Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

The bloodless war

Here we are, over 24 hours into the "massive" Israeli push into Gaza, and what's missing?

That's right - not one confirmed report of any deaths that I could find.

Check out Islam Online's coverage of the "invasion":

Trying to escape the large-scale Israeli military operation in Gaza which started early Wednesday, fearful Palestinian men, women and children- entire families- decided to pack and leave their homes in Gaza, seeking a safer place, stated an article on News24.
Thousands of Palestinians fled to the nearby town of Rafah, near the Gaza-Israel-Egypt border.
At 2 p.m. Wednesday, Israeli jets started firing missiles at the northern section of the city.

Armored personnel carriers were stationed outside northern Gaza to move in later in the day.

Challenging Israeli media reports, which claimed that the incursion into Gaza was met with weak resistance, Palestinian media reported that resistance fighters started building barricades and were preparing hideouts and ambush positions.

Palestinian television reported that the barbarous Israeli army was indiscriminately bombing the city.

In the north, Israeli warplanes hit a power station, sending clouds of black smoke into the sky. Correspondents reported that deafening explosions were heard as three bridges and a road were also targeted in a series of air raids carried out by the IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces).

Earlier in the day, the IOF took control of the abandoned airport in Dahaniyeh, which represents a strategic control and observation point over the area of Rafah and the southern Gaza Strip, and the town of Shuka in southern Gaza, in a move aimed at strengthening its positions in areas east of Rafah.

Amidst the horrific sound of fire from combat helicopters, horse-drawn carts loaded with fearful Palestinians leaving East Gaza, veiled mothers carrying their children walked along roads dimly lit by streetlamps, heading for family and friends’ houses in safer areas.

Ali Mussa, the director of Rafah hospital, told AFP that the hospital started preparing to receive any casualties caused by the unjustified and barbarous Israeli raid.

"We brought extra quantities of medicines and drugs. We are fully stocked with blood thanks to people donating in the last two days since we heard that Israeli forces were going to attack," the doctor said.

"We have increased the workload for our emergency teams. We cancelled all elective surgery. Our operating room has been ready for two days now only for emergencies," Mussa added.

Palestinian resistance organisations are warning the Israelis of unrelenting battles using significantly more firepower than in the past.

“The Israelis will pay a huge price,” Abu al-Majed, a spokesperson for the Palestinian President’s Fatah faction, once the ruling party, was quoted as saying.

“They will be entering a hornet's nest if they come again.”

An entire article about how awful Israel is...and they can't find a single Palestinian Arab with even a scratch to make news out of.

Operation Summer Rains livebloggers

Vital Perspective
Israellycool

Both doing an excellent job of keeping the world up to date.

Muslim opinions on Jews

The Pew Research Center conducted a poll showing (among other things) the attitudes of Muslims in various countries towards many issues. Here is one finding:

Their opinion towards Jews (not Zionists!) was unfavorable in these amounts:
Great Britain 47%
France 28%
Germany 44%
Spain 60%
Egypt 97%
Turkey 65%
Indonesia 72%
Jordan 98%

Another interesting finding is that in practically every country, Muslims did not believe that Muslims were behind 9/11.

No-op

In computer programming, a no-op is defined as

a computer instruction that takes up a small amount of space but specifies no operation. The computer processor simply moves to the next sequential instruction.

In hacker lingo it means someone who contributes nothing, who pretty much just takes up space.

Mahmoud Abbas is a quintessential no-op.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel on Wednesday of carrying out "crimes against humanity" with its incursion into Gaza Strip.

As usual, rather than leading and doing, Abbas is reduced to whining to any reporter who still hangs out around him. I'm surprised he hasn't yet characterized the operation as "genocide," "ethnic cleansing" and a "Holocaust." But it is only day one...he still has time.

He also seems to be implying that his people are humans, which seems to be a harder and harder assumption to make with each passing day.

Today's GoozNews: Israel assassinating thousands of scientists!

Iranian "news" once again scoops the world!

TEHRAN, June 27 (MNA) -- Reports published by the Arab media indicate that death squads connected with the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad have assassinated more than 2500 Iraqi scientists over the past three years.

Most of these scientists were specialists in the field of nuclear physics.

In addition, since the downfall of Iraq’s former dictator Saddam Hussein, 3000 scientists, university professors, and engineers have been compelled to leave their country due to insecurity.

According to documents compiled by the Iraqi Human Rights Committee, after the U.S. occupation of Iraq, elements from the Mossad entered the country posing as technical and service company employees, and as a first step, started to collect information about young Iraqi physicists.

