[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 53 (Wednesday, May 3, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2422-H2425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF ISRAEL'S 
    MAGEN DAVID ADOM SOCIETY AND ITS SYMBOL THE RED SHIELD OF DAVID

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 464) expressing the sense of Congress on 
international recognition of Israel's Magen David Adom Society and its 
symbol the Red Shield of David.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 464

       Whereas Israel's Magen David Adom Society has provided 
     emergency relief to people in many countries in times of 
     need, pain, and suffering since 1930, regardless of 
     nationality or religious affiliation;
       Whereas in the past year alone, the Magen David Adom 
     Society has provided invaluable services in Kosovo, 
     Indonesia, and Kenya following the bombing of the United 
     States Embassy in Kenya, and in the wake of the earthquakes 
     that devastated Greece and Turkey;
       Whereas the American Red Cross has recognized the superb 
     and invaluable work done by the Magen David Adom Society and 
     considers the exclusion of the Magen David Adom Society from 
     the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent 
     Movement ``an injustice of the highest order'';
       Whereas the American Red Cross has repeatedly urged that 
     the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement 
     recognize the Magen David Adom Society as a full member;
       Whereas the Magen David Adom Society utilizes the Red 
     Shield of David as its emblem, in similar fashion to the 
     utilization of the Red Cross and Red Crescent by other 
     national societies;
       Whereas the Red Cross and the Red Crescent have been 
     recognized as protected symbols under the Statutes of the 
     International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement;
       Whereas the International Committee of the Red Cross has 
     ignored previous requests from the United States Congress to 
     recognize the Magen David Adom Society;
       Whereas the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red 
     Crescent Movement state that it ``makes no discrimination as 
     to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political 
     opinions'' and it ``may not take sides in hostilities or 
     engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, 
     religious or ideological nature'';
       Whereas although similar national organizations of Iraq, 
     North Korea, and Afghanistan are recognized as full members 
     of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the 
     Magen David Adom Society has been denied membership since 
     1949; and
       Whereas in fiscal year 1999 the United States Government 
     provided $119,400,000 to the International Committee of the 
     Red Cross and $7,300,000 to the Federation of Red Cross and 
     Red Crescent Societies: Now, therefore, be it

[[Page H2423]]

