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| Israelis and Palestinians agree to enter Red Cross
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An historic agreement between the Israeli and Palestinian emergency services reached in Geneva this week has opened the path for Magen David Adom to become part of the International Red Cross movement.
More than 60 years after a secret vote rejected the Israeli organisation’s entry into the IRC, on Monday representatives from MDA met with their counterparts from the Palestinian Red Crescent to sign a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’.
The agreement, signed by Noam Yifrach, chairman of the MDA and Younis Al-Khatib, president of the PRCS, was witnessed by Jakob Kellenberger, president of the ICRC.
It outlined the mutual respect and recognition that both sides agreed show to each other. This will now pave the way for the adoption of a third symbol – a red crystal – which will be used by MDA as a sign of its entry into the international life-saving movement.
Not only will this agreement give MDA authority to operate in the Palestinian controlled areas of the West Bank, but it will also help in money-raising activities because of the increased kudos of the Israeli organisation.
Swiss satisfaction
 Beyond the humanitarian sphere it sets an example for the Israelis and the Palestinian public, and thereby makes a small but meaningful contribution to the wider process of achieving peace and cooperation between your two nations
Micheline Calmy-Rey, Swiss FM | Swiss foreign minister Micheline Calmy-Rey originally pushed for the adoption of the crystal symbol as a way of allowing Arab groups to accept Israel as part of the IRC.
Earlier this year she toured the Middle East, meeting with both Israeli premier Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas as well as other Arab leaders to gain support for the move.
In Geneva on Monday Calmy-Rey spoke of her satisfaction that the agreement was reached and hopes for the impact it can have.
“Beyond the humanitarian sphere it sets an example for the Israelis and the Palestinian public, and thereby makes a small but meaningful contribution to the wider process of achieving peace and cooperation between your two nations,” Calmy-Rey said.
"Finally it goes a long way to address the concerns that have so far prevented a number of states from wholeheartedly embracing the solution of the longstanding issue of the emblems of the Geneva Conventions and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement," she added.
Final process
The FM will now continue the process which will culminate in a diplomatic conference to be held between 5-6 December to adopt the Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, and pave the way for both MDA and PRCS’s eventual membership of the IRC.
Switzerland, which has traditionally been neutral, is both the home of the Geneva Conventions on human rights and of businessman Henri Dunant who set up the first Red Cross society in the 19th century.
In a statement the IRC said: “The Movement is also pleased that the Societies will combine their efforts to protect the emblems against misuse and work with their respective authorities to ensure access to victims and respect for International Humanitarian Law.”
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