Quick Answer: A domestic violence protection order (known in Hebrew as a tzav haganah) can be obtained from an Israeli Family Court on the same day you apply, including after regular hours. The order can require the abuser to leave the family home immediately, stay away from you and your children, and surrender weapons. Any person physically present in Israel can apply, regardless of nationality or immigration status. The National DV Hotline (1-800-722-722) operates 24 hours a day in multiple languages and can guide you through the process or connect you with shelter accommodation.

Domestic violence in Israel is handled through two separate legal tracks. The civil track, the tzav haganah, gives victims fast, targeted protection through the Family Court without a criminal conviction or even a criminal complaint. The criminal track runs independently and can result in arrest, remand, and prosecution under the Penal Law 5737-1977. Most victims benefit from using both together, but the civil order is faster and more immediately useful for stopping ongoing harm.

Foreign nationals often delay seeking protection because they fear that any contact with the legal system will affect their visa, expose their status, or trigger proceedings they don't understand. The actual rules are more protective than most people know. This guide explains them and covers what to do in the first hours of a crisis.

1. What Is a Tzav Haganah (Protection Order)?

A tzav haganah is a civil court order issued under the Domestic Violence Prevention Law 5751-1991 (*Chok Limnat Alimut BeMishpacha*). It carries no criminal sanction, creates no conviction, and leaves no criminal record for the respondent. Its only purpose is to impose legally binding restrictions on one person's behavior to protect another.

The law defines "family members" broadly for purposes of applying for an order. It covers spouses and ex-spouses, parents and children, siblings, persons who share or shared a household, and those in an intimate relationship regardless of whether they lived together or were formally married. Same-sex couples are included. Foreign nationals who entered Israel as a spouse's dependent are included. A person living with an Israeli partner without being married is included.

Types of orders under the law

  • Removal and exclusion order (Section 2) — requires the respondent to leave the shared home and prohibits return
  • Prohibition order (Section 4) — restrains the respondent from approaching within a set distance of the applicant, their home, workplace, or children's school
  • Weapons surrender order (Section 5) — requires the respondent to surrender any licensed firearm or other weapon to the police
  • Combined order — courts routinely issue all three in a single order when the factual basis supports it

An emergency order can last up to 30 days. An extended order, granted after a formal hearing at which both parties appear, can run for up to six months and is renewable by further application.

In Practice — What "Domestic Violence" Means Under Israeli Law: The Domestic Violence Prevention Law does not require physical assault. Section 1 defines "maltreatment" to include physical violence, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, threats, humiliation, intimidation, and stalking. A pattern of controlling behavior (financial control, constant surveillance, threats to report immigration status to the authorities, threats to take the children) qualifies as maltreatment under Israeli law. Courts grant orders in cases of psychological abuse alone, with no physical contact at all, where the applicant shows a reasonable fear of harm. Document every incident: dates, times, screenshots of messages, names of any witnesses.

2. Who Can Apply — Including Foreign Nationals

Any person present in Israel can apply for a domestic violence protection order, regardless of nationality, immigration status, or whether they have a lawyer. The law imposes no citizenship requirement and no minimum period of residence in Israel. There is no fee to file an emergency application at the Family Court duty desk.

You can apply if you are:

  • An Israeli citizen or permanent resident
  • A foreign national on a tourist visa, student visa, or work permit
  • An undocumented person with no current valid status
  • A person mid-way through the family-reunification graduated procedure (A/5 visa holder)
  • A foreign national who entered Israel as the dependent of a B/1 work-permit holder
  • A person seeking asylum or refugee status

The police cannot refuse to assist you based on your immigration status. The Family Court does not ask about your visa when you apply for a protection order. Immigration enforcement agencies, specifically PIBA (the Population and Immigration Authority), are not notified when a domestic violence application is filed in court.

