List of Ottoman post offices in Palestine

The List of Ottoman post offices in Palestine contains those post offices operated in Palestine during Ottoman rule. The establishment of a new imperial postal system in 1834 and development of the transportation network resulted in vast improvements in the transport and communications systems. International and domestic post offices were operated by the Ottoman administration in almost every large city in Palestine, including Acre, Haifa, Safed, Tiberias, Nablus, Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Gaza.Levy, 1998, p. 536.

The Imperial edict of 12 Ramasan 1256 (14 October 1840)Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 17-21. led to substantial improvements in the Ottoman postal system and a web of prescribed and regular despatch rider (tatar) routes was instituted.Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 17. Beginning in 1841, the Beirut-route was extended to serve Palestine, going from Beirut via Damascus and Acre to Jerusalem.Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 21

Postal services were organized at the local level by the provincial governors and these leases (posta mültesimi) came up for auction annually in the month of March. It is reported that in 1846 Italian businessmen Santelli and Micciarelli became leaseholders and ran a service from Jerusalem to Ramle, Jaffa, Sûr, and Saida.Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 21-22, quoting Tobias Tobler Memorabilia from Jerusalem, 1853. By 1852, a weekly service operated from Saida via Sûr, Acre (connection to Beirut), Haifa, and Jaffa to Jerusalem, also serving Nablus beginning in 1856. That same year, two new routes came into operation: Jerusalem–Hebron–Gaza, and Tiberias–Nazareth–Chefa Omer–Acre.Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 22. In 1867, the Jerusalem-Jaffa route operated twice a week, and beginning in 1884, the Nablus-Jaffa route received daily despatches.

Initially all the postal facilities had the status of relay stations, and letters received their postmarks only at the Beirut post office. In contradiction to that rule, a small number of markings Djebel Lubnan have been discovered:Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 25. these are believed by philatelists to have been applied by a relay station at Staura (Lebanon). In the 1860s, most relay stations were promoted to the status of branch post offices and received postmarks, initially only negative seals, of their own.Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 23. The postmarks of an office's postal section usually contained the words posta shubesi, as opposed to telegraf hanei for the telegraph section. In 1860 ten postal facilities worked in Palestine, rising to 20 in 1900 and 32 in 1917.

