Israel and Australia in joint stamp issue

May 3, 2013 by  
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Stamps bearing tribute to the heroic Australian Light Horse Brigade and the monumental battle fought by the ANZACs in Beersheba in 1917 will be jointly issued by Israel and Australia on 10 May.

The Issue

The Issue

The release of the stamps serves as a celebration of the enduring friendship between Australia and Israel that dates back 96 years to the Battle of Beersheba.

The joint issue will be officially launched at the World Stamp Exhibition Australia 2013 at a ceremony at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne.

Australia Post Managing Director and CEO Ahmed Fahour said, ‘the joint stamp issue is a great addition to the World Stamp Expo and a tangible way for Australia Post to acknowledge its relationship with Israel Post’.

‘It’s been a real pleasure working with Israel Post on this stamp issue. The Battle of Beersheba is something close to the hearts of both Israelis and Australians and was a clear choice to feature on the stamp issue,’ said Mr Fahour.

Israel’s Ambassador to Australia Yuval Rotem acknowledged the special relationship forged between friendly Australian soldiers and Jewish residents amid the 1917 Battle of Beersheba, which has endured until this day.

‘Despite great geographical distance between our two nations, we operate on the same foundation of values. I am proud of all that our countries have achieved together to date and genuinely excited by the prospects the future offers’, said Ambassador Rotem.

CEO of Israel Postal Company Haim Elmoznino also welcomed the initiative saying, ‘the Israel Postal Company is proud to issue two joint stamps with Australia as a manifestation of the friendship and cooperation that extends across a number of fields between the two countries’.

‘I welcome the excellent working relationship the Israel Postal Company has with Australia Post and thank Australia Post for their cooperation throughout and beyond this joint project’, said Mr Elmoznino.

The exhibition displaying the joint issue stamps, their background and paying tribute to the vibrant relationship between Israel and Australia will be hosted between 10 and 15 May at the Royal Exhibition Building.

The stamps and related products will be available for purchase at the Israel booth at the exhibition (booth number 153) and from Max Stern & Co, Israel Philatelic Service official representative in Australia, 234 Flinders Street in Melbourne (contact via 03 9654 6751).

Israel’s stamps are also available online from www.israelpost.co.il.

 

Comments

9 Responses to “Israel and Australia in joint stamp issue”
  1. Glenn says:

    This is nothing but a disgraceful self-serving Jewish hijack and revision of Australia’s proud military history, in a sad attempt to associate the heroic deeds of our Light Horsemen with the completely unrelated and much later odious deeds of others in relation to the establishment of the Israeli state.

    Were the Australian RSL and War Memorial historians consulted as a matter of courtesy and for historical accuracy? My guess is that the late Bruce Ruxton would now be turning in his grave!

    How many so called Australian “journalists” have taken this issue on board, and asked questions such as that which I have posed above?

  2. Paul says:

    I am appalled that you link this battle with a country that did not exist at the time it took place. They were the Palestinian Arabs that fought alongside the Diggers with the combined Allied forces campaign against the German supported Ottoman armies. The Jewish inhabitants at that time did not exceed 4% of the population and the Palestinians Arabs were still in their towns and villages long before they were ethnically cleansed by the Zionist entity. Shame on you for tarnishing the memories of men who fought and died and for sullying the past thus helping Israel forging and falsifying history in order to justify its illegal occupational policies.
    This commemorative stamp issue, if not withdrawn, will place Australia Post squarely, and by implication Australia as a nation, on the side of fabricated history.

  3. David says:

    Countries the world wide issue joint stamps as part of international cooperation. No matter what the subject would have been the Israel demonisers would have trotted out their collateral to delegitimise the effort.
    One can only wonder what Ahmed Fahour the head of AusPost might be going through with the abuse that Muslims would be heaping on him for having supported these stamps. Refer http://auspost.com.au/about-us/battle-of-beersheba-stamp-release.html
    I suppose the next thing we’ll hear is that a fatwa has been raised against him.

    • ben eleijah says:

      reply to the facts raised. Smear, slander and abuse have long become debased hasbara currency. They have no credibility and increasingly no effect.

  4. Andrew says:

    I really do not understand why this piece of Australian military history was chosen to improve Australian-Israeli relations. You have taken an outstanding military feat and dragged it into a political quagmire. Well done Australia Post. What’s next? Associating the Gallipoli Campaign with the war on terror in order to score brownie points with the Americans? This is disgusting. The battle was fought between a combined Commonwealth force and German supported Ottoman soldiers. This is nothing to do with Israel. Shame on you for sullying the memories of men who fought and died on both sides just for the sake of political point scoring.

  5. Craig says:

    I am appalled that you link this battle with a country that did not exist at the time it occurred. Creating this this you imply that this is part of the reason our soldiers where there in support of Israel. This is not the truth and never shall be, they were fighting the German, Ottoman empires, in particular the German led Turks at Beersheba and those allied, no one else. This is rewriting history for intent. You should be ashamed of this. I care less for the reason, as I care less for the issues of Palestine and Israel. I do care that you bring our country into this argument by your stupid assertions. We have a good relationship with Israel but linking this is simply revisionist, change it, it is wrong.

  6. Andrew says:

    Why does a battle between the British Empire and the Ottoman Empire need to involve Israel? Israel didn’t even exist at the time of this battle.
    Quite perplexing.

  7. Jennifer says:

    Regarding “f the enduring friendship between Australia and Israel that dates back 96 years to the Battle of Beersheba.” – it is my understanding that Israel was founded in 1948 not 1917 and that the Australian Light Horse served in Palestine?
    Would it be possible to clarify this?

  8. phil says:

    These stamps are also available at Tamarama Post Office.
    32d Fletcher st Tamarama NSW.

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