Does my foreign company need to register in Israel before opening a bank account?

Yes, if your company is operating in Israel. Under Israel's Companies Law 1999, a foreign company that conducts business in Israel must register with the Registrar of Companies as a foreign company. Before a bank will open an account, it will require your Israeli registration certificate and, crucially, an Israeli tax file number from the Israeli Tax Authority. Operating without registration can expose the company to penalties and creates significant complications for banking, VAT, and tax compliance. See our guide on registering a foreign company branch in Israel for more detail.