VIRTUAL JEWISH MUSEUM

The Ottoman Empire opened its first post office in 1840.  Between 1865 and 1915 over 40 offices were opened. They closed under WWI British conquest in 1918. Under 'Capitulations' treatities, foreign governments were allowed to establish post offices in major cities; Austria, France Germany, Italy and Russia all maintained postal services until WWI. 
The British army took control of Palestine and issued their own stamps. Once the British Mandate was officially established, a civil administration managed everything including the postal service.  At the declaration of the State, the British left rather abruptly.  A variety of labels were used provisionally, until official Israeli postage stamps could be distributed.  Emergency wartime situations created their own particular postal solutions. 
The state was officially declared on Friday afternoon, May 14, 1948, as the last British officials departed the harbor.  Sunday the 16th saw the appearance of the first stamps of the State of Israel.