“State of Palestine” first to be introduced on official documents

The passport carries the "State of Palestine" print. (filephoto, source: Palestine News Network)

The first Palestinian postage stamp carrying the name "State of Palestine" was issued as the first step toward sovereignty after the status of Palestine at the United Nations was upgraded, a Palestinian official said Tuesday.

Last week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree to change the name of Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to " State of Palestine" on all official stamps, stationery, documents, identity cards, driving licenses, passports and official letterheads.

It is the first official step taken by the PNA toward statehood since the United Nations granted Palestine a non-member observer state status in November 2012.

"The new stamp will be used by Palestinian diplomatic organs across the world," Palestinian minister of telecommunication, Safaa Nasser al-Deen, told Xinhua.

"Using 'State of Palestine' on our postage stamps is the true meaning of sovereignty," the minister said, adding that the stamps cannot be used inside the Palestinian territories due to an Israeli ban.

The new stamps are being printed and afforded by Bahrain.