Palestinian Red Crescent to host BDS conference
Palestinian Red Crescent to host BDS conference
By Maurice Hirsch, Adv. and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
In direct breach of its commitments, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), which is a member of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), is set to host a BDS conference.
In a notice posted on its Facebook page, the Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) movement announced that it will hold its bi-annual conference on Saturday March 16, on the premises of the Palestinian Red Crescent.Posted text: “Under the auspices of the Palestinian people, the Palestinian National Boycott Movement invites you to participate in the Sixth National Conference of the Movement to Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) Israel, under the title ‘Another boycott and struggle against normalization in order to resist the colonialist and racist Israeli regime and to isolate it.’ This is on Saturday, March 16, 2019, from 10:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., at the Congress Hall in the Palestinian Red Crescent [Building] in El-Bireh.”
[Facebook page of BDS Arabic, March 10, 2019]
The PRCS is a member of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) that is associated with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
In order for the PRCS to join the IFRC, it had to commit to upholding seven fundamental principles set down by the latter, which mirror the same fundamental principles set down by the ICRC.
In particular, the PRCS would have had to commit to upholding the principle of Neutrality, which requires that “In order to continue to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.”
Needless to say, the use of the facilities of the PRCS to host a BDS conference named “Another boycott and struggle against normalization in order to resist the colonialist and racist Israeli regime and to isolate it,” is a direct breach of the principle of neutrality, and should be condemned in the strongest form.
Unfortunately, the politicization of the PRCS is not new. Palestinian Media Watch reported that the organization cancelled its 50th year anniversary in December last year to honor three terrorists:
"Out of respect for the blood of the Martyrs (Shahids) who ascended to Heaven recently after being shot by the Israeli occupation..."
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Dec. 13, 2018]
Just prior to the cancellation, two terrorist murderers were shot and killed when they opened fire on Israeli forces who came to arrest them. Saleh Omar Saleh Barghouti murdered a baby who died as a result of his shooting attack in which he wounded 7 Israelis, including the pregnant mother who was carrying the baby. Ashraf Walid Suleiman Na'alwa shot and murdered 2 of his Israeli coworkers earlier that year. A third terrorist, Majdi Mteir, was shot and killed while carrying out a stabbing attack just prior to the PRCS’s cancellation. It is these three terrorists the Palestinian Red Crescent referred to as "Shahids" - "Martyrs" - someone who died for Allah.
The willingness of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society to allow the BDS movement to use its premises and its contemptuous opinion that terrorist murderers are “Martyrs” who died for Allah clearly shows that this organization has no respect for the fundamental principles set down by the IFRC and the ICRC.
Since the anti-Israel BDS event is scheduled to be held tomorrow, on March 16, Palestinian Media Watch calls on the IFRC and the ICRC to act immediately and to do all that is in its power to prevent the event from being held on the premises of the PRCS.
Should the PRCS hold the event, in breach of the fundamental principles in general and in breach of the principle of neutrality specifically, PMW calls on the IFRC and ICRC to reevaluate PRCS’ status as a member of the Federation.