| 22 June 2006
In the early hours of 22 June, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and States voted by a large majority to formally recognise and admit the Palestine Red Crescent and Magen David Adom (Israeli National Society).
This historic move came at the 29th International Conference of the Movement, which opened in Geneva on 20 June.
Both organisations had not been recognised for many years as they did not meet the Movement's strict criteria for membership.
Magen David Adom was admitted after the International Conference amended the Movement's statutes to include the recently introduced additional emblem known as the red crystal. States and the Movement asked the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to recognise the Palestine Red Crescent as a special contribution to meeting the humanitarian needs of the region.
After the International Conference, the General Assembly of the Federation met in extraordinary session. Following recognition of the two National Societies by the ICRC, both the Palestine Red Crescent and Magen David Adom were admitted to membership of the Federation by consensus through acclamation.
The red crystal emblem has the same legal status as the red cross and red crescent, and will provide additional protection to war victims, humanitarian workers and the armed forces' medical services where there is a difficulty in using either the red cross or red crescent.
The admission of the Israeli and Palestinian National Societies has been welcomed as an important step and should improve cooperation between the two newly recognised organisations in an important and sensitive area of operations.
British Red Cross chief executive Sir Nicholas Young described the atmosphere at the conference as “jubilant” and said that the event had had a fantastic outcome.
“Finally, these two great National Societies have been formally admitted to the Movement,” he said.
“This breakthrough will strengthen the Movement in a region where there are important humanitarian needs."
A total of 178 National Societies were present at the International Conference, together with representatives of 148 States that are signatory to the 1949 Geneva Conventions. The event was convened as a follow-up meeting to a December 2005 diplomatic conference where the States adopted a third protocol to the Geneva Conventions, allowing the use of the additional emblem.
The red crystal will be available for any member of the Movement to use in exceptional circumstances, but no State or National Society will be obliged to change the emblem it currently uses. The British Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and ICRC will not change their respective names and emblems. | 
