American Red Cross honors MDA, PRCS with humanitarian prize

By SHELLY PAZ
Magen David Adom (MDA) in Israel chairman Dr. Noam Yifrach, and Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) President Younis al-Khatib were on Tuesday awarded the first Prize of Humanitarian of the American Red Cross organization. Yifrach and Khatib won the prestigious prize for displaying "tremendous personal courage in their efforts to improve life and the living conditions in their conflict-torn region," the prize committee's statement said. The committee included familiar and appreciated names such as former US secretaries of State Madeleine Albright, Dr. Henry Kissinger and General Colin Powell. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice served as keynote speaker for the event that was held in Washington late in November. "The international community has confirmed that Israel conducts in a humanitarian way with all of its citizens, and receives the support of the international institutes even during hard times," Yifrach said at the ceremony.