EMBLEM: ISRAELI FM LIVNI PLEDGES ASSISTANCE ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 001584 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/IPA AND PRM FOR PDAS GREENE E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2016 TAGS: PHUM PREL PREF PGOV SZ IS GOI INTERNAL ISRAELI SOCIETY SUBJECT: EMBLEM: ISRAELI FM LIVNI PLEDGES ASSISTANCE ON MAGEN DAVID ADOM REF: TEL AVIV 1395 Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones; Reasons: 1.4 (B and D). ¶1. (C) In a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on April 20 (septels),the Ambassador outlined U.S. efforts to facilitate the admission of Magen David Adom (MDA) into the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. The Ambassador stressed the importance of four technical changes required to bring MDA statutes into compliance with the basic requirements for membership in the movement, i.e., reconfiguring the MDA's national council, revising the composition of the executive council, altering the process for nominating the president, and accepting fundamental Red Cross principles (reftel). He urged Livni to help ensure that the Minister of Health approves these measures as quickly as possible, with the goal of doing so by the April 26 meeting of the ICRC's General Assembly in Geneva. ¶2. (C) Livni replied that she is aware of the importance of the issue and thanked the USG for its assistance. She said she would speak with the Minister of Health and "do whatever it takes" on this important issue. She noted the importance of completing the membership process while the "window of opportunity" remains open. ********************************************* ******************** Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website. ********************************************* ******************** JONES