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With the end of the era of the Israel Postal Authority, and at the threshold of a new and challenging era, the Israel Postal Authority will become a government-owned company - Israel Post Ltd. - on March 1, 2006. The new company seeks to expand and improve its services to the public while guaranteeing profitability and market competitiveness.
The State of Israel, established on May 14, 1948, continued providing postal services formerly supplied by the British Mandate, first under the aegis of the Ministry of Transportation, and, from October 1951 onward, as part of the Ministry of Posts, which later became the Ministry of Communications. The postal service delivered letters, parcels and telegrams, as well as providing telephone services. The Postal Bank, also established in 1951, in time became the main governmental conduit for payments and money transfers.
As part of the government policy of shifting public-service governmental bodies to a self-management basis, legislation enacted in January 1986 resulted in the establishment of the Israel Postal Authority in April 1987. The goals of the legislation were threefold: improving, developing and expanding the postal services; managing the organization as an economical, self sufficient and profitable body; and improving the workers' employment and salary conditions side by side with improved efficiency.
The Authority's goal was a "postal revolution" which led to the introduction of a new organizational and management conception; improvement in the range and quality of public services; reduced time spent waiting in line; enhanced reliability of services; greater accessibility of information to the public; and, most importantly, reduced postal delivery time. The postal branches were redesigned and acquired a modern, unified appearance. Postal workers were given training in providing efficient, quick and courteous service to the public.
This stamp has been issued to mark the statutory change in the transition of the Israel Postal Authority to the status of a government-owned company - Israel Post Ltd. - as part of opening up the postal market to competition by other postal conveyors. This change will allow Israel Post Ltd. which is the national mail carrier, to expand into additional areas. Israel Post Ltd. will continue to supply postal services in the State of -Israel as it has done so since the country's establishment.
Jacob Vidas
Acting Director
Israel Philatelic Service
