Israel Matzav

Red Cross: Okay for 'Palestinian' Red Crescent to use Red Cross funds to honor terrorists

As some of you may recall, the International Red Cross only recently admitted Israel's Magen David Adom after forcing it to change its symbol to a 'neutral' one. But when it comes to the 'Palestinians,' as is so often the case, the rules are different. While the International Red Cross claims not to have participated in a ceremony glorifying terrorists, they are happy to let the 'Palestinian' Red Crescent Society use Red Cross funds for the ceremony.

Earlier this month, Palestinian Media Watch reported on a ceremony in the Palestinian Authority celebrating the International Red Cross' 150th anniversary. The official PA daily reported that the International Red Cross (ICRC) together with the Palestinian Red Crescent planted 150 trees bearing the names of "veteran prisoners," meaning security prisoners who have been imprisoned for many years.

Following PMW's report, the International Red Cross, in a letter to Weekly Press Pakistan - Canada, denied its involvement in the ceremony:

"Please note that ICRC was not present during the planting of the trees ceremony reported by your website."
 

However, not only did ICRC not condemn the Palestinian Red Crescent's glorification of terrorists in the ceremony, it chose to justify the use of ICRC money by the Palestinian Red Crescent. The ICRC issued a statement defending their right to use donor money any way they choose, even though the issue being raised was the use of ICRC money for terror glorification:

"Over the decades, the ICRC has provided support, including financially, both to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and to [Israeli] Magen David Adom for their humanitarian programs. It remains the prerogative of the National Society to define its own priorities and activities and to allocate funds accordingly."
 

The official PA daily wrote that "the International Red Cross and the Palestinian Red Crescent... planted 150 fruit trees that carry the names of the veteran prisoners jailed in the occupation prisons... [during] a ceremony called 'My Honor is My Freedom'... to mark the 150th anniversary of their founding."

The PA uses the term "veteran prisoners" to refer to those who have been in jail the longest, and in most cases these prisoners are serving life sentences for murder or multiple murders.

Read the whole thing.  Icing on the cake: The European Union's Red Cross and Red Crescent representative participated in the ceremony.

Labels: International Committee of the Red Cross, Palestinian terrorism, Red Crescent

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:25 PM