Choking on the Red Magen David

One mightn't think that religious discrimination might rear its ugly head in an organization as well-thought-of and prestigious (three Nobel peace prizes, international recognition and respect due its humanitarian work, worldwide) as the International Red Cross. To be more specific, the oversight body of the Red Cross, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the decision-making body of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent societies.

The ICRC has a reputation which it must uphold, as an impartial, politically neutral body dedicated to humanitarian relief wherever natural or man-made disasters occur, including war situations. By remaining completely neutral it takes no sides, offers no political or social solutions other than to ameliorate through its humanitarian work, the suffering of people around the world. It assists with medical care and the provision of pharmaceuticals, temporary shelter, food and potable water.

And although it has found no difficulty in explaining that the 'red cross' is simply an inverted symbol of the Swiss flag in recognition of its birth in Switzerland, the franchise offered to Turkey and Egypt in accepting the symbol of Islam on the crescent flag for the Red Crescent Society, giving it complete legitimacy, while withholding acceptance of the Israeli counterpart, from its inception in 1930 until 2006 is certainly discriminatory.

The Magen David Adom was steadfastly denied membership in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement since 1931, for its refusal to replace the Red Star of David symbol with another emblem which the ICRC was happy to offer as an alternative. The reason given was concern with respect to the proliferation of symbols. A red crystal shape was offered instead of the Star of David.

The third protocol emblem, also known as the Red Crystal, for protective use in the armed forces or outside Israel

During the controversy in 2000, when the ICRC was firm in his denial of the use of the Red Star of David, the president of the American Red Cross wrote a letter for publication offering the opinion that: "The international committee's feared proliferation of is a pitiful fig leaf." The result of which was that the American Red Cross put its money where its criticism lay, and withheld millions for administration funding to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The introduction of the "Red Crystal" in 2005 was held to be a breakthrough; as a universal emblem shorn of religious, ethnic or political connections or connotation. Rules were established whereby the MDA could continue its use of the Red Star of David within Israel. Abroad, however, the Magen David Adom was expected to use the Red Crystal or alternately, with the agreement of the host country, the Red Crystal holding the Red Star of David within it, could be used.

The director of MDA's fundraising department wrote in October 2011 that "MDA will continue to use its emblem and logo during the work it performs in the West Bank: "no one ever asked us to take it off." Nevertheless, MDA decided of its own volition to remove the symbol on all its ambulances dispatched to the West Bank settlements. Upon which its volunteers protested, and refused to lend themselves to the new version sans Star of David.

They had the stars painted back on the ambulances, refusing to continue their volunteering without the familiar symbol, reflecting what they represented and who, in fact, they were, and what had meaning to them.

The disagreement continues to fester, however, with a visit by the Red Cross imminent, and where Magen David Adom is working to ensure that no disagreement take place between itself and the ICRC with respect to the symbol's replacement in the West Bank.

The 'foreign country', whose administration cannot bring itself to admit to begin with, that Israel is a Jewish country, and who might just choke on the symbol of the Red Magen David on ambulances passing through the West Bank.