2006年VOA标准英语-Israel, Palestinians to Join Red Cross, Red Cre

By Lisa Schlein
Geneva
20 June 2006

 
Delegates listen during the opening of the 29th international conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva, Switzerland 
  
An international Red Cross conference is set to approve the membership of Israel's aid organization, Magen David Adom and the Palestine Red Crescent.  The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement will amend¹ its statutes² to add another emblem³, named the "Red Crystal," paving the way for their participation⁴. 

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If all goes according to plan, the Palestine Red Crescent Society will be admitted as a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement at the same time as Israel's Magen David Adom.  

The Movement's Special Adviser⁵ on the Emblem, Christopher Lamb, says both societies want to see this happen.  He says their work will reach a new level of acceptability once they join.

"What we will then have is in one of the most difficult humanitarian⁶ scenarios⁷ in the world, both the societies committed to the same set of fundamental principles and humanitarian requirements, working together to bring to the people of that very distressed⁸ region, and it gets more distressed every day… to bring to them some comfort.  So we see a direct humanitarian benefit for the people of the region as well from this resolution going forward," he said.   

This controversial issue has been simmering for more than six decades.  Israel first tried to join the International Red Cross Movement in 1949, but Middle Eastern politics have kept Israel out.  Another problem leading to Israel's isolation⁹, is its refusal to use either of the two globally recognized symbols, the red cross and the red crescent.

Lamb says this problem will be solved if the resolution to adopt a third humanitarian emblem, the Red Crystal, is approved at this conference. 

"We can use it as an emblem to be carried by any national society that wishes to be admitted to the movement as a member and that primarily is the Israeli society," he added.

Israel's Magen David Adom will be able to place a red Star of David in the center of the new diamond shaped symbol.

The American Red Cross froze its contributions to the International Federation¹⁰ of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies six years ago to protest Israel's exclusion¹¹ from the movement.  Spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, Devorah Goldburg, says $45 million has been withheld¹² over that period.

She will not now say whether those funds will be restored once the issue has been resolved.  But she says the admission of the Israeli and Palestinian societies will make the international movement truly universal.

"The American Red Cross believes that the admission of both the MDA [Magen David Adom] and the Palestine Red Crescent Society will absolutely help further their cooperation, their humanitarian work-serving the people in whose community they currently serve.  So absolutely, we think it will be very beneficial and that the cooperation will continue," she said. 

Delegates here do not expect a smooth ride.  Syria is leading a group of Muslim states that plan to confront the Red Cross movement over attempts to introduce a third humanitarian emblem. 

The Red Cross says it hopes the resolution will be passed by consensus¹³, but it is prepared for a vote if necessary.  A two-thirds majority would be required for the resolution to be adopted

1 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

2 statutes   

成文法( statute的名词复数 )； 法令； 法规； 章程

参考例句：

• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Each agency is also restricted by the particular statutes governing its activities. 各个机构的行为也受具体法令限制。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 emblem   

n.象征，标志；徽章

参考例句：

• Her shirt has the company emblem on it.她的衬衫印有公司的标记。
• The eagle was an emblem of strength and courage.鹰是力量和勇气的象征。

4 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

5 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

6 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

7 scenarios   

n.[意]情节；剧本；事态；脚本

参考例句：

• Further, graphite cores may be safer than non-graphite cores under some accident scenarios. 再者，根据一些事故解说，石墨堆芯可比非石墨堆芯更安全一些。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Again, scenarios should make it clear which modes are acceptable to users in various contexts. 同样，我们可以运用场景剧本来搞清楚在不同情境下哪些模式可被用户接受。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

8 distressed   

痛苦的

参考例句：

• He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。
• The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

9 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

10 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

11 exclusion   

n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行

参考例句：

• Don't revise a few topics to the exclusion of all others.不要修改少数论题以致排除所有其他的。
• He plays golf to the exclusion of all other sports.他专打高尔夫球，其他运动一概不参加。

12 withheld   

withhold过去式及过去分词

参考例句：

• I withheld payment until they had fulfilled the contract. 他们履行合同后，我才付款。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There was no school play because the principal withheld his consent. 由于校长没同意，学校里没有举行比赛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？