Postal History, Postkrieg & Service Suspensions of the Arab-Israeli Conflict

1967 War Israel-captured mail: 24 APR 1967 surface-mailed parcel card from MARSEILLE to BETHLEHEM Jordan, sent by rail at MARVEJOLS "via BEIRUT"-DAMASCUS-AMMAN to [E.] JERUSALEM (one of 2 documented routes, via Syria), where received 3 JUN 67 by Jordanian Post Office in JERUSALEM + marked by local customs boxed Arabic handstamp. This document fell into Israeli hands with the capture of the city on...

Israeli "No Service" for mail to Arab countries: 21 JUNE 1963 'Bulletin de Verification' issued by British Postal Administration (Foreign Section) in LONDON to Jordanian counterpart in [EAST] JERUSALEM, accompanying registered letter from BIRMINGHAM misdirected to [WEST] JERUSALEM Israel & asking for its delivery with apology on behalf of the British postal admininistration for its delay + request...

Israeli "No Service" markings on mail from Arab countries: 15 JUNE 1956 airmail cover from BEYROUTH to POUSO ALEGRE Brazil, franked 95pia & tied by 3 strikes of local postmark; backstamped 1956 21 JUN by unclear double-ringed transit postmark (unique as with Year first in dateline) - but here mis-routed to Israel as sender placed his name ("Ismael") in center of cover & addressee information above...

Israeli "No Service" markings on mail to Arab countries: 20 FEB 1954 surface mailed commercial cover from AVON France to HEBRON "Israel", franked 30Fr & tied by 3 strikes of local postmark; although Hebron was then part of Jordan, this cover was routed to Israel, backstamped 28-3-1954 TEL AVIV-17 arrival, where marked "Pas de service via Israel" using Tel Aviv post office K-Type-T-III.1 instructio...

Cuban mail affected by Egyptian postal boycott of Israel: 1961 era surface mailed picture postcard of Havana from LOS PINOS - HAVANA to KIBBUTZ LEHAVOT HAVIVA, franked 3c but [mis-]routed via EGYPT where seized and censored (by K-Type7 censor handstamp numbered #75) & marked by Egyptian "PAS DE SERVICE" K-Type-II instructional marking - and returned to sender; the postcard was resent, correctly ro...

Egyptian postal boycott of Israel: 16 MAR 1956 surface mailed 1st Day Cover from Stamp & Philatelic Division of the Bureau of Posts MANILA to TEL AVIV, franked 25c & tied by single strike of special First Day postmark; either misrouted via EGYPT by incorrect mailbag placement at the origin sorting office or simply seized while in transit through Suez (as was Egyptian policy at the time for Israeli...

Lebanese postal boycott of Israel: 14 FEB 1974 airmail commercial cover on Israeli Atomic Energy Agency stationary from YAVNE to Bell Laboratories MURRAY HILL (US), meter franked 1.10L per FA-23 postage period rate using the Agency's slogan machine cancel; front-stamped FEB 25 NEW PROVIDENCE arrival, but as unclaimed, returned - here misrouted & sent via LEBANON, backstamped 28-5-74 BEIRUT arrival...

Egyptian friendly "no service" mail to Israel: 22 NOV 1950 airmail commercial cover from VOORBURG Netherlands to Old City JERUSALEM "ISRAEL", meter franked 25c; addressed in error to Israel rather than JORDAN (Old City then Jordanian) & (correctly?) routed via EGYPT where backstamped 25 NO 50 CAIRO transit; here mistake in address realized & "Israel" crossed off and replaced "via Kingdom of Jordan...

Jordanian post-1967 War "no service" mail to Israel: 6 SEPT 1967 airmail commercial cover from LEATHERHEAD (UK) to business in Old City JERUSALEM "JORDAN", with meter franking; with locale now held by Israel, as of September Jordan began holding back all mail destined to former Jordanian territories newly held by Israel, in AMMAN - and then released it all back to sender en-masse 13 months later (...

Jordanian post-1967 War "no service" mail to Israel affecting Arabian mail: 14 DEC 1967 air mail cover from ADEN ("Federation of South Arabia" now People's Republic of Southern YEMEN as of 30 Nov. 1967) to St. Georges Anglican Cathedral [East] JERUSALEM (no country indicated), franked 40 Fils using pair of Federation stamps & tied by local machine cancel; routed (correctly, prior to the War) via J...

Jordanian postal boycott of Israel: 26 JAN 1961 airmail cover from CARACAS Venezuela to Hotel Dana "TEL AVIV JERUSALEM" (no country mentioned), meter franked 80c; as address unclear [mis-]routed via JORDAN where backstamped 3 FEB 61 AMMAN transit, forwarded on to EAST JERUSALEM where Israeli address noticed + marked "PAS DE COMMUNICATION" using JERUSALEM Post Office K-Type-III instructional markin...

Very rare Israeli mimeograph on Jordanian postal boycott of mail to Israel: 14 SEP 1962 airmail cover from PADDINGTON (UK) to KIBBUTZ MASADA "Jordan Valley, Israel", franked 5d at the period 'Zone A' (Middle East) printed matter airmail rate & tied local machine slogan cancel (oddly advertising 6d postage rate); mis-routed via JORDAN (probably confused by "Jordan" valley address) where backstamped...

