Can a beneficiary also witness an Israeli will?

Section 35 of the Succession Law 5725-1965 governs witness eligibility for written wills in Israel. A valid handwritten or typed will must be signed in the presence of two adult witnesses who are not beneficiaries and who are not the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of any beneficiary. The rule targets the obvious risk of undue influence: allowing a beneficiary to witness their own bequest would undermine the protections the law places around the testator's free expression. If the testator and the witness both sign the same document and that will is later probated, the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs (*Rasham HaYerushoth*) or the Family Court examines each witness's status individually. Courts apply Section 35 strictly, and challenge proceedings sometimes reveal that the witness was a close relative of the beneficiary rather than the beneficiary personally — a distinction that carries the same legal consequence.

When a beneficiary — or a disqualified relative — witnesses an Israeli will, Section 35 voids that specific bequest only. The rest of the testamentary dispositions remain fully operative, and the estate is distributed according to those remaining instructions. If the sole heir named in the will is also the sole witness, the entire testamentary disposition fails and the estate passes under the intestacy rules of the Succession Law. Foreign nationals drafting Israeli wills that govern Israeli assets should ensure that both witnesses are genuinely independent — not employed by, financially dependent on, or related to any person who stands to benefit. Notarial wills executed before an Israeli notary under Section 22 of the Succession Law follow a distinct formality and may sidestep witness conflicts when independent witnesses are difficult to arrange.

From the full guide: Israeli Will Requirements: What Makes a Will Valid Under Israeli Law

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