MORE than half a century after it was barred from joining the Red Cross, Israel is poised to join today the global humanitarian movement.

Despite last-minute opposition from Muslim countries which are part of the Red Cross and Red Crescent family, Israel’s emergency and rescue service was set to be admitted as a full member.

Delegates to the special conference in Geneva cleared away the last obstacle to full Israeli membership early this morning, setting up a formal admission.

In a vote that came well after midnight, the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent approved a resolution that enables Israel’s Magen David Adom society to join while retaining its red star of David instead of having to adopt the red cross or crescent used by other societies, the Israeli Ambassador, Itzhak Levanon, said.

With negotiations deadlocked, a mediating team worked late into the night to resolve remaining objections from Muslim countries, particularly from the 57-nation Organisation of Islamic Conference.

A bitter diplomatic conference last December paved the way when a new “red crystal” emblem, a red-bordered box standing on its point, was approved despite opposition from some Muslim states.

The Israeli emergency service will use the internationally recognised “red crystal” emblem, perhaps with a red Star of David inside, when its staff give aid on overseas operations. Israel’s military will be able to use the “red crystal” on a white flag to protect medics aiding casualties in a war zone.

Israel was denied entry to the movement by one vote in 1949 because it objected to using the red cross or red crescent symbols. The Red Cross refused to relent, to prevent a proliferation of symbols for the movement.

The red cross on a white background, a reversal of Switzerland’s flag, was chosen by Swiss humanitarians who founded the movement in 1863. Muslim countries, which maintained that it was reminiscent of the emblem used by Crusaders, insisted on the adoption of an Islamic red crescent.

Magen David Adom has been given “observer” status which allows it to take part in many of the operations conducted by the Red Cross.

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