In Practice — Language Support: The National DV Hotline (1-800-722-722) operates 24/7 in Arabic, Russian, Amharic, French, English, and Spanish. The hotline connects you with a social worker, explains the application process in your language, and refers you to a shelter with space. Many Family Courts in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem can arrange basic interpretation at hearings. The Legal Aid Authority (Misrad HaMishpatim), through the Bar Association's emergency legal aid scheme, can provide a duty lawyer free of charge if your income is under approximately NIS 11,000/month for a single person. Bring ID if you have it, but no documents are required to apply.

3. How to Apply: Family Court and the Police Route

There are two routes to an emergency protection order. Both can result in an order on the same day. In practice, victims who contact the police often end up using both routes simultaneously.

Route 1 — Direct application to the Family Court

The Family Court (*Beit Mishpat LeInyanei Mishpacha*) has a duty judge available outside regular court hours for urgent family matters, including domestic violence applications. You or a lawyer can appear at the court and file an emergency application.

The application requires:

  • A written declaration (*tatzhir*) describing the incidents — dates, times, what happened, names of any witnesses
  • Your identification documents if available (ID, passport, or visa documentation)
  • Supporting material if you have it: photographs of injuries, screenshots of threatening messages, police call-out records, medical documentation

The declaration does not need to be in Hebrew. Courts accept declarations translated into Hebrew at the hearing; in urgent cases a court interpreter can assist. The duty judge reviews the application and hears a short oral account. If satisfied that there is a reasonable risk of harm, the order is issued without the respondent being present or notified. This is called an ex parte order (*tzav zman*).

Route 2 — Through the police

When police respond to a domestic incident, they are obligated under the Domestic Violence Prevention Law to assess whether a protection order is needed. The police domestic violence unit (*yehidat alimut bamishpacha*) can contact the duty judge directly, present the facts, and obtain a removal or prohibition order before leaving the scene, without the victim needing to appear in court at all.

The police can also arrest the respondent for criminal offenses (assault, threats, property damage) separately from the civil protection-order track. An arrest does not substitute for a protection order, and a protection order does not substitute for an arrest. Both are worth pursuing.

In Practice — Timeline From Call to Order: In a typical case where police respond to an incident, the sequence runs: police arrival → documentation of injuries and incident → contact with duty social worker at the Ministry of Social Affairs (*pekid revacha toran*) → police contact duty judge → order issued → police enforce removal of the respondent from the premises → respondent given 15 minutes to collect essential documents and medications. Total elapsed time from police arrival to enforcement of removal: typically 2 to 5 hours. If you are applying directly to the Family Court without police involvement, bring everything in writing and expect to spend 2 to 4 hours at the court. Go early in the day when possible to maximize the chance of completing the process before the duty judge changes.

4. What a Protection Order Actually Does

A protection order is only useful if you know what it covers and when to call for enforcement. The specifics vary by case, but the following apply in most orders.

Removal from the home

A Section 2 removal order requires the respondent to vacate the shared home and prohibits return. The respondent may not enter the building, the courtyard, or a defined perimeter around the property. Police enforce the initial removal; subsequent violations are enforced by police attendance following a phone call to 100.

A removal order does not determine ownership or tenancy rights long-term. A removed spouse keeps their ownership interest in the property. The order is a temporary housing measure; the property division question gets resolved separately in the asset-division proceedings.

No-contact and distance restrictions

Section 4 prohibition orders specify a minimum approach distance (commonly 100 to 200 meters from the applicant, the home address, the workplace, and the children's educational institutions) and a total ban on contact by any means — phone calls, text messages, social media, through third parties, or by letter. Courts have interpreted "contact through a third party" broadly: instructing a sibling to pass a message counts as contact.

Weapons

Israel has a significant proportion of licensed firearms in civilian hands, particularly among individuals with military service backgrounds. A protection order routinely includes a mandatory weapons-surrender requirement. The respondent must surrender any licensed firearms and the firearms licence itself to the nearest police station within 24 hours of the order. Failure to surrender is a criminal offense in addition to the order violation.

Children and custody

A protection order does not automatically determine custody or visitation. The Family Court hearing the protection-order application can issue interim custody and visitation orders simultaneously, but these are separate legal instruments. If the respondent has regular contact with the children, the protection-order application should specifically request guidance on whether and how contact should continue during the order period. Courts regularly craft arrangements where the protected parent drops the children at a neutral location (a social services office or a public place) without the two adults meeting directly.

