How Do I Receive or Send Mail or Packages from Palestine? We find that many people who visit Palestine, especially those who are staying for a longer period of time, want to either receive or send letters or gifts through the mail to their friends and families. They are often unsure of how to do so. Here we will explain how the postal system works in Palestine and Israel, which services are available and what to expect when sending or receiving mail from Palestine. We aim to provide current information to help you to make an informed choice when choosing a postal service.
Palestinian Post
The Palestine Post began to work in Palestine in the era of Ottoman rule in 1840. In 1849 seven post offices were opened across Palestine, in Jerusalem, Nablus, Gaza, Jaffa, Bethlehem, Tiberius and Hebron. Palestine Post is responsible for the postal service in Palestine.
The Palestinian Authority took control of the postal sector in Palestine from the Israelis in 1995. The 2008 Geneva Conference saw Palestine and Israel sign an agreement on direct postal exchanges for Palestine through Jordan under the sponsorship of the International Union. In 2009, Palestine was assigned international zip codes.
How Can I Send Mail or Packages from Palestine?
There are two options. The first is to send your mail through the Palestinian post office which might take 20-30 days depending on the international destination. The second option is to send it through an international company such as DHL, Aramex, or FedEx which will be more expensive but should ensure that the mail will arrive within 3-4 working days.
How Can I Receive Mail or Packages to Palestine?
It is important to remember that incoming mail destined for Palestine must go through Israel as Palestine is not yet a state. Once the mail or packages have been processed in Israel they will be sent to Palestine. This might take some time but items usually arrive eventually.
If you are expecting a letter or package to arrive in a Palestinian city, we recommend that you include a telephone number as part of the address, so the post office can contact you to pick up the package if they are unable to deliver it. Most houses and buildings in Palestine are not numbered as in other countries which means that your mail might not be delivered to your address but rather to the post office where you will have to pick it up yourself.
Does Israel Collect Taxes on Products Delivered to Palestine?
Yes, depending on the item you are expecting to receive. Taxes and customs for international packages are as follows:
- Under $75– no customs, no taxes (the post office charges a 35 NIS commission for handling)
- $75– $500 – no customs, VAT tax only (16%) (the post office charges a commission for handling)
- $500+ – customs and taxes apply (and the post office commission).
There are some products that are always charged with taxes and such, such as tobacco and alcohol. Electronics might be exempted from custom but will be taxed for 16% (VAT).
Can I use the Israeli Post Office?
Yes, you certainly can. For example, in Jerusalem there is a post office you can use to send whatever you want. In addition, at the Israeli settlements in the West Bank, there are post offices where you can go and send mail or packages to your desired destination.
Does Amazon or Ebay Ship Products to Palestine?
You need to check with individual companies to find out where they deliver. Palestine might not be listed as a shipping destination. Some people get around this by using the Palestinian address but adding Israel to it so that the Israeli post transfers the delivery to the Palestinian post office where you can pick it up.
Amazon has not always shipped items to Palestine and as recently as 2020 the company was offering free shipping to Israel but charging up to $24 to deliver to addresses within the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
This bias was highlighted in a report in the Financial Times newspaper in February 2020. The Palestinian Economy Ministry subsequently threatened to sue Amazon for conducting business in illegal Israeli settlements inside the West Bank. Amazon reversed its delivery policy in March 2020 and agreed to expand its free delivery service to include the Palestinian territories.
A statement from the Palestinian Economy Ministry said the American company has reversed its policy on charging items for customers in the Palestinian territories.
The Ministry believes that the policy reversal by Amazon is a result of “a series of Palestinian measures aiming at halting disregard to the Palestinian identity and recognising settlements.”
Ebay’s policies vary between sellers. Palestine and Israel are not currently included in their global shipping program. It is possible to buy items from Palestine and have them delivered to most countries worldwide. You will usually find that items for sale from Palestine will have the location of their town listed but the named country will be Israel.
An experience of receiving items from Palestine to the UK
Tara bought some Palestinian embroidered dresses from a vendor in Jenin and used the standard postal service to deliver the items to England.
She reports: “I ordered two dresses with beautiful Palestinian embroidery from a seller in Jenin. I paid using PayPal and opted to use the standard delivery service. I expected the delivery time to be around 10-14 days, perhaps a little longer due to the coronavirus pandemic slowing down progress. However, after almost 2 months, the items had not arrived. I contacted the vendor, who was surprised to hear that the parcel had not been delivered. When he checked the tracking information, he discovered that the parcel had been sent to Florida, USA! Luckily the seller was able to get the parcel returned to him and he sent me two replacement dresses. This time I paid a bit extra for the DHL service and the parcel arrived, in excellent condition within 3 days. I don’t know whether the mistake with the standard postal service is something that happens regularly or if I was just unlucky. I was very pleased with the speedy DHL service and I was delighted with the vendor’s service and the effort they went to to resolve the issue.”
Final remarks
It is not difficult to send or receive mail to and from Palestine but it is wise to take into consideration the potential timescale for completion of deliveries and to familiarise yourself with the available options. We recommend that items which are required urgently or those which are particularly valuable or important are sent via a reputable, trackable shipping service. We hope you enjoyed reading the How Do I Receive or Send Mail or Packages from Palestine article.
Important and related articles – Please click to read
Find us online
Whatsapp:+972599479880
Excellence Center’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter
Excellence Center’s Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron
Watch us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQSLdFZWZcBm6Uj0XMYuKg
Visit and Explore Palestine: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePalestine
