Jerusalem Al-Quds Capital of Arab Culture 2009 / القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية
According to reports, both the PNA (Fatah, controlling the West Bank) and Hamas (controlling the Gaza Strip) have prepared series of stamps commemorating Jerusalem's status as Capital of Arab Culture 2009 (القدس عاصمة الثقافة العربية).
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The PNA stamps have never been printed or issued. The images below are electronic essays (computer graphics designs).
The issue of the Gaza stamps has been announced in a press conference in South Remal, Gaza, on 17.03.2009 by Prime-Minister Ismail Haniyeh's representative Economics Minister Ziad al-Thatha, Culture Minister Dr. Osama al-Issawi, and the head of the "Supreme National Committee of Jerusalem the Capital of Arab Culture 2009" Dr. Abdullah Abu al-Sabah.
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Ministry of Communications and Information Technology issued postage stamps under the slogan "Al-Quds: Capital
of Arabic Culture 2009"
17/03/2009 – Gaza.
The Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology today announced the issue of postage stamps with the slogan "Al-Quds: Capital of Arabic Culture 2009". The stamps were printed in three values: 100 fils (green), 150 fils (blue), and 500 fils (red). These will be available in the next few days at all post offices in the Gaza Strip.
The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Yousef al-Mansi, declared that "the stamp issued today bears a message to the whole world and to our beloved Quds." The stamp will be an envoy from Gaza to Al-Quds and it reminds of the fact that the first post office in Palestine was opened in Gaza in 1865 and that the post office in Jerusalem was opened later in 1867. It is clear, that this fact embodies the relationship between the victorious Gaza and the Holy Quds.
The minister's speech came during his participation in the inauguration ceremony of the first postage stamp bearing the slogan "Al-Quds: Capital of Arabic Culture 2009" under the patronage of Prime-Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza's Al-Quds International Hotel, with the participation of a number of ministers and MPs and personalities involved.
The minister explained that this stamp carries "as a second message to the forces of injustice and arrogance in the world that we do not forget Al-Quds which is our longing, the Holy of Holies and dear to all our hearts."
At the ceremony spoke also Eng. Ziad al-Thatha who represented the Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, Dr. Osama al-Issawi, Minister of Culture, and Dr. Abdullah Abu al-Sabah, head of the "Supreme National Committee of Al-Quds the Capital of Arabic Culture 2009".
Source: Ministry of Telecom & Information Technology (translation courtesy Thomas Schubert).
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West Bank (inscribed "Palestinian Authority"): 4 stamps (150, 250, 350, 500 Fils) and 1 block (1000 Fils) – unissued. Only essays exist.
Zobbel | Value | Size | Perfor. | Printed | Notes |
227 | 150f | – | – | none | Unissued. |
228 | 250f |
229 | 350f |
230 | 500f |
231 | 1,000f | Unissued. Zobbel Bl. 27. |
Gaza (inscribed "The Palestinian Authority"): 1 block with 3 stamps (100, 150, 500 Fils) (printed in a sheet of four, issued 17.03.2009), 1 block (1000 Fils) (printed in a sheet of nine, date of issue unknown), 1 stamp (150 Fils) (printed in a sheet of 10, 5x2, date of issue unknown).
No official FDCs exist for either Zobbel Bl. g01, Zobbel Bl. g02 or Zobbel g002.
Unofficial FDCs do exist for Zobbel Bl. g01: the envelopes are imprinted on the left with the "Al-Quds 2009" logo and pictures of Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The block ist not used in its entirety. The cancellation is by a special FDC postmark inscribed "FDC Gaza / 17/03/2009". According to recent reports, these unofficial FDCs were created by a Jordanian dealer. The official status of the postmark is unclear.
The 150f stamp (Zobbel g005) is used in 2010 on a special card, packaged in an elaborate presentation envelope, entitled "Gift of Arab Parlamentarians". The card shows the sheet of 10 in greyscale. One copy of the actual 150f stamps is cancelled by the same special FDC postmark, dated 17/03/2009, as used on the FDC for Zobbel Bl. g01. The official status of this envelope, said to exist in 150 copies only, is unclear.
Zobbel | Value | Size | Perfor. | Printed | Notes |
g001 | 100f | 35.7x50mm | L 10.5 | n/a | issued se-tenant (printed together) as block: Zobbel Bl. g01. Sheets of 4 (2x2) blocks. |
g002 | 150f |
g003 | 500f |
g004 | 1,000f | 36.6x51.2mm | L 10.5 | n/a | Zobbel Bl. g02. Sheets of 9 (3x3) blocks. |
g005 | 150f | 26.9x39.7mm | L 10.75:10.5 | n/a | Sheets of 10 (5x2). |
Other Arab states (Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Libya, UAE, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, &c.) have issued stamps as well, a selection is shown below (all in reduced size).
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Some notes about the stamps issued in Gaza during 2009
The first stamps to be issued were the se-tenant sets of three values to commemorate Jerusalem as the 2009 Capital of Arab Culture.
The stamps were printed in four blocks per sheet, and the sheets were issued in 'books'. [...]
When a sheet was removed from the 'book' the left hand perforation of the two left hand blocks was left in the book - in a similar manner to a cheque stub remaining in a cheque book. This is why some blocks have only three margins.
These are now listed by Stanley Gibbons as PA 237-240 and at the time of writing this I understand that Michel are considering whether the stamps should be included in their catalogue.
The 1000 Fils stamp was the next to be issued. These were printed in sheets of nine stamps and again issued to the post office in 'books'. [...]
The 150 Fils value was released a couple of months later than the 1000 Fils stamp and was issued in sheetlets of ten stamps.
Next on the scene were the FDC's for the first three values. The story of these is unclear (to me anyway!) and there was apparently some uncertainty about their release and they were ordered to be destroyed, or so I was informed.
However, just as some the Iraqi stamps ordered from Egypt were 'rescued' from the flames - so were some of these FDC's which found their way to me.
Early in 2010 the Presentation Card was issued. The total number printed was 150. These were to be presented to diplomats and officials who attended the meeting of the Arab League in Gaza, and my information is that 80 were presented as intended and only a few were bought by Israeli and Jordanian dealers.
Source: Magan Stamps (Gordon Bonnett)
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Thanks to Moustafa Assad of 4W Stamps, Magan Stamps, Jan R. Blok and Thomas Schubert (and others) for the information and some of the images.
External links:
• 2009 Arab Capital of Culture (wikipedia)
• Arab Capital of Culture (wikipedia)
• Jerusalem: Capital of Arab Culture events jeopardized by occupation (Ma'an News, 31.01.2009/21.11.2009)
• Jerusalem: Arab Cultural Capital of 2009? (by Amjad Samhan, Jerusalem Quarterly, 34, pp.5–12)
• Under
Occupation: Celebrations and Contradictions of al-Quds Capital of Arab Culture 2009 (by Varsen Aghabekian, Jerusalem Quarterly, 38, pp.78–82)
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Essays (computer graphic design) for the planned Westbank issue (size of block reduced)
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Gaza block Zobbel Bl. g01 and the printing sheet containing four blocks (size of sheet reduced)
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left: unofficial FDC (image courtesy of Magan Stamps)
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below: four more unofficial FDCs (images courtesy of Jan R. Blok)
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