Free Consultation
Debt Collection

What can a debtor do if an Israeli Execution Office file is opened for a debt already paid?

File what Israeli practice calls a parati claim, meaning "I have already paid". Section 19 of the Execution Law 5727-1967 allows a debtor who says the judgment has been satisfied, or that they are no longer obliged to satisfy it, to apply to the Execution Office Registrar to stop enforcement. The debtor carries the burden of proof and must support the application with a sworn affidavit and documents. Filing the claim does not automatically freeze the file, so a separate application for a stay is usually needed alongside it.

The Execution Office enforces judgments, it does not rehear them, and a debtor cannot use it to reopen the merits of the original case. Section 19 is the narrow exception, and it deals only with events occurring after judgment: payment, a settlement, a set-off, a release, or the fulfilment of a condition. The application goes to the Registrar with an affidavit and the supporting evidence, and the Registrar may hold a hearing with cross-examination, or transfer the question to the court that gave the judgment where it raises issues better suited to a trial. A decision on a parati claim can be appealed to the Magistrates' Court, while most other Registrar decisions require leave to appeal.

The scenario that catches foreign nationals is a debt settled directly with the creditor's lawyer years earlier, with the file never formally closed. The debtor discovers it only when planning a trip to Israel and finds accrued interest, CPI linkage and often a stay-of-exit order attached to their name. Deal with it before booking travel. An Israeli lawyer can file the Section 19 application under a power of attorney, and physical presence is only needed if the Registrar orders cross-examination, which is frequently permitted by video for a party abroad. Gather the proof first: bank confirmations showing the transfer, the creditor's written release, and any settlement agreement. Then confirm in writing that the file has actually been closed and the restrictions lifted.

⚖ In Practice
  • Governing law: Section 19, Execution Law 5727-1967 (the parati claim)
  • Competent authority: Execution Office Registrar (Rasham Hotza'a LaPoal), Enforcement and Collection Authority (Rashut HaAchifa VeHaGviya)
  • Burden of proof: on the debtor, who must file a sworn affidavit with documentary proof of payment, settlement or release
  • No automatic freeze: enforcement continues unless a separate stay is requested and granted, which is at the Registrar's discretion
  • Appeal: a decision on a parati claim may be appealed to the Magistrates' Court (Beit Mishpat HaShalom); other Registrar decisions generally require leave
  • Practical warning: interest and CPI linkage keep running while the claim is pending, and restrictions such as a stay-of-exit order remain in force until formally lifted

From the full guide: The Israeli Execution Office (Hotzaa LaPoal): How Enforcement Works

Related Questions

Related Guides

Need legal help with this topic?
Get a Free Consultation with Adv. Eli ShimonyPrepared under the direction of Adv. Eli Shimony, Eli Shimony Law Office · Editorial policy

← Browse all Q&A