In Practice — Extending the Order: An emergency order issued ex parte lasts up to 30 days. The court must schedule a full hearing within that period at which both parties can appear and the respondent can contest the order. If the full hearing confirms the basis for the order, an extended order valid for up to 6 months is issued. Extended orders are renewable — a victim does not need to re-prove the underlying facts from scratch; they must show that the protection is still needed. File your renewal application at least 2 weeks before the expiry date. Many victims allow their order to lapse by assuming the situation has de-escalated; courts treat the absence of recent incidents as normal when an order is in place, not as evidence that protection is no longer needed.

5. Criminal Charges Running Alongside the Civil Order

The civil protection order and the criminal justice process are legally independent. A protection order can be obtained without filing a criminal complaint, and criminal charges can proceed without a protection order. In serious cases, running both tracks simultaneously gives the victim maximum protection.

What is criminal under Israeli law

Under the Penal Law 5737-1977, the following constitute criminal offenses when committed by one family member against another:

  • Assault (Section 379 and following) — any unwanted physical contact; aggravated assault (Section 380) where a weapon is used or serious injury results carries up to 20 years' imprisonment
  • Threats (Section 192) — threatening to harm someone or their property in a manner that creates reasonable fear
  • Harassment and stalking (Section 192A) — repeated unwanted contact
  • Unlawful deprivation of liberty (Section 375) — preventing a person from leaving a place
  • Sexual offenses (Sections 345 and following) — including within marriage

Filing a criminal complaint at the police station triggers a separate investigation. The respondent may be arrested, brought before a magistrate for a remand hearing within 24 hours, and held in custody while the investigation runs. A criminal proceeding does not depend on the civil court's findings and vice versa.

Violation of a protection order — a separate crime

Under Section 287A of the Penal Law, knowingly violating a protection order is itself a criminal offense carrying up to three years' imprisonment. This means that if the respondent returns to the house, contacts you by phone, or appears near your workplace while an order is in force, they have committed an offense that can result in immediate arrest — even if the underlying incident that led to the order would not by itself justify arrest. Keep a physical copy of your order and save the court file number in your phone so police can verify it immediately when they arrive.

In Practice — Victims Who Do Not Want Criminal Proceedings: Some victims — particularly those in family-reunification procedures whose spouse is the Israeli citizen whose status they depend on — are reluctant to file a criminal complaint because they fear it will permanently damage the relationship or their own visa status. The civil protection order is entirely separate: you can obtain a removal order and prohibition order without any criminal complaint and without the respondent receiving a criminal record. If you decide later that you want to file a complaint, you can do so at any time during or after the civil proceedings. Israeli law does not require victims to file criminal complaints as a condition of receiving civil protection. Do not let fear of criminal consequences to the abuser stop you from protecting yourself through the civil route.

6. Protecting Children

Children can be included in a protection order — the order can name minor children as protected persons alongside the applicant, prohibiting the respondent from contacting them or approaching their school. The welfare of children in the household is also a factor the court weighs in deciding whether to issue or extend an adult's protection order.

The welfare officer's role

In any domestic violence case involving children, the Family Court can request — and often does request — a report from the Ministry of Social Affairs welfare officer (*pekid saad*). The welfare officer investigates the children's situation, interviews the children and both parents, and submits a written report to the court. Courts give this report significant weight in both the protection-order proceedings and in any concurrent custody dispute.

The welfare officer process under the domestic violence law is faster than the standard custody-case welfare report. In urgent domestic violence situations involving children, social services can place a child temporarily in the care of one parent, a grandparent, or a foster placement while the investigation runs.

Exit bans for children

When there is a risk that the respondent might take children out of Israel, the court can simultaneously issue an exit ban (*tzav atzira*) transmitted electronically to PIBA and enforced at all Israeli exit points. The exit ban can be applied to either or both parents and to the children themselves. If you are concerned that an abusive partner may try to take the children abroad, include an exit-ban request in your initial application and explain the specific risk factors — the respondent's foreign ties, travel documents in the children's names, and any statements they have made about leaving Israel.

