Chapter 9: Advanced Study
Postal activity in Gaza Strip during the early period, (Jan-Mar.195),
using the Bridge type postmarks (BTP) .
Introduction of the permanent German Made metal ones (PGP)
The table below summarizes the postal activitiy during the short lived transition
period in which the Bridge type postmarks were used .
To visualize te above , we have choosen pairs of Reg. covers which demobstarte the transition
from Bridge type postmarks (BTP) to the permanenet German made metal postmarks ( PGP) ,
BTP = Bridge Type Postmark
PGP = Permanent German made Postamark
PAIR NR. 1
a) Beit Hanun BTP postmark 10. Jan.95 , cover Reg. # 3001
b) Beit Hanun PGP postmark 19.Mar.95 cover Reg. # 3006
Thus only 5 or less (!) Reg. Bridge type covers , from office, exist
PAIR NR. 2
a) Beit Lahia BTP postmark 1.Jan.95. Reg.# 4001 , 1st day , 1st Reg. cover
b) Beit Lahia BTP postmark 10.Jan.95 Reg.# 3001 First Reg. cover posted at office
Pair Nr.3
a) Beit Lahia BTP postmark 25.Feb.95 Reg. # 3013 ,close to last Reg/BTP cover
b) Beit Lahia PGP postmark 19.Mar.95 Reg.#3016 , early New Reg/PGM cover !
Thus only 15 or less Reg. Bridge type covers from office exist .
PAIR NR.4
a) El Buraij BTP postmark 10.Jan.95 Reg.# 3004 LAST (!) Reg/BTP cover .
b) El Buraij PGP postmark 19.Mar.95 Reg.# 3005 FIRST (!) Reg/PGM cover
Thus only four (4 !) Reg. Bridge type covers posted at this office
during 21/2 months period . The lowest known from alll offices
PAIR NR 5
a) Shaikh Redwan BTP postmark, 10.Jan.95 Reg.# 3001 first Reg. cover posted at office
b) Shaikh Redwan PGP postmark 19.Mar.95 , Reg.#3007 Early Reg.cover w. new type
Thus only six ( x6 !) or less Reg. Bridge type covers posted at this office
during the 21/2 months of use .
Transition period in the West Bank (Oslo B):
Israel turns Post offices to the Pal. Auth. November .1995
In contrary to the case in Gaza strip and Jericho (Oslo A) - the transition period in the West Bank was short and easy - merely one week . Last Day Israeli post on
2.Nov.1995 and the first day of the Pal. Post on 8.Nov.1995 .
Thus there was one week with , a kind of Vacuum .
Post offices were open- but without stamps and postmarks .
In this one week we find few cases of handwritten pen written notes and dates
to replace for cachets and postmarks .
We do not know how the logistics of distributing the stamps and postmarks
to the thirty six (36 !) offices took place . From Hebron in the south to
Tulkarm and Genin in the north . Sure that the postmarks were present at the
postal units on the first day namely 8.Nov.95 .
The folowing rare examples shed light on this one week transition period.
(a) Beit ummar (Immar) 6.Nov.95 . A cover was posted with Pal. Auth. stamps
and rejected by Israel for proper franking . Addressed to Beit Ummar (immar) .
On the rear side we find a hand (pen) written notaion and date 6.Nov.95 ,
x2 days short of the post office opening ! Thus pen replaced the postmark .
(b) Azzoun 7.Nov.95 Posted as above , ex. Gaza . Addressed to Azzoun close to Tul Karm . On the rear hand (pen) written in red 7.Nov.95 , one day , prior to the post office opening . Another case of pen replacing postmark .
(c) Hebron 6.Nov.95 Cover posted in Tel Aviv , Nov.1995 . Probably arrived in Hebron on 6.Nov.95 . Red hand (pen) written of the date ( 6th ) on rear . Attempted delivery but unknown thus postmarks of Hebron 2 and 3 on 12th and 13th of Nov. as post office was opened in the meantime ( on 8.Nov.95) . Thus we have the pen dated notation of 6. Nov.95 and the postmarks on same cover
(d) Gaza to Yata . Most unusual case . Addressed to Yatta near Hebron , probably arrived on early 8.Nov.1995 as hand (pen) written on reverse ! Later, postmark arrival (??) and the cover get's a 8.Nov. 1995 (First Day) as an ARRIVAL POSTMARK !
To this date only two such covers known to me (both are shown).
Later opening
Silat Al-Harthiya . Certain offices in the West Bank opened later than the 8th of November .This is the case with the village of Silat el-Harthiya .
There was a month interval between the closing of Israeli post (2.Nov.1995 ) fig I
and the opening of the Pal Auth. post 3.Dec.1995) fig II .
fig I + fig II:
2.Nov.95 closed opened 3.Dec.95
( An error appeared on the first day postmarks . the year should be 1995 and NOT 1996)
The office was open during this month interval , but NO stamps nor postmark .
Thus covers which arrived were handled with hand (pen) written notations and date on reverse .
Hand written in red "return to sender" with date 20.Nov.1995 , replacing the postmark .
fig (A) posted at Azun front and rear
fig (B) posted at Tulkarem front and rear
x3 Period Covers
Registered + A.R(Avis de Reception) Covers posted to overseas addresses
