Franking machines which have not become operational
Introduction
Discussions held during the months of April and May 1994 , it was agreed , among other things , that the Pal. Auth. stamps , will be used only for delivery of mail within the area under responsibility .. Mail for out of the country, Israel or other countries , have under the agreement to be sent, franked with Israeli Stamps ( which was later rejected) ) On 13.Dec.1994 , prior to the date of opening of the Palestinian post offices designed for 1.Jan.1995 , a meeting was held between representatives of the Pal. Auth. and Israeli officials . In this meeting the Israelis offered to sell them Israeli stamps below face value - to be used at their offices . The representatives of the Pal. Auth. rejected the proposal . They claimed that the sale of Israeli stamps , will encounter fierce opposition of the Palestinians population ( see the original document) . ( see the original document) [Link 1]Israel's suggestion to use franking machines
To solve the problem of out of the country mailing , Israel post proposed to introduce franking machines which will carry a Pal. Auth. Designed cliche . This proposal was accepted by the Pal. Auth. representatives , and they asked for an urgent delivery of ten such machines . Letter, sent by Israel on 24.1.95 to P.A. CEO of post , informed that the Israeli Postal Auth. will provide 15 franking machines without charge . The embeded sums on the machines will appear in Israeli Shekels . ( see the original document) [Link 2]Favour made , machine franking samples
Palestinian post officials who knew my drive and interest after all work renovations , sent me at the begining of 1995 a series of 15 proof samples one each of every postage franking machine . The samples sent were all with Zero-sum postage and different dates .
( The details of the franking postage machines can be found in this document) [Link 3]
No importance may be attributed to the stamp date shown . It is evident that no attempt was made to change the dates, which randomly appear on the different ,machines . Later , at my request , some additional sets of favour franked samples on covers , were sent to me. These samples , to my best knowledge , are the only documentation of the franking machines design .
Why did not the franking machines become operational ?
Palestinian leaders tried at that time to confirm the use of their designed and printed stamps , although their format violated the agreement with Israel . . As a goodwill gesture Mr. Yizhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel , promised Yasser Arafat to validate the "problematic” stamps by adding an FILS’ currency OVERPRINT currency ,over the word "Mils” which appear originally . As a result , the Pal. postal officials , announced that under the agreement reached, Y. Arafat ordered , that they are prevented from use of the postage franking machines , before the arrival of the new stamps ( see original document ) [Link 4]The situation continued until November 1995 when the Oslo-B- agreement begun . this part of the agreement allowed Palestinians to use their own stamps for out of the country destinated letters . Thus there was no need for the franking machines and they were shelved without being ever operational .