Jordanian post-1967 War mail to Israel via Red Cross: 9 AUG 1967 [airmail] cover from MILAN to Italian Consul General JERUSALEM "Arab Zone" (no country written), franked 110L & tied by local machine cancel; as of 7 June locale part of Israel, but cover routed via JORDAN, where backstamped 12 AUG 67 AMMAN transit: between June-Aug 1967 Jordan accumulated all mail received for newly Israeli-conquere...

Jordanian post-1967 War mail to Israel via Red Cross: 13 JUNE 1967 [airmail] cover from BRUSSELS to JERUSALEM "JORDAN", franked 7F & tied by local machine cancel; as of 7 June locale part of Israel, but cover routed via JORDAN, where backstamped 19 JUN 67 AMMAN transit: between June-Aug 1967 Jordan accumulated all mail received for newly Israeli-conquered territories & then delivered them via Red ...

Jordanian post-1967 War mail to Israel via Red Cross: 21 JUNE 1967 airmail cover from PAMPLONA Spain to JERUSALEM "JORDAN", meter franked 12Pts & tied by local postmark; as of 7 June locale part of Israel, but cover still routed via JORDAN, where backstamped 25 JUN 67 AMMAN transit: between June-Aug 1967 Jordan accumulated all mail received for newly Israeli-conquered territories & then delivered ...

Very rare Israeli "no service" marks on mail to Egypt: 12 JUNE 1968 airmail cover on hotel stationary from TEL AVIV to CAIRO, franked 0.80L & tied by local machine cancel; sent by tourist just arrived from Egypt & realized he forgot his photos, sent letter to his contact to request them (original letter still enclosed): as no postal relations, TEL AVIV Post Office stapled section of mimeograph pap...

Israeli "no service" marks on mail returned to Jordan: 30 MAY 1950 airmail cover from EAST JERUSALEM (Jordan) to MODENA, franked 75m per postage period rate to Europe using mixed franking of the 1st + 2nd definitives & tied by 2 strikes of local postmark; backstamped 31 V 50 BEYROUTH transit; arrived in Italy but as addressee left, cover marked on back in Italian manuscript + "AL MITTENTE" ('retur...

Israeli "no service" marks on mail to Arab states: 28 JAN 1951 airmail cover from PONDICHERRY India to BETHLEHEM "Jordan, Palestine", franked 14 Annas & tied by strike of local boxed postmark; mis-routed via ISRAEL, where backstamped 6-2-1951 JERUSALEM arrival, censored & sealed by Gladstone Type-9 with unrecorded "Vav 1014" + marked "PAS DE SERVICE VIA ISRAEL" instructional marking handstamp K-Ty...

Israeli "no service" marks on mail returned to Jordan: 15 NOV 1952 surface mailed cover from JERUSALEM (Jordan - no return address) to COPACABANA Brazil, franked 4m & tied by strike of local postmark; backstamped 8 JAN 1953 COPACABANA arrival but as addressee left (instructional handstamp on back), returned to sender ("verso" please turn over manuscript notation + "AU REMETENTE" instructional mark...

Israeli "no service" marks on mail to Arab states: 25 JAN 1956 airmail [printed matter] wrapper from DÚN LAOGHAIRE Ireland to JERUSALEM (no country specified), franked 9d & tied by strike of local postmark; as no destination country specified, Irish Post Office may have added "Israel" in manuscript (light blue crayon, upper left front) & routed via ISRAEL, where address was found to belong to...

Israeli "no service" marks on mail to Arab states: 26 MAR 1951 surface mailed printed-matter cover from LONDON to JERUSALEM ("PALESTINE"), meter-franked 1d per new 1950 overseas "reduced rate" (for non-commercial printed matter); routed via ISRAEL, backstamped 15-4-1951 JERUSALEM arrival where address found to be in Jordanian EAST JERUSALEM: cover manuscript-updated "Old City via AMMAN" & tied by ...

POSTAL HISTORY GEM - Outbreak 1967 Six Day War delayed Arab / Israeli-captured mail document: 5 JUN 1967 single-sided French/Arabic Jordanian Postal Administration form AV7 from JERUSALEM documenting dispatch (not "transit", as no original dispatching post office stamp on top right of form) of (5) mail bags to different destinations (BEIRUT, FRANKFURT, GREAT BRITAIN, LONDON transit, NEW YORK) from...

Israeli "No Service" for mail to Arab countries: 24-8-1962 French/Hebrew 'Bulletin de Verification' form issued by Israeli Postal Administration in JERUSALEM (JERUSALEM-21 - Parcels Department at the Main Post Office) to Swedish counterpart GOTHENBURG, accompanying 6.2kg package from NYBRO to (EAST) JERUSALEM Jordan, but misdirected to JERUSALEM Israel; message in French indicates there are no pos...

Israeli "No Service" marks on mail to Arab countries: 9 JAN 1956 commercial cover from LEEDS to BASRA Iraq, meter-franked 2½d per 1950 surface rate for printed matter & samples; cover mis-routed to ISRAEL where marked by TEL AVIV Post Office "Pas de Service via Israel" instructional marking handstamp K-Type-T-III.1, here on last known date of use & backstamped 3-2-56 TEL AVIV-24(?) arrival; r...