US Post Office (illustration)
US Post Office (illustration)Thinkstock

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has written to complain to the US Postmaster General, after receiving widespread reports that US post offices around America have been refusing to accept mail to Israel.

In the last several days ADL reports that it has received complaints from Massachusetts, Michigan and New Jersey, revealing postal customers were incorrectly told that the US Postal Service is not accepting mail for Israel due to Operation Protective Edge in Gaza.

"The postal employees have told these individuals that current USPS policy says that mail to Israel cannot be accepted because of the current crisis,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. 

Foxman added that "only once employees sought clarification from supervisors in Washington did these post offices accept packages and letters to Israel."

Writing to US Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe, ADL stated that the phenomenon presumably stems from a misunderstanding by postal workers, who apparently thought the temporary suspension of service to Israel during a 36-hour period in July was a permanent policy change.

That suspension came after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned flights to Israel, following a Hamas rocket landing near Ben Gurion International Airport. The ban was later lifted, but not before Hamas declared it a "great victory."

The issue of mail to Israel being denied comes as Wall Street Journal reports on Wednesday night revealed that US President Barack Obama's administration blocked a weapons transfer to Israel during the operation, and further ordered closer scrutiny of future Israeli weapons requests.