GENEVA, Dec. 8 (Reuters) - The Red Cross and Red Crescent movements gained an additional emblem on Thursday that will let Israel join the global relief network and end a decades-old dispute.

Signers of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, in a rare vote, adopted a new symbol, a diamond-shaped red crystal on a white background, into which the Red Star of David of the Israeli relief agency Magen David Adom can be placed.

Though the change was adopted, "unfortunately it was not possible to adopt the protocol by consensus," a spokesman for the Swiss government said.

Switzerland had been pressing for a consensus, saying it was more in keeping with aid activity. But it could not overcome differences, particularly between Muslim states and other members, regarding emergency services in the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria in 1967.

"The most important thing is the result," said Noam Yifrach, president of Magen David Adom. "Tomorrow nobody will remember the numbers, the votes. Everybody will have the third protocol and more protection."

The Swiss called the conference to approve a third emblem alongside the Red Cross and the Red Crescent. The vote was 98 in favor and 27 against, with 10 abstentions. "Unfortunately, it is the first time in the history of international human rights law that an international convention of this importance has been put to a vote," said the Syrian ambassador, Bashar Jaafari. "It is a real pity."

The way to an accord appeared to have been cleared late last month when Magen David Adom and the Palestinian Red Crescent agreed to make the Palestinians the internationally recognized emergency service within the occupied territories. Arab states insisted the question of responsibility for the occupied territories had to be resolved before they would consider a new emblem custom-made for Israel.

Syria wanted similar treatment for the Golan Heights. But diplomats said there was no chance of such a pact being hammered out in Geneva, not least because Israel does not regard Golan to be under occupation. The decision means Israel will have an emblem that is recognized internationally, the one condition it could not previously meet for membership.

But it still needs the movement's national societies to approve the step in a conference, expected next spring.

The American Red Cross has been withholding some $5 million a year in subscriptions to the movement since 2000, the last time an attempt was made to revise the statutes and adopt a new emblem.

For years Islamic states, whose crescent emblem was added to the cross as a joint symbol for the movement in 1983, have resisted recognition of the six-pointed Israeli star.

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