Magen David Adom (MDA) and Palestine Red Crescent Society Admitted to Red Cross Movement

WILMINGTON, DE – June 22, 2006 – Yesterday, the American Red Cross announced the admission of Magen David Adom (MDA) and the Palestine Red Crescent Society to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Changes to the statutes of the Movement, admitting both MDA and the Palestine Red Crescent Society to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, were adopted at the International Conference in Geneva. The inclusion of these two National Societies is a significant step towards universality for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Since Israel gained Statehood in 1948, the American Red Cross has fought for international recognition of MDA as Israel's equivalent to the Red Cross. To underscore this commitment and encourage action on this issue, the American Red Cross has withheld $45 million in dues, since May 2000, to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

In December 2005, a Diplomatic Conference adopted the Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions, creating a new neutral symbol - the "Red Crystal" - which paved the way for MDA to become a member of the Movement. The Third Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions enables MDA to continue to use the Red Shield of David when operating in Israel and, when operating outside of Israel, to use the Red Shield of David inside the newly adopted Red Crystal emblem.

The success of the Diplomatic Conference was due in large part to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Agreement on Operational Arrangements between MDA and the Palestine Red Crescent Society in which both Societies committed to take concrete steps to improve humanitarian conditions in these areas. As a result of these agreements, Palestinians now receive urgently needed medical and humanitarian services more quickly.

MDA is a critical tracing partner to the American Red Cross Holocaust and War Victims Tracing Center. A resource of hope, the Center has responded to 40,000 requests worldwide for information on the fate of those affected by the Holocaust and, in 1,200 miraculous cases, has reconnected loved ones. For further information on the Center, go to:  http://www.redcross.org/services/intl/holotrace/index.html.

For more information on this topic, please visit http://www.redcross.org/mda/.