With the help of remnants of the former Baath regime, these Mossad agents then set ambushes and assassinated the scientists.

Israel has named this operation “curettage” because through these assassinations it wants to prevent the Iraqi government from making use of these scientists to regain its scientific status, rebuild its nuclear installations, and develop nuclear technology.

The Zionist regime is also threatening other academic figures in Iraq to convince them to leave their homeland, and there is a daily increase in the number of Iraqi scientists fleeing the country.

Naturally, over the past few years, various Iraqi government officials have informed the United States of their concerns about the assassination of the country’s scientific figures, but, unfortunately, these activities are continuing.

An unusual aspect of these assassinations is the fact that the Mossad agents usually choose targets from a particular religious group so as to also foment sectarian strife while physically eliminating the scientists.

The Mossad’s assassination strategy is not limited to Iraq but also targets prominent figures throughout the Islamic world.

Yeah, Israel seems really worried about the Iraqi nuclear program.

(Definition of GoozNews here.)

Arabs burying bombs in populated areas

Remember when Israel first mentioned the possibility that the Gaza family had been killed by a Hamas bomb buried on the beach? Pro-terror Hamas supporters scoffed that Hamas would never do something like that - bury explosives in areas that Palestinian Arab children might play.

Thanks to the AP photographers/terrorist groupies, we see that perhaps they would:

Palestinian militants set up an explosive device into a mount of sand in preparation for a possible Israeli army ground operation at the Jebaliy refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip Tuesday June 27, 2006.

By the way, why are there still refugee camps in Gaza? I thought it was the Israeli government that kept Palestinian Arabs in camps....

"Prisoner's Plan" too peaceful for Hamas

Surfing the news about the agreement between Fatah and Hamas shows in a very real way how poor the mainstream media is at real reporting:

New Hamas-Fatah Plan Recognizes Israel
Helena Independent Record, MT - 35 minutes ago
By IBRAHIM BARZAK. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - The rival Hamas and Fatah movements agreed on a plan implicitly recognizing Israel, a ...
No recognition of Israel - Hamas
BBC Bulgaria, Bulgaria - 36 minutes ago
Rival Palestinian political factions Fatah and Hamas have reached agreement on a common political strategy to try to end a damaging power struggle....

Obviously getting real details about this plan is impossible from the likes of AP's Ibrahim Barzak.

What we do know is that the original "prisoner's plan" is not in any way, shape or form a recognition of Israel. We also know that Hamas has made clear many times, including today, that they will never recognize Israel, and that the AP is just lying.

What is not being reported is this little tidbit about how Hamas managed to change the plan so they would agree to it. Thanks to Islam Online, we can get a little closer to the truth:

The senior lawmaker told IOL the agreement came after changes introduced by the ruling Hamas movement to the original text.

The most important change is a phrase introduced in the preamble which stipulates that "rights are not written off by the passage of time."

Hamas believes this phrase will block any agreement that makes concessions on inalienable Palestinian rights.

The 18-point national reconciliation document also calls for "focusing" resistance attacks against Israeli forces in areas occupied in 1967.

The original text restricted resistance operations to areas occupied in 1967.

The amended text also calls for "working" to form a national unity government instead of the earlier call to form such a government.

So in the end, Hamas deleted the one part of the document that was remotely approaching anything that could be called partially moderate - the idea of not attacking Jewish grandmothers inside the "green line" - and changed it to allow that if they feel it is necessary.

It is a non-story, a joke that if anything proves Abbas' impotence.

Oh, and the logic that makes idiots like AP reporters believe that it accepts Israel? The document calls for establishing a state in the territories only to begin with, and by some perverted mind- twisting and squinting these people think that this means an acceptance of Israel.

Yeah, right.

Latest poll of peaceful Palestinian Arabs

Once again, that "tiny minority" of Palestinian Arabs who support terror continues to grow.

In the latest poll by the Palestine Center of Policy and Survey Research, taken in mid-June, it was found that 56% support terror attacks against civilians inside Israel. Even more amazing, when asked if they support the suicide terror attack that killed 11 Israelis in Tel Aviv in April, 69% supported it and 27% opposed it.

It seems that the tiny minority is now twice as big as the peaceful majority.

Good luck finding these results mentioned in the media.