       Resolved, That--
       (1) the International Committee of the Red Cross should 
     immediately recognize the Magen David Adom Society and the 
     Magen David Adom Society should be granted full membership in 
     the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent 
     Movement;
       (2) the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies 
     should grant full membership to the Magen David Adom Society 
     immediately following recognition by the International 
     Committee of the Red Cross of the Magen David Adom Society as 
     a full member of the International Committee of the Red 
     Cross; and
       (3) the Red Shield of David should be accorded the same 
     protections under international law as the Red Cross and the 
     Red Crescent.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on H. Res. 464, the resolution being considered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, today we are calling up for the 
consideration of the House, H. Res. 464, expressing the sense of 
Congress on international recognition of Israel's Magen David Adom 
Society and its symbol the Red Shield of David, which I introduced 
along with the ranking member of our Committee on International 
Relations, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson).
  This measure reaffirms our support for justice and inclusiveness in 
the International Red Cross movement. Resolution 464 lends our support 
to the efforts of the Magen David Society and strongly encourages its 
acceptance as a full member into the international governing body of 
the International Committee of the Red Cross, the ICRC.
  The Magen David Society is equivalent to our own American Red Cross. 
It has served countless citizens of nations in need for over 70 years. 
It might come as a shock to some that while the national organizations 
of countries such as Iraq, Libya and North Korea are all Members of the 
International Conference of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, the 
Magen David Society, though, has been left out. The Magen David Society 
has fulfilled its criteria for full membership, has requested 
membership and recognition of the Shield of David as their symbol. The 
American Red Cross has repeatedly sought to have the Magen David 
Society admitted as part of the International Red Cross and the Red 
Crescent Movement but has so far been thwarted by the political 
prejudices of a small number of its member nations and others that 
raise what I believe to be spurious issues concerning the adoption of 
another emblem, the Red Shield of David, into the movement.
  Congress in 1987 affirmed its support for the Magen David Society 
requesting that they be admitted as full members. After 13 years, 13 
long years, the ICRC is still dragging its feet on this issue, and the 
Israeli Magen David Adom Society remains the victim of politics. We 
must reinforce our support for this praiseworthy organization by 
passing this resolution, H. Res. 464, and letting other members of the 
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement know that we do not 
look favorably on this kind of bias and hypocrisy.
  A working group charged with resolving this issue has recently 
decided to call later this year a diplomatic conference of all the 
signatories of the Geneva Conventions, as well as representatives of 
each of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. That 
diplomatic conference will decide whether the Magen David Adom Society 
will be admitted to the International Movement of the Red Cross and Red 
Crescent and whether its emblem, the Red Shield of David, will be 
accorded the same protections under international law as the Red Cross 
and Red Crescent.
  By adopting this resolution today, the House will put all the 
participants of that diplomatic conference on notice that this is a 
matter we take seriously, that it must be resolved fairly and in 
conformity with the principles of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent 
Movement.
  Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join with us in 
adopting H. Res. 464.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me join with my colleague, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman), in his remarks. In somewhat a stunning occurrence 
over the last 20 years or so, the International Red Cross has argued 
that the religious symbols they have, the Red Cross and the Red 
Crescent, are not religious, but the religious symbol that Israel uses 
somehow is religious.
  Frankly, it always astounded me that year after year we would hear 
from the Red Cross annually that the Magen David was a separate 
category. One does not want to jump to the conclusions that somehow 
prejudice has saturated their thinking, but it was very difficult to 
come to any other conclusion.
  Well, after almost 20 years of contact with them on this issue I am 
frankly heartened that the present leadership of the Red Cross 
recognizes there needs to be a solution. It has taken all too long. The 
Magen David Adom has participated in International Red Cross 
humanitarian crises in Indonesia, in Kosovo, in Greece, in Turkey, in 
Kenya where the American Embassy in Nairobi was attacked. It has been 
in operation since the 1930s. It functions with the International Red 
Cross and Red Crescent in every way, except for official recognition.
  It seems to me, as we enter this second millennium, that it is long 
overdue for the Red Cross to accept what is the American proposal to 
include the Magen David Adom in these international organizations and 
to stop what has been, frankly, a bad reflection on what is a great 
international organization, an international organization that has done 
so much to save people, to stop suffering, to help people in crisis, to 
have them continue to battle over what is clearly a prejudice that even 
they are having a hard time now defending. It is long overdue. I 
commend the chairman for his efforts.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos).
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend and colleague, the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), for yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the chairman of the Committee on 
International Relations, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), for 
introducing this legislation. I want to commend the ranking member, the 
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson), for supporting it.
  Mr. Speaker, earlier this year in January several of us visited the 
headquarters of the International Red Cross, and we had extended 
discussions with the top leaders of this very fine organization 
concerning the issue we are debating this morning.
  While I must say I am deeply impressed by the work of the 
International Red Cross, I was appalled by the failure of the 
leadership in Geneva to take decisive action to put an end to this 
outrageous form of discrimination.
  The International Red Cross and Red Crescent have been doing an 
outstanding job and Israel's parallel organization, the International 
Magen David Adom, has been there helping in every single international 
crisis. They were in the front lines of the humanitarian effort both in 
East Timor and Indonesia and in the tragic bloody crisis of 
Kosovo. They were among the very first groups to arrive, both in Greece 
and Turkey, in the wake of the earthquake, and, of course, they stood 
shoulder to shoulder with us to save American and Kenyan lives 
following the outrageous bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.

