Quick Answer: Any person in Israel — citizen, permanent resident, or foreign national on a tourist visa — can obtain a domestic violence protection order (tzav haga'na) from a Family Court or Magistrate Court. Emergency orders are granted the same day, require no filing fee, and can be issued without the abuser's presence. The court can order the abuser to vacate the shared home immediately, prohibit all contact, and surrender any firearm to the Israel Police. Foreign spouses whose residency depends on their abusive partner retain legal protection and can maintain their immigration status without the abuser's cooperation.

Being in an abusive situation in a foreign country raises specific fears: language barriers, not knowing who to call, worrying that the police will ask about your visa, or believing that the legal system won't help you without an Israeli ID. Those fears are understandable, but they don't reflect how Israeli law actually works. The protections available to domestic violence victims in Israel apply regardless of nationality, religion, or immigration status — and the process for obtaining an emergency order is faster and less formal than most people expect.

Below is the legal framework, the exact steps to get a protection order, and what foreign nationals — including those whose residency depends on an abusive spouse — need to know.

1. Israel's Domestic Violence Legal Framework

The primary statute is the Chok Limniiat Alimut Bamishpacha — the Prevention of Violence in the Family Law, 5751-1991. It was amended significantly in 2001 and again in 2018 to expand the scope of protection and increase enforcement obligations on police and courts.

Alongside it, domestic violence is also addressed through:

  • The Penal Law 5737-1977: assault (Sections 379–380), threats (Section 192), stalking, and coercion are all criminal offences prosecuted independently of any civil protection order
  • The Legal Capacity and Guardianship Law 5722-1962: governs emergency removal of children from a dangerous home environment
  • The Rights of Victims of Crime Law 5761-2001: gives domestic violence victims rights to information, representation, and protection during criminal proceedings
  • The Welfare (Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Disturbances) Law 5771-2011: enables involuntary intervention in extreme cases

Israel has no single consolidated domestic violence code. In practice, a victim will typically deal with three systems simultaneously: the civil Family Court (for the protection order and custody), the Israel Police (for the criminal complaint), and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services (Misrad HaRivaha VeHasherutim HaHevratiyim) through its social workers.

In Practice — Who Investigates and Who Decides

When the Israel Police (Mishteret Yisrael) respond to a domestic violence call, they are legally required under a 2018 amendment to the Prevention of Violence in the Family Law to notify a social worker from the relevant municipality's social services department. The social worker typically arrives within 24 hours and assesses the situation. If the social worker concludes the victim is at risk, they can apply for a protection order on the victim's behalf — the victim does not need to appear in court personally. This is particularly important for foreign nationals who are not confident in Hebrew or who fear interacting directly with the court system.

2. Who the Law Covers

The Protection of Violence in the Family Law defines "family member" broadly. Protection is available between:

  • Spouses and former spouses (married under any religious or civil system)
  • Couples who live together or have lived together as a couple (yedua batzibur), whether or not legally married
  • Parents and children — biological, adopted, or step-children
  • Siblings
  • Grandparents and grandchildren
  • Other relatives who share or have shared a household

The law covers physical violence, threats of violence, psychological abuse, and conduct causing "mental suffering" — Section 1 of the law defines violence broadly to include non-physical harm. Sexual violence within marriage has been explicitly prosecutable as rape under Section 345 of the Penal Law since 1988. Economic control and financial abuse are recognized as coercive behavior but are harder to litigate as standalone grounds for protection orders without accompanying physical or psychological abuse.

Foreign nationals — whether holding an Israeli work permit, student visa, tourist entry stamp, or no valid status at all — fall within the law's definition as long as the violence occurs within a qualifying family relationship in Israel.

3. Types of Protection Orders

Israeli law provides two tiers of court order, with different urgency levels and durations:

Emergency protection order (Tzav Haga'na Zmanit)

Issued on an emergency basis, without necessarily notifying the other party, based solely on the applicant's testimony or the social worker's assessment. Valid for up to 10 days. A hearing with both parties must follow within 7 days of the order being made.

