the Star of David used by Israel's emergency medical service, Magen David Adom. This ruling has been used to keep Magen David Adom from being a member of the international body.

Daniel R. Allen, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Magen David Adom, said, "We are appreciative of the great efforts by the Bush and Clinton administrations and the American Red Cross that will result in a December diplomatic convened in Geneva for the sole purpose of agreeing that Israel's Magen David Adom can join the International Red Cross as a full member. Magen David Adom has served the causes of humanity ably without regard to religion, race, or politics for 75 years in Israel and around the world. We hope that MDA's proposed, long overdue admission into the International Red Cross is a hopeful sign for peace for all peoples."

American Friends of Magen David Adom

[SJackson]

Personally, those countries unwilling to allow the star, I'd let them take care of their own emergencies.

RedCross Accepts New Diamond Symbol; Jewish Star Can Fit Inside

The new symbol's recognition means that Israel's Magen David Adom is now only a step away from acceptance in the International Red Cross - but the Shield of David will have to be "shielded" inside.

The new symbol is a red diamond, which now joins the red cross and red crescent as officially recognized emblems. The benefit for Israel is that it has been allowed to place its traditional Shield of David - a six-pointed star - inside the diamond, under certain conditions. Israeli ambulances and vehicles at home may use the diamond/Shield of David design, as well as abroad - if the host country agrees. Israeli rescue services often operate outside Israel in emergency situations.

The International Red Cross refused to allow the Star of David to stand on its own, despite its agreement to allow Moslem countries to use a Red Crescent.

[goldstategop]

Its a defeat. Only the Star Of David remains excluded. As a literal badge of shame. Exactly what anti-Semites have always seen it as being - a sign of the Jews' inferiority and depravity. How history repeats itself...

(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")

[texianyankee]

"Personally, those countries unwilling to allow the star, I'd let them take care of their own emergencies." I agree.