                              {time}  1115

  I particularly want to commend the Chairman of the American Red 
Cross, Dr. Bernadine Healy, for proposing

[[Page H2424]]

 that we withhold any dues to the International Red Cross until this 
singularly appalling form of discrimination is terminated. I strongly 
support her posture, as I am sure all of my colleagues in this body and 
in the other body do.
  The Red Cross is doing an outstanding job. It should not besmirch its 
reputation internationally by being part and parcel of an appalling 
medieval discriminatory measure. The time is long overdue to put an end 
to this practice and to recognize Magen David Adom as a full-fledged 
member of the International Society of the Red Cross.
  Mr. Speaker, I again want to commend my colleagues for introducing 
this resolution.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to yield 5 minutes to 
the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman).
  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, I am here today to express my strong and full support 
for House Resolution 464, and I do want to acknowledge the tremendous 
work of our chairman, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), and our 
ranking member, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson).
  Mr. Speaker, what is wrong with the following picture: Many of the 
nations of the world have what are called Red Cross societies, or 
societies that provide emergency humanitarian relief, not only to their 
own people, but to other nations when there are tragedies that occur 
around the world. There is the International Red Cross, with a red 
cross as its symbol; there is the International Red Crescent in Arab 
lands with the red crescent as their symbol. The state of Israel has 
its own version of the Red Cross, which, as my colleagues have said, 
provides emergency humanitarian relief all over the world, in Europe, 
Africa, Asia, all over the world, and their symbol in Israel is the Red 
Star of David.
  What is wrong with this picture? Well, the International Red Cross 
Societies and the International Red Crescent Societies refuse to permit 
Israel's Red Cross, the Magen David Adom Society, to be admitted into 
the International Society of Red Cross and Red Crescents. They refuse 
to acknowledge the legitimacy of that Israeli Red Cross Society, and 
they refuse particularly to consider including Israel's Red Star of 
David, which its ambulances and emergency humanitarian vehicles fly 
overhead, like the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies. We are in 
the year 2000, Mr. Speaker, and this kind of blatant prejudice still 
exists.
  What should we do as American legislators and as American citizens? 
The United States Government provides to the International Red Cross 
$119 million a year. The United States Government provides to the 
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies over $7 million a 
year, those same organizations that refuse to allow the inclusion of 
Israel's Red Cross, the Magen David Adom Society, which has been 
providing emergency services around the world, obviously, without 
regard to race, religion or nationality since the 1930s.
  What should we do? Our own American Red Cross says it is one of the 
greatest acts of injustice, that the International Red Cross and Red 
Crescent Societies will not admit Israel's Red Cross Society, the Magen 
David Adom Society, and refuses to accept the legitimacy of the Red 
Star of David. Hypocrisy? Injustice? Obviously.
  So I urge my colleagues in the House and my friends around the 
country to speak loudly about this act of injustice, and, hopefully, 
through the work of the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman) and 
the ranking member, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) and 
our other members on the Committee on International Relations, finally 
the International Red Cross and International Red Crescent Societies 
will do what is right now in the year 2000, and admit the Red Star of 
David, which has flown over so many tragedies, lending helping hands to 
peoples all over the world for the last 70 years, to be included in the 
family of those who wish to help others in need.
  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 464 which urges 
the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Federation 
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to fully recognize the Magen 
David Adom, Israel's counterpart to the American Red Cross, as a 
member. I am pleased that the President of the International Committee 
of the Red Cross, Dr. Jakob Kellenberger, has made membership of the 
Magen David Adom a priority this year. However, the Magen David Adom 
has been kept waiting for more than fifty years for full membership. It 
is imperative that the ICRC recognize the Magen David Adom immediately 
and not further delay the process. This could be done most easily by 
applying the American Red Cross' solution: to ``grandfather'' the Magen 
David Adom into the ICRC since it has met all necessary conditions to 
become a national society.
  I would like to commend the American Red Cross and Dr. Bernadine 
Healy for their support and commitment to ensuring full membership for 
the Magen David Adom. Furthermore, Chairman Gilman and Ranking Member 
Gejdenson also deserve recognition for their leadership on this issue.
  I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for this resolution.