(H/T: Jewish Current Issues)

Some joo humor

I've been unbelievably busy so instead of an original post, I might as well recycle some old material I just dredged up from around the web:

How to Spot a Joo

The Joo is such a danger, yet the average White Patriot
is not trained to spot them. The following guide will help:

You can tell a Joo because of their low intellectual level evidenced
by their complete animal like stupidity combined with their secret
plans which through careful organization over the last thousand years
have almost given them ultimate domination by control of the media,
educational, political, medical, and financial organizations of the world.

They have a total lack of even simple morals evidenced by their
evil documents such as the Ten Commandments.

Their low character and complete inability to devise even simple
original thought has forced them to make up for this by such
primitive actions such as the invention of the atomic bomb, cure
for polio, devlopment of physics theory, etc.

Their filthy ways, esp in food preparation are always a give away.

They were able to trick and then force the hapless innocent Romans
into killing Christ. How much more about love and forgiveness could
he have tought us if those animals had not killed him?

These people must be feared. Only through the White Christian
traits of generous love and faith can we send these animals to
the painful end they and their kind so richly deserve.
(Andrew Carol)

Local Jew Feels Left Out Of Worldwide Jewish Conspiracy

April 30, 1997 | Issue 31•16

SOUTHFIELD, MI—It is an hour past sunset on a brisk Thursday night, and, like their brethren around the globe, the Jews of this affluent Detroit suburb are gathered in synagogues, busily hatching plots for world domination through financial chicanery and media influence. But for Seth Nussbaum, it will be just another lonely evening.

Local Jew Feels Left Out Of Worldwide Jewish Conspiracy

Nussbaum

"For some reason, they've decided to leave me out of the worldwide Jewish conspiracy," said Nussbaum, a 34-year-old computer programmer. "And I can't say it doesn't hurt."

While his fellow Jews are controlling the flow of billions of dollars of international currency and brokering multi million-dollar entertainment deals, on this quiet night Nussbaum is making himself a frozen pizza and watching ER, far removed from any money beyond the $28,000 annual salary he receives from his job at Cyntech Industries.

"Who's to say I wouldn't enjoy hoarding a little gold every now and then?" he said, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Believe me, I'd love to be able to sneak around behind the scenes like the Elders of Zion, pulling the strings and holding the real power in society. But I guess when it comes to working the Jerusalem-New York-L.A. triangle, I just wasn't one of the chosen people."

Unlike millions of other Jews around the world, Nussbaum holds no sway over the media, has no powerful friends within the Wall Street banking community or the Trilateral Commission, and has never run a major Hollywood studio.

Enlarge Image Local Jew Feels Left Out Of Worldwide Jewish Conspiracy jump

Though its influence stretches to all corners of the globe, the worldwide Jewish conspiracy has, for mysterious reasons, neglected to include Southfield, MI, computer programmer Seth Nussbaum.

In fact, Nussbaum doesn't even own so much as his own production company. "Spielberg, Geffen, Ovitz, Eisner, Katzenberg—those are the Jews who control Hollywood," Nussbaum said. "And there's countless other Jews calling the shots at every level of the entertainment industry, from agents to producers to directors. But me? I probably couldn't even get the studio backing for a $15 to $20 million romantic comedy with a mid-level star like Matthew Broderick."

And despite being a regular subscriber to The New York Times for seven years, Nussbaum has no powerful connections among the Jews who own that and every other newspaper in the United States.

"As a left-leaning Jew, I should enjoy vast influence over the press. I should be able use the papers and television stations I own to forward my biased, liberal Jewish agenda and get Israel-supporting Democratic candidates elected to Congress," said Nussbaum, sitting on the old futon he uses as a couch. "But somehow, that's just not the case."

Spurned by his own kind, Nussbaum has not even been able to gain admittance into a secondary world-domination conspiracy like the Masons. "They turned down my application," he said, sighing deeply, "when they found out I was Jewish. I guess for now I'll just have to resign myself to being Seth Nussbaum, computer programmer and powerless Jew."

Hostages

Some background info:

International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages
ARTICLE 1

1. Any person who seizes or detains and threatens to kill, to injure or to continue to detain another person (hereinafter referred to as the "hostage") in order to compel a third party, namely, a State, an international intergovernmental organization, a natural or juridical person, or a group of persons, to do or abstain from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the release of the hostage commits the offence of taking of hostages ("hostage-taking") within the meaning of this Convention.
2. Any person who:
1. attempts to commit an act of hostage-taking, or
2. participates as an accomplice of anyone who commits or attempts to commit an act of hostage-taking likewise commits an offence for the purposes of this Convention.

Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts, 8 June 1977.Protocol I, Art. 75

2. The following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever, whether committed by civilian or by military agents: (a) violence to the life, health, or physical or mental well-being of persons, in particular: (i) murder; (ii) torture of all kinds, whether physical or mental; (iii) corporal punishment; and (iv) mutilation;

(b) outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment, enforced prostitution and any form or indecent assault; (c) the taking of hostages; (d) collective punishments; and (e) threats to commit any of the foregoing acts.
Convention IV, Art. 147
Art. 147. Grave breaches to which the preceding Article relates shall be those involving any of the following acts, if committed against persons or property protected by the present Convention: wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including biological experiments, wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement of a protected person, compelling a protected person to serve in the forces of a hostile Power, or wilfully depriving a protected person of the rights of fair and regular trial prescribed in the present Convention, taking of hostages and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.

Hamas: We have nothing against Jews. We just hate them.

H/T Oceanguy

One of the Hamas cabinet members, Sheikh Nayef Rajoub, said something interesting in March to The New Yorker. He was describing why Israel must be destroyed, and the reason given was that "Freud, a Jew, was the one who destroyed morals."

Got that? Good! Because today he showed a remarkable consistency. When asked whether Jews would be allowed to live in a Palestinian Arab state:

And under no condition would they would be accepted in Palestinian country, if one should be establish[ed]?
"I do not think such a possibility exists. The only solution is for them to be evacuated and removed from our land. These people cannot stay here."

But not all the settlers are the same. Not all are violent and not all of them live in the West Bank because of ideological reasons. And besides, if a foreigner wants to live here you wouldn’t let him?
"A non-Jewish foreigner is a different question. We aren’t against the Jews as Jews, as a religion. We are against those settlers because of their behavior and the immense suffering they have caused us, and the large number of victims their conduct has cost. Settlers’ behavior did not leave us with the option to classify who among them is extremist and who is moderate."

This was in response to Olmert's preposterous assertion that Jews would have the option to live under an Arab West Bank state. Apparently, his grand plan is to just wish away Arab bigotry.

So the next time someone tells you that the Palestinian Arab leadership has nothing against Jews, just remember Rajoub.

Guardian: Hamas accepts Israel! Hamas: No, we don't!

Yesterday, in another example of astonishingly clueless reporting, Chris McGreal of The Guardian breathlessly reported a scoop:

Climbdown as Hamas agrees to Israeli state
Hamas has made a major political climbdown by agreeing to sections of a document that recognise Israel's right to exist and a negotiated two-state solution, according to Palestinian leaders.

Wonderful! Now we can go back to giving billions of Euros to terrorists, the way life was meant to be! After all - it isn't their fault:

Israel has dismissed the prisoners' document as changing little because, among other things, it advocates continued resistance. But a complete renunciation of violence is unlikely to come while Israeli attacks continue to claim the lives of innocent Palestinians.

It is Israel's fault that Hamas likes to kill Jews! So it is unrealistic to expect the government of a statelet to stop killing the children and grandparents in the neighboring state. That's just crazy talk!

Alas, facts seem to have gotten in the way of this reporter's fantasies:

Hamas has blasted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for suggesting that the Islamic militant group may accept a two-state solution and recognize Israel.
A Hamas statement faxed to United Press International's Beirut office Thursday said Abbas' declaration "only reflects his views, not those of Hamas, which is perfectly capable of expressing its stance and does not need a spokesman."

Hamas strongly criticized Abbas for meeting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during their participation in the conference, in Petra, south Jordan, as guests of honor.

The statement described Abbas' remarks on Hamas' possible acceptance of a two-state solution as "strange and unaccepted," and accuses him of "provocation against Hamas and exaggeration in holding it responsible for the present situation."

Does anyone think for even a moment that the editors at the Guardian will hold a reporter responsible for such a wrong piece? No, McGreal will continue his biased analyses disguised as reporting facts for as long as he wants.
(H/T: Backspin for the Guardian article.)

Utter insanity from Egypt

Others have pointed out the ridiculous, over the top hysteria from the Arab world that accompanied John Pantsil's goal last Saturday when he celebrated by waving an Israeli flag.

One would think that thinking Arabs would sober up after a few days and be able to see the incident in context. Well, one would think that if they knew nothing about Arabs, anyway.

Here is an absurd article in Al-Ahram, dripping with hate for a country that Egypt has a "peace treaty" with, by a presumably educated person. This is not the rantings of a few Muslim bigots in message boards - this is mainstream opinion in Egypt.

