Tabs On Israeli Stamps

Among the treasures I just received from a friend of my wife were several Israeli series - all with tabs and all cancelled. Also noticed that Seahorse was selling some Israeli issues on SCF that also had tabs. Is this just nice selvage or is there a postal purpose for these tabs? I've seen other countries do this as well, but have no idea what for. Thanks in advance for your information on this.

The tabs do make the stamps more valuable, particularly the early issues. Example: Cat value for #27 mint is approximately $9.00; with tab, approxmately $100.00. Even for recent issues, if the stamp had the tab, I would leave it as is.

Collectors of Israel stamps always collect with Tab. Every regular stamp issue since the first stamp in 1948 has been issued with a tab, mostly under the stamp, occasionally on the left and/or right side.
Only a few definitive issues from sheetlets and Booklets are without tab.

Londonbus1

In addition to the remarks made by LB and Ncbuckeye - the Tab has no postal purpose.

And as others said in Israel there is no market for stamps without tabs as Israeli collectors consider them obligatory part of their collection.

I think I belong to the very few here in Israel who prefer their USED collections to be with NO tabs. I just like the stamps as veterans of the postal system.

Very interesting. From what y'all have said, it sounds like Israeli stamps are "produced" this way more as a tradition rather than for any particular postal purpose. I can also certainly understand the desire to have the tag with the stamp from the collector's standpoint. Thanks for the replies.