                                Congress of the United States,

                                    Washington, DC, April 5, 2000.
     Dr. Jakob Kellenberger,
     President, International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva, 
         Switzerland.
       Dear Dr. Kellenberger: We are writing to urge the 
     International Committee of the Red Cross and the Federation 
     of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to recognize the 
     Magen David Adom (MDA) as a full member as expeditiously as 
     possible.
       As you know, the MDA was founded in 1930 and is the 
     national humanitarian society in the state of Israel. The MDA 
     is the Israeli counterpart to the American Red Cross and 
     carries out all of the traditional roles of a voluntary 
     medical aid society including emergency medical services, 
     maintenance of blood supplies, first aid, and disaster 
     relief. Unfortunately, despite its dedicated humanitarian 
     relief efforts around the world, MDA has not yet been 
     recognized as a full member of the International Red Cross 
     and Red Crescent Movement.
       The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a 
     worldwide institution in which all national Red Cross and Red 
     Crescent Societies have equal status. However, MDA is in a 
     decidedly unequal position. The Magen David Adom Society is 
     excluded from full membership in the International Committee 
     of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement solely because the 
     Red Shield of David, the organization's emblem, is not an 
     official emblem recognized by either the Geneva Conventions 
     governing the International Red Cross and Red Crescent 
     Movement or the Statutes of the International Red Cross and 
     Red Crescent Movement.
       While other countries utilize the red cross or the red 
     crescent as emblems of their national humanitarian societies, 
     we respect the decision of MDA in Israel, a Jewish state, to 
     maintain the 70-year tradition of using the Red Shield of 
     David as its emblem. With peace slowly but surely coming to 
     the Middle East and Israel developing progressively more 
     relations with its neighbors, it is time that the ICRC 
     recognize the Magen David Adom as a full member, and the 
     Federation grant it membership.
       As you are likely aware, the US House of Representatives 
     passed an amendment last year which expressed the sense of 
     the Congress that the MDA should be recognized as a full 
     member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent 
     Movement. Congress may consider additional legislation this 
     year about MDA's exclusion from your organization.
       We understand that there have been recent meetings between 
     you and the government of Israel which have brought the two 
     sides closer to a resolution. While we are encouraged by the 
     new positive atmosphere, we will be monitoring this situation 
     closely until the MDA is fully recognized by the ICRC and the 
     Federation.
           Sincerely,
         Eliot L. Engel; Constance A. Morella; Stephen Horn; 
           Jerrold Nadler; Rush D. Holt; Dana Rohrabacher; John M. 
           Spratt, Jr.; Anthony D. Weiner; James E. Rogan; Henry 
           A. Waxman; Joseph Crowley; Tim Holden; Christopher 
           Shays; Nita M. Lowey; Benjamin A. Gilman; Steven R. 
           Rothman; Tom Lantos; Peter Deutsch; Sam Gejdenson; John 
           F. Tierney; Howard L. Berman; John Lewis; Sander M. 
           Levin; Sherrod Brown; Charles B. Rangel; Juanita 
           Millender-McDonald; Gary L. Ackerman; James H. Maloney; 
           Edward J. Markey; Robert Wexler; Carolyn B. Maloney; 
           Janice D. Schakowsky.

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I speak today in strong support of House 
Resolution 464 to urge the International Committee of the Red Cross and 
the Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to formally 
recognize its Israeli counterpart, the Magen David Adom (MDA) as a full 
member.
  Unfortunately, international bias against the State of Israel still 
exists today. While the Israeli people have taken tremendous risks in 
negotiating peace with their Arab neighbors and promoting normalized 
relations with all nations, anti-Israel sentiment in international 
organizations still prevails.

[[Page H2425]]

  The reluctance of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent 
Movement to provide recognition to the Magen David Adom is just another 
manifestation of this attitude.
  The Magen David Adom not only provides important services in the 
State of Israel but also works internationally alongside other 
humanitarian relief organizations providing invaluable emergency aid to 
people in many countries, regardless of nationality or religious 
affiliation.
  Israel's recent response to the tragic earthquake in Turkey 
underlines that the Magen David Adom is an important member of the 
worldwide humanitarian community.
  I am proud to be a cosponsor of this important resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, the House International Relations Committee on which I 
am privileged to serve, unanimously supported this resolution and I 
urge my fellow Members to give this legislation the same overwhelming 
support on the floor today and send a strong message that the United 
States will not accept discrimination against the State of Israel.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gutknecht). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the 
House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 464.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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