Long-term protection order (Tzav Haga'na)

Issued after a full hearing at which both parties can present evidence. Valid for up to 12 months initially, and renewable by the court. Long-term orders can include more comprehensive restrictions — for example, restrictions on approaching the children's school or the victim's workplace, or conditions on contact with mutual children.

Police-issued temporary restriction notice (Hoda'at Hashta'ah)

Under a 2018 amendment, Israel Police officers responding to a domestic violence call can issue an immediate restriction notice requiring the suspect to leave the shared home for up to 48 hours without a court order. This gives the victim time to apply for a formal court order.

In Practice — Emergency Order Within Hours

A British woman married to an Israeli citizen called the police after being assaulted at their Tel Aviv apartment. The police arrived, took her statement, photographed her injuries, and issued a 48-hour restriction notice requiring the husband to leave the property that night. The next morning, a social worker from Tel Aviv municipality arrived and assessed the situation. Together they went to the Tel Aviv Family Court (Beit Mishpat LaMishpacha, at 1 Weizmann Street, Tel Aviv-Jaffa). The social worker applied for an emergency protection order on the victim's behalf under Section 3(b) of the Prevention of Violence in the Family Law. A duty judge reviewed the file and the social worker's report and issued a 10-day order by noon, without the husband being present. The order required the husband to stay out of the apartment and to have no contact with the victim. The total out-of-pocket cost to the victim: zero — protection order applications carry no court filing fee under the Court Fees Regulations.

4. Emergency Orders: Same-Day Relief

The most important practical feature of the Israeli system is that Family Courts and Magistrate Courts handle domestic violence protection applications the same day they are filed, seven days a week. Emergency applications do not wait for a scheduled hearing date.

Courts with Family Court divisions (all district centers including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Beer Sheva, and their environs) have duty judges who rotate for this purpose. Outside regular court hours, applications can be directed to the duty Magistrate Court in each district.

An emergency order can be issued ex parte — without the abuser being present or even notified. This is critical in situations where notifying the abuser before the order is made would put the victim at greater risk. Once issued, the order is served on the abuser by the court bailiff or police, and a hearing is then scheduled for both parties within 7 days.

The court's sole consideration at the emergency stage is whether there is a genuine risk of harm. Section 3(a) of the Prevention of Violence in the Family Law states that the applicant's testimony alone can support an emergency order — no corroborating witnesses, no prior police report, and no medical records are legally required, though they strengthen the application.

In Practice — What Supports an Emergency Application
  • Your testimony about the specific incident(s) of violence or threats
  • A social worker's written risk assessment (the most influential document)
  • Israel Police report (tik pelili) number if a complaint was filed
  • Photographs of injuries or property damage
  • Medical records from a hospital emergency department or clinic (kupat holim)
  • Screenshots of threatening messages, WhatsApp conversations, or emails
  • Statements from neighbors, friends, or family members who witnessed violence or threats

None of these are mandatory. The social worker's report typically carries the most weight because it represents a professional third-party assessment of risk rather than a self-reported complaint.

5. How to Apply: Step by Step

You can apply for a protection order through three routes:

  1. Through a social worker: Call the municipal social services department or the national DV hotline (118). A social worker is assigned to your case and can apply for the order on your behalf, accompanying you to court. This is the recommended route for foreign nationals who do not speak Hebrew or feel uncertain about the process.
  2. Directly at Family Court: Go to the Family Court in your district with a written application (Form 20, Bakasha LeTzav Haga'na). Forms are available at the courthouse in Hebrew. Legal aid is available through the Legal Aid Authority (Lishkat HaSiyua HaMishpati) for those who qualify financially — call 02-636-0200 to check eligibility before going to court.
  3. Through an attorney: A family law attorney can draft and file the application and appear before the judge with you. Attorney-assisted applications are sometimes faster to process because they are filed correctly the first time and the attorney can respond to judge's questions in court.

The application process typically takes two to four hours from arrival at court to receiving the signed order. During a domestic violence crisis, call the police first (100) and then the DV hotline (118). The social worker will coordinate the court application.

In Practice — Language Access at Court

Israeli courts are required to provide interpretation services for litigants who do not speak Hebrew. Request an interpreter when you call to schedule or when you arrive at the courthouse. Arabic interpretation is routinely available. For other languages — English, French, Russian, Amharic, Tagalog — interpretation can be arranged with advance notice but may take longer on short notice. In emergency applications, the social worker often speaks on behalf of the victim regardless of the victim's Hebrew level, which means language is rarely a barrier to obtaining an emergency order on the same day. The social worker's written risk assessment submitted to the court is in Hebrew, but the victim does not need to understand or sign it.

6. What a Protection Order Can Include

Section 2 of the Prevention of Violence in the Family Law gives courts broad power to include any of the following in a protection order:

  • An order requiring the abuser to vacate the shared home immediately, even if they are the legal owner or leaseholder. Ownership is irrelevant — the court's focus is safety.
  • A prohibition on entering the shared home or approaching within a specified distance (commonly 100 to 500 meters)
  • A prohibition on approaching specified locations: the victim's workplace, the children's school or daycare center, the home of a family member who provides shelter
  • A prohibition on contacting the victim by any means — telephone calls, text messages, messaging apps, email, social media, and through third parties
  • An order to surrender any licensed firearm and ammunition to the Israel Police for the duration of the order. This is mandatory where the abuser holds a licensed weapon.
  • Conditions on contact with mutual children — though child custody is dealt with separately by the Family Court in parallel proceedings

Violation of any term of a protection order is a criminal offence under Section 10 of the Prevention of Violence in the Family Law, punishable by up to two years' imprisonment. Police are required to respond to reported violations immediately and to arrest the violator. Unlike many civil order violations, there is no warning stage — a single breach can result in arrest and prosecution.

7. Criminal Proceedings Running Alongside

A protection order is a civil remedy. Criminal prosecution of the abuser is a parallel, separate process that the police and State Prosecutor's Office control independently of what the victim decides to do civilly.

Under Israeli criminal law:

  • Assault causing bodily harm: Section 380 of the Penal Law — up to 3 years imprisonment, or 5 years if committed against a family member or in a dwelling
  • Threats causing a person to fear for their life or safety: Section 192 — up to 3 years imprisonment
  • Stalking or harassment: Section 367(a) of the Penal Law — up to 3 years
  • Rape within marriage: Section 345 — life imprisonment (same as rape outside marriage since 1988)

The Israel Police are obligated to open a criminal investigation (tik pelili) whenever they respond to a domestic violence call, regardless of whether the victim formally requests prosecution. Once a criminal file is opened, the State Prosecutor (Prachlit HaMedina) decides whether to indict — the victim cannot unilaterally drop the charges by withdrawing a complaint, though their position will be considered.

Victims have rights under the Rights of Victims of Crime Law 5761-2001 to receive updates on the case status, to be heard before plea bargains are finalized, and to submit victim impact statements before sentencing.

In Practice — Criminal File and Protection Order Working Together

An Australian woman working in Israel reported her Israeli partner's assault to Jerusalem Police. The police opened a criminal file and referred her to a social worker. Within 48 hours she had a 10-day emergency protection order from the Jerusalem Family Court (Beit Mishpat LaMishpacha, at 1 Salah Al-Din Street, East Jerusalem, or the Beit HaMishpat campus at Sha'arei Mishpat Street, downtown Jerusalem) and a social worker coordinating her stay at a WIZO shelter. At the 7-day hearing, the court extended the protection order for 6 months. The criminal file remained open in parallel; three months later the State Attorney's Office filed charges for assault under Section 380(b) of the Penal Law (aggravated because of the family relationship). The criminal conviction, when it came, required the defendant to complete a court-mandated treatment program for domestic violence offenders under the Prevention of Violence in the Family Law's rehabilitation provisions.

8. Foreign Nationals and Immigration Status

This section is relevant to any foreign national whose Israeli residency was obtained through, or depends on, the abusive partner. It is a particularly common situation among non-Jewish spouses going through the graduated residency procedure.