Ya gotta laugh:

Was Pantsil that apolitical or was he playing a dangerous and star-crossed game? Gamal Nkrumah searches for clues

Last Saturday, in a packed 45,000-seat Cologne Stadium, the Black Stars' striker Sulley Muntari scored off a penetrating pass from Stephen Appiah, the Ghanaian national team's captain, much to the chagrin of Petr Cech, the brave and gifted Czech goalkeeper who failed to draw another good save.

It was a rocket of a shot that wowed World Cup viewers in Egypt and other Arab countries.

Then came Ghanaian defender John Pantsil's moment.

Egyptian and Arab World Cup viewers were shocked to see Pantsil pull out the Israeli flag from his socks, dampening the enthusiasm of the Egyptian and Arab admirers of the Black Stars.

The next day, columnist Hassan El-Mistikawi, writing in Al-Ahram, explained that Israeli businessmen train poor African children in camps across central and western Africa in a variety of sports. "These children, when they grow up and become professional sportsmen, remain loyal to Israel," he wrote.

Ghana was among the most popular African teams until the 82nd minute into the match when Pantsil let the white and blue Star of David fly loose. The unfortunate incident outraged Arab World Cup viewers. Conspiracy theories abounded. There was much speculation in the Egyptian and Arab media as to whether Pantsil worked for Israeli intelligence, was paid handsomely for his "shameful deed" or was simply a Zionist sympathiser. One Egyptian commentator even referred to Pantsil as an "Israeghanaian" player.

To add insult to injury, the Ghanaian player openly declared his love for Israel to the Israeli media which, of course, ranted and raved about the supposed merit of Pantsil's inexplicable blunder.

"I love your country," John Pantsil enthusiastically disclosed to a group of Israeli journalists after the match in Cologne in which Ghana thrashed the Czech Republic 2-0. "You [Israelis] have done everything for me, and thanks to you I made it to the World Cup. So I wanted to bring you some happiness in return," said the Ghanaian defender who plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv.

The Israeli media had a field day with Pantsil's suspicious slip. He certainly gave the Israelis what they wanted and the Israeli media was on hand to bundle in.

Ghanaian defender Emmanuel Pappoe also plays for Israel's Hapoel Kfar Saba. The Ghanaian national team's goalkeeper Richard Kingston plays for Israel's Ashdod. Ironically, Israel which failed to qualify for the World Cup, has made its mark thanks to Pantsil. Still, we must not forget that at least two Black Stars -- Habib Mohamed and Issa Ahmed -- are Muslim. Ghana is a multi-cultural country, and this is its first World Cup.

The Ghanaian team's credentials are superb; indeed Africa's hope at the World Cup are pinned on their success. They certainly know how to put on a show. The tragedy, however, is that the show was sullied by Pantsil's faux pas.

Another incident which drew the attention of Arab and Muslim Cup viewers was the manner in which another Ghanaian player, John Mensah, brandished a T-shirt with an image of Jesus Christ holding a lamb. For devout Christians, it is a perfectly understandable gesture. But, for those who hail from predominantly Muslim or non-Christian cultures it seemed as a rather odd gesture.

Today, when Ghana faces the United States, there would certainly be no repeat of Pantsil's controversial antics -- not after the GFA pledge that there would be no repeat of Saturday's star- crossed episode. And, we hope that the Black Stars will not let down their Arab fans -- either by being beaten by the US or by flaunting the Israeli flag in their fans faces.

Africa yearns for a much needed fillip, and Ghana is the continent's only genuine hope in Germany. Perhaps with a Ghanaian triumph today Arab Cup viewers would be prepared to

Yes, the article ends in mid-sentence. Perhaps the foam escaping from the author's mouth short-circuited his keyboard.

I also like how Al-Ahram managed to find a picture of the terribly offensive act without having the Star of David visible, presumably so as not to incite riots from its loyal readership.

Wishful lies better than brutal truths

al-Reuters reports:

Israel has asked the European Union to make Palestinians sign a document renouncing terrorism before they can receive EU help under a new aid program, Western officials said on Tuesday.

What an excellent suggestion! Make them sign a document - and all our problems will be solved!

Just like when Arafat said in 1993:

the PLO renounces the use of terrorism and other acts of violence and will assume responsibility over all PLO elements and personnel in order to assure their compliance, prevent violations and discipline violators.