In Practice — Reporting to Social Services: Separately from the Family Court proceedings, any person who has reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected in Israel can and should report this to the Social Services (*Sherut Revacha*) at the local municipality, or directly to the national child welfare reporting line (Tel: *116* for the Child Welfare Administration). Reports can be made anonymously. Once a report is received, a welfare officer is obligated to investigate within 24 to 72 hours depending on urgency classification. A social services investigation is not a replacement for a protection order but it does create an independent record of the child's situation that can be used in both civil and criminal proceedings.

7. Shelters, Benefits, and Housing Rights When You Leave

Leaving an abusive home safely requires advance planning in most cases — but emergency departures are also possible, and the shelter system is designed to receive people at any hour.

Shelter system

Israel operates a network of domestic violence shelters funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services (*Misrad HaRevaha VeHaSherutim HaSocialiim*). There are:

  • Shelters for women and children — approximately 14 locations nationwide, managed by women's organizations and MOLSA
  • Shelters specifically for male victims — a smaller number, mainly in Tel Aviv and Haifa
  • Crisis centers (*merkazim litipul bemashber*) that provide day support, legal advice, and referral without requiring overnight residence

Shelter residency is free for eligible victims. Stays typically last 3 to 6 months, during which residents receive social work support, legal assistance, and help with relocation planning. Children can continue attending their school via transportation arranged by social services.

Foreign nationals — including those without valid immigration status — are admitted to shelters. Shelter staff are bound by professional confidentiality and do not report immigration status to PIBA.

National Insurance and benefits

A victim who leaves the family home due to domestic violence and is unable to work may qualify for National Insurance Institute (*Bituach Leumi*) income-support payments (*havshatat hachnasa*) or a special DV victim's allowance. The NII has specific provisions for victims who cannot immediately document their circumstances in the usual way. Contact the nearest NII branch or call the NII information line (1-222) to ask about the DV-victim track.

For victims who were covered by a spouse's private health insurance or employer-sponsored coverage, leaving the home may interrupt that coverage. Israeli residents covered by the national health insurance (*bituach briut*) through Bituach Leumi contributions continue to be covered regardless of their domestic situation — their Kupat Holim membership does not depend on the spouse's status.

Housing after the shelter

The Rental of Apartments for Residential Purposes Law 5777-2017 protects tenants broadly, but DV victims leaving a rented property face a specific problem: the lease may be in the abuser's name only. The Family Court can issue an order directing the landlord to recognize the victim's continued tenancy and accept rent from them, but this does not bind the landlord if the lease has a specific prohibition. In practice, most landlords prefer a paying tenant to a contested eviction, and social services can assist with negotiating a direct lease for the victim.

In Practice — Housing Assistance for Foreign Victims: The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration (*Misrad HaAliyah VeHaklita*) runs a special housing assistance fund for immigrants in crisis, including DV victims. A foreign national who is a recognized new immigrant (*oleh*) can apply for an emergency housing grant of approximately NIS 5,000–10,000 to cover first and last month's rent on a new apartment. Non-immigrant foreign nationals can apply for municipal emergency social welfare funds through the local welfare office (*lishkat revacha*); eligibility depends on the municipality and on the applicant's ties to Israel, but most municipalities have some provision for residents in acute crisis regardless of legal status. Ask the shelter social worker to assist with the application — they know which funds are currently open and which forms are required.

8. Immigration Status and PIBA: What You Must Know

This is what stops more foreign nationals from seeking help than anything else. The fear is understandable. Many abusers specifically threaten victims with immigration enforcement, claiming that seeking protection will result in deportation, a cancelled visa, or a lost residency application. Knowing what the law actually says, versus what an abusive partner claims it says, can change the calculation entirely.