The graduated residency procedure and DV

Non-Jewish foreign spouses of Israeli citizens normally obtain residency through the graduated procedure administered by the Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA / Rashut HaEhud VeHahagira). The procedure typically runs over several years — starting with a B/2 tourist visa, moving through successive A/5 temporary residency permits, and eventually to permanent residency. At each stage, both spouses must demonstrate that the marriage is genuine and ongoing.

Divorce or separation during the procedure would normally end the foreign spouse's residency track. Domestic violence creates a specific exception. Under PIBA's internal guidelines (published in the Ministry of Interior's administrative procedures):

  • A foreign spouse who is the victim of domestic violence can request that PIBA continue their residency status independently of the abusive Israeli spouse
  • The required documentation: a police complaint number, a valid protection order, OR a social welfare department confirmation that the spouse spent at least one month in a licensed domestic violence shelter
  • The decision is discretionary — PIBA weighs the length of the relationship, the presence of children, and the severity of the abuse
  • The spouse must file the humanitarian exception request before their current A/5 permit expires — expiry during the process is the most common procedural failure
In Practice — Protecting Residency Status While Leaving an Abusive Spouse

A French citizen had been in the graduated residency procedure for four years with her Israeli husband when violence escalated. She called the DV hotline (118), was connected to a social worker, and obtained an emergency protection order within 24 hours. She moved to a WIZO shelter in Tel Aviv. The critical next step: she immediately notified PIBA in writing (through the social worker) that she was the victim of domestic violence, attached the protection order and police complaint number (tik pelili 12345/2026), and requested continuation of her A/5 status on humanitarian grounds. PIBA extended her permit for six months while the case was assessed. She was then able to continue the graduated procedure through the humanitarian track rather than losing her four years of status simply because she left the abusive husband. The attorney who assisted her submitted the humanitarian application within the same week the protection order was issued — the timing was essential, because an expired A/5 would have required a full new application rather than a renewal.

Undocumented foreigners

People without valid Israeli residency status who are victims of domestic violence can obtain protection orders. Israeli courts do not require proof of residency to issue a protection order, and social workers are professionally obligated to assist regardless of immigration status.

There is no formal policy guaranteeing immunity from deportation for undocumented DV victims. In practice, PIBA does not prioritize deportation of individuals actively engaged in DV proceedings, particularly when children are involved or when criminal prosecution of the abuser is underway. Tell the social worker about your immigration situation immediately — they can document the circumstances and flag the issue to PIBA if enforcement proceedings begin.

9. Emergency Contacts and Support Services

The following resources are available to foreign nationals in Israel:

  • Israel Police Emergency: 100 (24 hours). Call immediately if you are in danger.
  • National DV Hotline: 118 (24 hours, Ministry of Social Affairs). Staff speak Hebrew, Arabic, Russian, and English. Counselors connect you with a local social worker and can assist with shelter placement.
  • Migdal Or (Lighthouse): 1-800-20-2448 (24-hour crisis line for women). Provides crisis counseling and emergency shelter referrals.
  • WIZO Israel: Operates shelters for battered women and children. Contact through the 118 hotline or through social services. WIZO shelters house women of all nationalities.
  • Na'amat: Women's rights organization providing legal advice, support, and referrals for DV victims across Israel. Contact via social workers or legal aid offices.
  • Israel Legal Aid Authority: 02-636-0200. Free legal representation at Family Court for DV proceedings for those who meet the income threshold. Foreign nationals qualify if they demonstrate financial need.
  • UNHCR Israel: For refugees and asylum seekers facing violence. The UNHCR partner network in Israel includes DV services specifically for non-citizens.
In Practice — What to Bring When You Leave

If you are planning to leave an abusive situation, gather the following documents when it is safe to do so. If leaving in an emergency, your safety takes priority over documents — shelters can help replace them.

  • Passports for you and any children
  • Israeli residency documents (A/5 permit, interior ministry correspondence)
  • Children's Israeli identity cards or birth certificates
  • Bank cards and access to funds (consider opening a separate account before you leave)
  • Medical records, prescriptions, and any existing court orders
  • Phone charger and an emergency contact list saved somewhere other than your phone