Acceptance of the Jewish Star of David by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent was approved last night despite objections thrown down by Muslim countries at a conference in Switzerland.

A meeting of the 192 member organizations of the humanitarian movement saw Pakistan, heading the delegation of the 56-member Organization of the Islamic Conference, raise procedural objections when the Swiss hosts tried to declare Israel's Magen David Adom Society admitted to the relief organization.

The Jewish society was eventually admitted, with 94 countries approving the move, while 27 countries, all Muslim, objected. The rest abstained.

Pakistan's objections followed demands by Syria that MDA's entry be blocked until Israel allows the Syrian Red Crescent access to the Golan Heights, which Israeli forces overran in the final days of the 1967 Six Day War and Israel has since controlled.

The Canadian Red Cross joined the Israeli- and U.S.-led argument that admitting Magen David Adom to the international movement should be independent of any differences countries have with Israel.

MDA membership is linked to the adoption by the international organization of a third emblem under the Geneva Conventions: a diamond-shaped symbol to be called a Red Crystal.

This is meant to overcome the religious connotations ascribed to both the Red Cross and Red Crescent. If admitted as a member, MDA would continue to display the Star of David within Israel's borders, but place the symbol inside the Red Crystal when working abroad.

Translated as the Red Shield of David, Magen David Adom was founded as the Jewish equivalent of the Red Cross in 1930.

© The Gazette (Montreal) 2005