Ottoman post offices Place name (Name)Name of the town or village, as used at the time, plus transcription. Population (Year)Population estimate, latest available figure pre-1918. Est.Establishment of a postal facility (relay or telegraph station, agency, etc.) Dates of Known UsageDates of actual use of postmaks, recorded by philatelists. Refs. Ord.Ordinary mail: dated and undated postmarks. Reg.Registered mail: teahud olunmushdur marks and labels. Off.Official mail: tahirat mühumme markings. Tel.Telegraph marks telegraf chane ve posta. Cens.Censor markings: mu'ajene olunmushdur or sansur. Acre (`Akkâ) 12000 (1915) 1841 1869–1918 1885–1918 1884–1914   1916–1917 Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 31-38.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, pp. 21, 23.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, p. 74. Afula (`Afula)   1919 1917–1918 1918       Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 39.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, p. 24.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, p. 75. Aioun Cara (`Uyûn Qâra) 950 (1916)   1904–1916 1916       Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 40-41.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 51.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, p. 81. Beit Djala (Bait Djâla) 6000 (1915)   1913–1916         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 42. Beni Saab (Tulkarem) (Beni Sa`b) 5000 (1916)   1879–1918 1917 1912–1913 1912 1917–1918 Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 44-47.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, p. 38.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, pp. 75, 78. Bethlehem (Bait al-Lahm) 12000 (1915) 1870 1900–1917 1895–1917   1885–1914   Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 48-51.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 52. Bireh (al-Bîra) 1000 (1910)   1908–1917     1917   Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 53-55.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, pp. 52-53. Bir ul-Sebbe (Bi'r as-Seb`a) 3000 (1915)   1911–1917 1916   1883 1915–1917 Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 56-59.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, pp. 53-54. Bissan (Beysân) 3000 (1910) <1903 1908–1918         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 60. Bon Samaritain (Khân al-Hatrûra)     1902–1914         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 61.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 57. Chefa Omer (Shefâ `Amr) 3000 (1918)   1890–1918         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 62-63.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, p. 32.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, p. 76. (Rehoboth) (Daurân) 1200 (1918)   1910–1915 1916       Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 176.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 54.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, p. 83. Djaune (Rosch-Pinah) (Djâ`ûn) 1000 (1918)   1910–1918         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 177.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, p. 78. Djenine (Djanîn) 2000 (1910) 1871 1871–1918 1918   1895–1897   Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 64-67.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, p. 39. Gaza (Ghaza) 30000 (1915) 1856 1970-1917 1902–1917 1893–1903   1916 Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 68-74Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, pp. 55-56. Hafir (Hafîr)     1915–1917         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 75.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 56. Haifa (Hayfâ) 20000 (1915) 1852 1865–1918 1898–1918   1901–1918 1914–1918 Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 77-87.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, pp. 24-27. Haifa Hejaz Railway (Hîfâ Hîmîdiya Hidjâz Demiûryolu)     1907         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 89.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, p. 27. Haifa Iskelesi (Port Railway) (Hîfâ `Isqelesi)   <1909 1914         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 90.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, p. 28. Haifa Sari ul-Kanasil (German Quarter) (Hayfâ Shâri`a al-Qanâsil)   <1909 1914         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 88.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, pp. 27, 28. Halasa (Halâsa)     1916–1917         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 91. Halil ul-Rahman (Khalîl ar-Rahmân) 22000 (1916) 1850 1892–1917 1909–1912 1903–1904     Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 92-96. Jaffa (Yafa) 40000 (1915) 1838 1868–1917 1984-1917   1865–1916 1914–1917 Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 97-107.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, pp. 60-64.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, p. 82. Jaffa Iskelesi (Port) (Yafa Iskelesi)     1895–1899         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 108.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 64. Jaffa Menchie (Menshiye)     1910–1915         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 110. Jaffa Tel Abib (Tel Abîb)   <1914 1917         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 186. Jericho (Arîhâ) 1000 (1910) 1900 1900–1918         Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 111-112. Jerusalem (al-Quds) 80000 (1915) 1841 1868–1917 1890–1917 1877–1899 1866–1917 1914–1917 Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 113-122.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, pp. 39-46.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, pp. 69-71. Jerusalem Camp Imperial (Qudüs Iqâmetkâ-i Imperâtûri)     1898         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 139.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 48.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, p. 72. Jerusalem Gare (Qudüs Demûryûli)     1901–1911         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 140. Jerusalem Mahna Juda (Mahnâ Yûdâ)     1909–1912         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 136.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 46. Jerusalem Méo-Charem (Mûsh`arem)     1904–1917 1910–1917       Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 141-142. Jerusalem Nahlat Shiva (Nahlât Sh(?)îvâ)     1913         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 137. Jerusalem Nôtre Dame de France (Nutr Dâm da Frânsâ)     1912         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 138.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 47. Jerusalem Quartier Israelite (Yehûdi Mahalasi)     1895–1917 1896–1917       Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 143-146.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, pp. 47-48.Coles & Walker, Vol. II, pp. 71-72. Jerusalem Souk el-Attarine (Sûq el-`Atârîn)     1907–1917         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 147. Khan Younesse (Khân Yûnis)   <1909 1914–1916         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 149. Led (Lod) 7000 (1915) <1895 1908–1917         Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 151-152. Medjdil (Medjdil) 3000 (1915) <1899 1899–1917         Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 153-154.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 58. Nablus (Nâblus) 27000 (1916) 1856 1868–1918 1892–1915 1871–1898   1918 Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 157-162.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, p. 35, 37. Nasrie (Nasira) 15000 (1915) 1856 1871–1918 1891–1918 1871–1903 1885–1901 1915–1917 Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 163-168.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, pp. 29-30. Ramallah (Râm Allâh) 5000 (1915) <1903 1904–1915         Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 174-175. Ramle (Ramla) 7000 (1915) 1853 1892–1917   1894–1899     Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 171-173.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 59. Safed (Safed) 20000 (1914)   1875–1918 1895–1918 1915 1885–1913 1915 Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 178-183.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, pp. 30-31. Samah (Samâh)     1916–1918         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 184.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 32. Sheria Nehri Jourdain (Sherî`a Nehri)     1915         Collins & Steichele, 2000, p. 185.Birken, 2007, Vol. Suriye, p. 60. Tabarya (Tabarya) 6000 (1916) 1856 1871–1918 1904–1917 1915 1885–1915   Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 187-191.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, pp. 33-34. Umm Lebes (Petah Tikva) (Mlibes) 3600 (1915)   1910–1917 1915–1917       Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 169-170.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, p. 37. Zamarin (Zamârîn) 1000 (1914) <1899 1912–1918 1918       Collins & Steichele, 2000, pp. 192-193.Birken, 2007, Vol. Beyrut, p. 34.

A number of post offices are only known from archival material such as proof strikes of postmarks in Turkish PTT archives or lists prepared by the Ottoman Post for the UPU before 1914. Philatelists have so far not recorded any genuinely used postmarks or other postal material for these postal facilities: