In short: attaching a bank account in Israeli enforcement proceedings is a “third-party” attachment: the bank holds the money and the attachment stops you withdrawing it. According to Kol Zchut, such collection steps may be taken once the period set in the warning has expired (Kol Zchut). Some money is protected even under an attachment: for example, a National Insurance payment is protected for 30 days from the day it reaches the account (Kol Zchut). You can ask the enforcement registrar to cancel an attachment using form 214, with the last 3 months of account statements and an affidavit (Kol Zchut).
What a bank account attachment is
When a creditor, including Bank Mizrahi Tefahot or one of its subsidiaries, opens an enforcement file against you, it may ask to attach your assets held by others. A bank account is the usual example: the money is held by the bank, so the attachment is sent to the bank as a “third party”. Two situations differ: Mizrahi Tefahot as the creditor attaching your account at another bank, and Mizrahi Tefahot as the bank holding an account attached at another creditor’s request. Either way, the application to cancel goes to the enforcement office, not to the branch.
Which funds are protected
According to Kol Zchut, relying on section 22 of the Execution Law and other statutes (Kol Zchut):
| Type of money | Protection in the bank account |
|---|---|
| National Insurance payments | 30 days from transfer to the account (section 303, National Insurance Law); exception: maintenance debts, except Income Support |
| Polio and Nazi-persecution compensation | No time limit |
| Work grant (negative income tax) | 90 days from transfer, except in maintenance files |
| Welfare Ministry payments listed by Kol Zchut, and Housing Ministry rent assistance | 30 days |
| Salary | Up to the “exempt salary amount” |
According to Kol Zchut, after the “Iron Swords” war an extended 90-day protection was set for certain payments transferred after 30 September 2023 and until the end of the special period. Check on Kol Zchut whether it still applied on the day the attachment was imposed.
Protection does not work by itself: it helps to show the bank and the office where the money came from (account statement, National Insurance payment confirmation) and to withdraw protected funds within the period.
How to apply to cancel an attachment
According to Kol Zchut (Kol Zchut), relying on section 8 of the Execution Law and regulation 44A:
- Form 214 (“request to cancel, delay or renew proceedings and restrictions”), in Hebrew or Arabic. Mark request no. 62 (“cancel proceedings”) and state the attachment number.
- Attach account statements for the 3 months before filing and an affidavit setting out the facts and grounds. If you rely on a court decision, attach the original.
- Possible grounds according to Kol Zchut: the debt is being paid from this account, standing orders or cheques depend on it, or the family’s income depends on it. Protected funds (table above) are a ground of their own.
- File at any enforcement office, by email to the office handling the file, or through a lawyer in the personal area.
- What happens next: the registrar may reject the request outright. If not, you must serve it on the creditor within 3 days, and the creditor may respond within 7 days. If the creditor does not respond, the registrar may cancel the attachment; if it does, the registrar may set a hearing.
In parallel, according to Kol Zchut, consider applying for a payment order if you cannot pay in full, and try to reach an arrangement with the creditor. Enforcement Authority call centre: *35592.
Before applying: check the debt
An attachment rests on the balance in the file. Before any application, check the components of the debt: principal, interest, legal fees and costs. Class-action settlements against Mizrahi Tefahot were approved over late reporting to the enforcement office and inflated balances, and over legal costs not approved by a court. See the guide to enforcement proceedings by the bank and, for a financed car, Mizrahi Tefahot Leasing.
What the courts have ruled against Mizrahi Tefahot in enforcement matters
Execution file 515509-06-24: sale of a vehicle pledged to Mizrahi Tefahot Leasing approved, buyer's details corrected (2026)
On 28.10.2026 the execution registrar approved the sale of the pledged vehicle for NIS 73,500 "in the absence of an objection on behalf of the debtor". The ID number recorded next to the buyer's name was not his, and on …
- Court
- Execution Office, Haifa (Registrar Shirley Gideon)
- Amount
- 73,500 NIS
- Topic
- execution and debt collection
Class Action 56373-06-21 Beck and Tevel: Mizrahi Tefahot will refund fees for duplicate lawyers' warning letters
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will refund 90% of the fee difference it charged for duplicate series of lawyers' warning letters; according to the bank's affidavit, the refund stood at NIS 2,226,900 …
- Court
- Central District Court (Lod)
- Amount
- 2,226,900 NIS
- Topic
- execution and debt collection
Class Action 35618-05-11 Dimri: Mizrahi Tefahot will align inflated debt balances in execution files
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will align inflated debt balances in execution files with the balance in the bank's books and compensate debtors whose files were closed, due to late reporting of …
- Court
- Central District Court (Lod)
- Topic
- execution and debt collection
Class Action 8929-08-11 Hagma: Mizrahi Tefahot will refund legal expenses charged without court approval
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will refund customers against whom collection proceedings were taken an average amount to be set by sampling, for legal expenses not approved by a court and interest …
- Court
- Central District Court (Lod)
- Topic
- execution and debt collection
28 years later: Execution Office registrar rejects Mizrahi Tefahot motion to add NIS 2.6 million in interest
The Execution Office registrar rejected a motion by Mizrahi Tefahot to add about NIS 2.6 million in interest to a file opened in 1989 for NIS 59,000, after the bank claimed an error in the interest rate. It was held that …
- Court
- Tel Aviv Execution Office (registrar)
- Topic
- execution and debt collection
Civil Appeal 27360-10-15 Zandorf: customer's appeal dismissed, NIS 84,733 debt to Mizrahi Tefahot stands
The appeal was dismissed. The District Court upheld a judgment ordering a customer to pay the bank NIS 84,733 plus interest and NIS 35,000 in costs, and held that the customer, who did not dispute the amount of the debt, …
- Court
- Tel Aviv-Jaffa District Court (civil appeal)
- Amount
- 84,733 NIS
- Topic
- execution and debt collection
Civil Appeal 10189/07 Sasson v. Mizrahi Tefahot: Supreme Court grants the customer leave to defend against the whole debt claim
The appeal was allowed. The Supreme Court held that the customer was entitled to leave to defend against every component of the bank's debt claim, set aside a partial judgment ordering him to pay NIS 996,523 for the …
- Court
- Supreme Court of Israel, sitting as a court of civil appeals
- Topic
- execution and debt collection
Mizrahi Tefahot (Tefahot) mortgage enforcement, Kiryat Gat 2009: after 3 months of arrears
According to a Walla report (21 September 2009), the Kiryat Gat Magistrate's Court held that Bank Tefahot acted negligently and in bad faith when it opened mortgage enforcement proceedings after only three months of …
- Court
- Kiryat Gat Magistrate's Court
- Amount
- 33,000 NIS
- Topic
- execution and debt collection
What this page is not
This guide summarises general information from Kol Zchut and the archive. Approval of a class-action settlement is not an admission by the bank, and an amount claimed is not liability. This is not legal advice: deadlines, exempt amounts and protection periods change, and every file needs its own documents checked. When in doubt, consult a lawyer or legal aid.