Obtaining a protection order does not trigger immigration enforcement

The Family Court does not communicate with PIBA when a domestic violence application is filed or when an order is issued. Police responding to domestic violence calls are not required to check or report the victim's immigration status. Social workers and shelter staff are prohibited by professional ethics from disclosing client information to immigration authorities without the client's consent, except in cases involving risk to children.

Leaving the family-reunification procedure due to DV

For foreign nationals in the graduated family-reunification procedure — those holding an A/5 temporary residency who are working through the five-stage process toward permanent residency — domestic violence creates a specific legal pathway. If the marriage ends or the foreign spouse leaves the home because of violence, they do not automatically lose credit for time accumulated in the procedure.

PIBA has an inter-ministerial humanitarian committee (*vaadat mankal*) that reviews cases where the graduated procedure has been interrupted by domestic violence, bereavement, or family breakdown. The committee can grant continued status on humanitarian grounds, particularly where:

  • The foreign spouse has Israeli-citizen or Israeli-resident children
  • There is documented evidence of domestic violence from a recognized authority (police, courts, social services, a shelter)
  • The foreign spouse has been in Israel for a substantial period under the procedure

To trigger the humanitarian review, you must notify PIBA in writing — ideally before you leave the home, or within a short time afterward — that you are leaving due to documented violence and requesting a humanitarian status review. Do this through a registered letter to the nearest PIBA office, and attach copies of the police report, the protection order, or the shelter intake documentation.

In Practice — Documenting Violence for PIBA Purposes: The inter-ministerial humanitarian committee weighs the credibility and formality of the documentation. A social worker's written assessment from a recognized shelter carries significant weight. A police report of a domestic incident — even one where no arrest was made — is useful. A protection order from the Family Court is the strongest possible documentation because it represents a judicial finding that there is a reasonable risk of harm. Collect documentation in this order of priority: (1) Family Court protection order, (2) police report, (3) shelter intake and social worker assessment, (4) medical records of treated injuries. Even if you cannot file the PIBA notification immediately, gather documentation from day one. A retrospective application to the humanitarian committee is harder but not impossible when the documentation is strong.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The Domestic Violence Prevention Law 5751-1991 does not require Israeli citizenship, residency, or any immigration status. Any person physically present in Israel who is subject to domestic violence or lives in fear of a family member can apply to the Family Court for a protection order. Immigration status is irrelevant to the court's assessment. The police are required to assist regardless of whether the victim has documentation.

For most foreign nationals, no. Applying for protection is treated as a humanitarian matter and does not trigger deportation proceedings. For those in the graduated family-reunification procedure (A/5 visa process), PIBA has a specific humanitarian track that allows victims to pause or exit the procedure without losing credit for time already accumulated. If you leave the family home due to violence, notify PIBA in writing and request a humanitarian review to protect your accumulated status.

An emergency protection order under Section 2 of the Domestic Violence Prevention Law can be issued on the same day you apply — sometimes within two to four hours. The Family Court duty judge hears urgent applications outside regular court hours. The police domestic violence unit can also contact the duty judge directly and obtain an order before leaving the scene of an incident. Extended orders, valid for up to six months and renewable, are granted at a formal hearing usually scheduled within two to four weeks.

Violating a protection order is a criminal offense under Section 287A of the Penal Law 5737-1977, carrying up to three years' imprisonment. The police are required to arrest a person who violates an active protection order. You do not need to re-apply to the Family Court — call the police (100) and state that a tzav haganah has been violated. Keep a copy of the order with you at all times and save the order reference number separately so police can verify it immediately.

Yes. The Domestic Violence Prevention Law applies equally to male and female victims, and to violence in any family structure including same-sex relationships. Israel has shelters specifically for male victims of domestic violence, and the National DV Hotline (1-800-722-722) serves callers of all genders. Men are somewhat less likely to apply in practice, but the legal entitlement is identical and courts treat male applications on exactly the same criteria.

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Adv. Eli Shimony

Adv. Eli Shimony

Adv. Eli Shimony is a licensed Israeli attorney specialising in family law, real estate, and estate planning for foreign nationals. He advises expats, investors, and diaspora families navigating the Israeli legal system.

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