Humanitarian Dinner

Helping the Most Vulnerable in the Middle East

At the Canadian Red Cross Annual Meeting, representatives of the Magen David Adom of Israel (MDA) and the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) spoke about the challenges faced by their respective organizations and the humanitarian values they cherish.

More than 230 people - including corporate sponsors, representatives of the Jewish and Palestinian communities, Canadian Red Cross Society volunteers and staff from across the country - attended the Humanitarian Dinner, which was held in Montreal on October 5, 2002 in conjunction with the Society's 93rd Annual General Meeting.

Dr. Moshe Melloul, president of the MDA, and Edmond Omran, president of Medical Aid for Palestine, a Canadian NGO that supports the PRCS, told the Canadian Red Cross Humanitarian Dinner that, despite living in a region plagued by one of the world's most complex conflicts, they had a vision of helping the most vulnerable.

	Dr. Moshe Melloul, president of the MDA

"I can assure you that the MDA is a non-political humanitarian organization based on the principles of the Red Cross," Melloul said. "Our staff and volunteers are day and night unconditionally committed to alleviating human suffering and to assisting people in distress, wherever it occurs and without discrimination based on nationality, race, religious beliefs or political opinions."

Omran delivered a speech on behalf of and written by Mr. Younis Al-Khatib, the president of the PRCS, who was unable to attend. He stressed the difficulties encountered by both PRCS and MDA emergency relief teams when faced with continuing violence and curfews.

He spoke of the collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation, which has helped the PRCS to bring food and medicine to over 20,000 injured and hundreds of besieged families and isolated communities.

"We will continue to work to preserve human life with dignity," Omran said. "Our work is not simply about clinical interventions. It must be enveloped in layers that address the need for human dignity, justice, democracy and fundamental respect for all life and the environment that sustains it."

Melloul said the MDA had an important role in advocacy and the promotion of humanitarian values. The MDA has held regular meetings with the Israeli Defense Forces to discuss protection for medical services, care for the sick and wounded in the Territories and facilitating the work of Palestinian emergency services.

The MDA president championed a renewal of mutual aid between his organization and the PRCS. They have met several times over the past few years to develop a comprehensive plan for strengthening their cooperation.

Edmond Omran, president of Medical Aid for Palestine

"To my regret, due to the outbreak of violence in September 2000, we have not yet been able to implement these ideas, and our cooperation is limited to mutual assistance in the treatment and transport of patients," Melloul said. "We are looking forward to a new peace process to renew as quickly as possible our plans for cooperation."

That sentiment was echoed by Omran. He said the September 11 attacks and the continuing conflict in the Middle East proved that people could not cocoon themselves in a perfect world and pretend that human suffering was not their concern.

"We share both an individual and collective responsibility to effect change in the world. This must entail sacrifice. We must learn to share our resources better, and work to address the imbalance in health and wealth worldwide. To do otherwise, endangers the very principles we stand for in the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement," he said.

He strongly condemned all acts of violence against civilians and called for justice to be served. The speech concluded with a message of hope from Mr. Al-Khatib: "Yes we will have peace in Palestine and Israel. Yes our children will learn to live together and accept one another, this is not something we simply hope for, but something we work actively to achieve in our community."

The dinner was attended by the secretary general of the International Federation, Didier Cherpitel. He praised both speakers for their "candour and honesty", adding that both the MDA and PRCS embodied the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement's first Fundamental Principle - that of Humanity.