Reply #118: What are you talking about "Israel .. being obstructive" [View All]

[Coastie for Truth]

First, let's get the record straight with biases and prejudices - I am Jewish, I contribute money to Israel's Mogen Dovid Adom (Red Star of David).

Second, I am also a "Mass Care" and "Disaster Assistance" volunteer of the AMERICAN RED CROSS - when the 6AM news say "Five alarm fire in Pinehurst - 86 families displaced - the Red Cross is providing temporary housing" - I am one of the volunteers who mans the shelter - twelve hours at a stretch. And if its only a few families - I am one of the Red Cross volunteers with the client assistance cards - arranging three days of temporary housing - usually while the smell of smoke is in the air and the fire trucks are there.

To "stillone" who appended

Israel is not permitted to join the International Red Cross and access its funds and resources because it does not use the Red Cross symbol. Other emblems are allowed, however, including the Red Lion used by Iran before the revolution and the Red Crescent used by Moslem countries.

Get your facts straight - Israel's Mogen Dovid Adom is a non-voting member of the ICRC. It receives no money from the ICRC. Israel's MDA provides the full range of ICRC services in Israel - and provided ICRC activities to the Tsunami - and in East Africa.

To leesa who appended

Why can't Israel stop being obstructive if they want the Red Cross resources?

The "resources" you "get" are the "right" to pay dues to the ICRC (which Israel's MDA does as a "non-Voting observer") and to be called up for international disasters (which MDA volunteers for).

To bridget burke who appended

Perhaps they don't want the resources because the Red Cross pokes into "government" matters at times.

Perhaps they would prefer the International Red Cross leave them alone. Just as the Republicans mentioned here would prefer the US be left alone...

The ICRC "pokes into government matters" because Israel is a signatory to the Geneva conventions, even if the Mogen Dovid Adom was a private clube. It's the Geneva Conventions -- not membership in the ICRC.