It wasn’t until Dr. Bernadine Healy “resigned” as president of the Red Cross last week that we learned how great a friend of Israel she is.
In her brief tenure of less than two years, she fought to get Israel’s Magen David Adom admitted into the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
Healy went so far as to withhold dues of $10 million to $12 million from the international group in order to apply pressure for Israel’s acceptance. Her supporters say the board of directors of the American Red Cross ousted her last week because of the imbroglio with the international group.
Israel has been fighting to join the international body since 1949 but the Arab world has fought it, using the flimsiest of excuses. Arab nations have convinced the international body not to accept Israel until it adopts the red cross logo rather than a Jewish star, a Magen David.
Nevertheless, Muslim countries have been allowed to use a red crescent instead of a red cross for years. Israelis, like the Muslims, feel the red cross symbol offends their religious beliefs. But the international body has ignored Israeli pleas.
Healy was the first president of the American Red Cross to stand up to the international body. She saw a wrong that needed to be righted.
For now, the same board that sought her resignation says it will continue to deny back dues to the international body, and the interim CEO has affirmed support for Magen David Adom’s full membership. But we wonder how long those policies will stick.
After Healy is long gone and the American Red Cross drops from the spotlight, the board can quietly pay off the back dues.
Unless, of course, the U.S. Jewish community and Congress monitor the situation. Hopefully, AIPAC and other Jewish service agencies will keep a close watch on the American Red Cross and let us all know if the new president and the board reverse Healy’s important work.
And then we will all need to take action and let our voices be heard.