President Signs Red Cross Treaty Protocol Creating Emblem Usable By Israel

Last Friday, President Bush signed the instrument of ratification for the Third Additional Protocol to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, and also signed into law H.R.6338, the "Geneva Distinctive Emblem Protection Act of 2006" (signing statement). The Protocol's ratification will lead to the admission of Israel's Magen David Adom as a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. For decades, Muslim countries refused to permit Israel's emergency service to membership because MDA used the Star of David as its emblem. The Protocol creates a new "Red Crystal" as an emblem-- and permits Israel to place the Star of David inside the diamond shaped crystal. (See prior posting.) The Protocol was finally adopted by 29th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent last June. The accompanying legislation signed last week by President Bush punishes improper use of the new emblem in the United States.