And when the Palestinian Arabs accepted Oslo:

The Government of the State of Israel and the P.L.O. team (in the Jordanian-Palestinian delegation to the Middle East Peace Conference) (the "Palestinian Delegation"), representing the Palestinian people, agree that it is time to put an end to decades of confrontation and conflict, recognize their mutual legitimate and political rights, and strive to live in peaceful coexistence and mutual dignity and security and achieve a just, lasting and comprehensive peace settlement and historic reconciliation through the agreed political process.

Or when they signed the Oslo Interim Agreements in 1995:

Both sides shall take all measures necessary in order to prevent acts of terrorism, crime and hostilities directed against each other, against individuals falling under the other's authority and against their property, and shall take legal measures against offenders.

Or when the Palestinian Arabs accepted the Wye River Memorandum:

A. Security Actions

1. Outlawing and Combating Terrorist Organizations

a. The Palestinian side will make known its policy of zero tolerance for terror and violence against both sides. b. A work plan developed by the Palestinian side will be shared with the U.S. and thereafter implementation will begin immediately to ensure the systematic and effective combat of terrorist organizations and their infrastructure.

See how much terror was reduced by making terrorists sign agreements pledging peace?

As a bonus, check out this paragraph from a letter from the US to Israel:

U.S. State Department
Washington, D.C.
October 30, 1998

Mr. Dani Naveh
Cabinet Secretary
Government of Israel

Dear Mr. Naveh:

I wanted to provide further clarification of the understanding of the United States regarding one of the issues addressed in the "Wye River Memorandum."

With respect to the Palestinian side's provision of its list of policemen to Israel (II(C)(1)(a)), the U.S. has been assured that it will receive all appropriate information concerning current and former policemen as part of our assistance program. It is also our understanding that it was agreed by the two sides that the total number of Palestinian policemen would not exceed
30,000.

Sincerely,

Dennis B. Ross
Special Middle East Coordinator

Some people seem to mix up "peace" with "pieces of paper."

One cheer for the ICRC - AP shows bias again

It appears that the ICRC has finally approved Israel becoming a member (along with the Palestinian Red Crescent society, that famous humanitarian organization that lends ambulances to terrorists to kill Jews.)

Of course, Israel cannot use its "offensive" Star of David symbol, but has to place it in the new "red crystal."

What is unclear to me is whether Israel has the right to show the Star of David at all if they are working in another country, or if the other country can demand Israel only use the blank Red Crystal, or even if Israel is allowed to display the star outside of Israel. The AP report includes this paragraph that may not be accurate but implies that Israel cannot use the star under certain circumstances:

Israel's military will be able to use the crystal by itself on a white flag to protect medics and other humanitarian workers helping war casualties. But any society could combine the emblem with the cross or crescent - or both - for temporary use.

More explicitly, the Red Cross says:

The Protocol enables the Israeli Society to continue to use its red shield of David as its sole emblem inside Israel. When working outside Israel the Society would need to work according to the requirements of the host country. Normally this would mean that it could display the red shield of David incorporated within the red crystal, or use the red crystal alone.

The AP, as usual, spins this decades-old bias against the Jewish state as being Israel's fault. In the very first paragraph of their story:

The Red Cross admitted Israel to the worldwide humanitarian organization early Thursday, ending decades of exclusion linked to the Jewish state's refusal to accept the traditional cross symbol.

Ah, those intransigent Jews again.

Wouldn't it have been more accurate to say "linked to the organization's refusal to accept the Star of David as a humanitarian symbol"? Or "linked to the organization's refusal to accept Israel"? Notice how the author ignores in this paragraph any mention of Muslim countries' refusal to allow the Red Cross symbol as well.

Beyond that, the argument against the Star of David has always hinged on the idea that the Red Cross/Red Crescent only had two symbols and adding an additional symbol could confuse the matter. Well, guess what? It's not true!

At the Red Cross site we see that the first Geneva convention accepted not two, but three symbols for use by the organization - the Red Cross, Red Crescent and the Persian Red Lion and Sun:

Somehow, three symbols were not too many in 1949. Somehow, a symbol associated with only one country was fine in 1949 (Iran scrapped the symbol after the 1980 revolution, but otherwise it would stil be a valid symbol.) Israel, of course, has tried to get the MDA accepted by the ICRC since the 1930's, when the committee did allow three symbols (although they did put in a rule disallowing any additional symbols after 1929.)

In other words, it may be nice that Israel finally is allowed to join this organization, but the bias against Israel is still clear.