Magen David Adom

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The Magen David Adom (Hebrew: מגן דוד אדום) is Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The name means "Red Shield of David" but is usually translated as "Red Star of David". Since June 2006, Magen David Adom is officially recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross as the national aid society of the state of Israel according to the Geneva Conventions, and a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Image:Mda motorcycle.JPG

1 History
2 Current status
3 Involvement with the Red Cross
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

The Magen David Adom organization was formed in 1930 as a volunteer outfit with a single branch in Tel Aviv. After opening branches in Jerusalem and Haifa, it was extended nationwide five years later, providing medical support to the public and the Haganah. In 1950 the Knesset passed a law making MDA's status as Israel's national emergency service official.

[edit] Current status

Image:MDA Armoured Ambulance.jpg

Though MDA currently staffs approximately 1,200 emergency medical technicians, paramedics and doctors, it still relies heavily on over 10,000 volunteers who serve in both operational and administrative capacities. MDA operates 95 stations with a fleet of over 700 ambulances, mobile intensive care units and armored ambulances nationwide. Unique among civilian emergency medical services in Israel due to its role as national aid society according to the Geneva Conventions, MDA can become an auxiliary arm of the Israel Defense Forces during times of war.

[edit] Involvement with the Red Cross

From its creation until 2006, Magen David Adom had been denied membership in the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) since it has refused to replace its red Star of David emblem with a pre-approved symbol.

The official reason for the denial of membership was concerns about symbol proliferation; at the same 1929 conference which granted use of the Red Crescent and Red Lion and Sun, a limitation was placed on acceptance of any further emblems. The "Red Star of David" symbol was not submitted to the ICRC until 1931.

Similar concerns of India, Ceylon and the former Soviet Union regarding the use of non-Hindu and seemingly religious symbols were also dismissed by the ICRC, but their national bodies chose to adopt the Red Cross as their official emblems in order to gain entry. The Red Cross — the inverse of the Swiss flag, the country of origin of the founder of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement — is not intended as a religious symbol, but is often perceived as such.

Critics of the ICRC assert discrimination since Turkey and Egypt were granted membership in 1929 while using the Islamic Red Crescent as their emblem, citing the same concerns about the cross.

Image:Flag of the Red Crystal.svg

Image:Red-magen-david.svg

In her March 2000 letter to the International Herald Tribune, Dr. Bernadine Healy, then president of the American Red Cross, wrote: "The international committee's feared proliferation of symbols is a pitiful fig leaf, used for decades as the reason for excluding the Magen David Adom - the Shield (or Star) of David." In protest, the American Red Cross withheld millions in administrative funding to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) since May 2000.

Since the mid-1990's, there has also been extensive and growing co-operation between MDA and the ICRC including, among other things, a USD$2.2 million expenditure on strengthening ties between the two organisations, the signing in 2000 of a two year co-operation statement, the permanent placement of an ICRC co-operation officer in MDA headquarters, and extensive support of the MDA's blood bank activities. In addition, there are bilateral cooperation agreements between MDA and a number of national Red Cross societies.

On December 7, 2005, a diplomatic conference of states party to the Geneva Conventions adopted a third additional protocol, thereby introducing a new protective emblem, famously dubbed the "Red Crystal." This "third protocol emblem" is hailed as a truly universal emblem free of religious, ethnic, or political connotation. The new symbol is a red square frame tilted at a 45 degree angle. According to the rules of the third additional protocol, MDA can continue to use the Red Star of David as its sole emblem for indicative purposes within Israel. For indicative use in abroad missions, MDA can, depending on the specific situation in the host country, either incorporate the Red Star of David inside the Red Crystal or use the Red Crystal alone.

On June 22, 2006, MDA was recognised by the ICRC and admitted as a full member into the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies,<ref>"Israel admitted to Red Cross", CNN, 2006-06-22.</ref> following adoption of the Red Crystal symbol in the statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement on the same level as the Red Cross and Red Crescent symbols.<ref>ICRC website - Press Release 06/65, 22-06-2006</ref>