What can a parent do when a child in Israel refuses court-ordered contact visits?

Section 3 of the Legal Capacity and Guardianship Law 5722-1962 makes both parents natural guardians, and the Family Court decides contact by reference to the child's welfare. When a child refuses to attend, the court almost never enforces the order physically. It orders an updated welfare officer report examining whether the refusal originates with the child, with the resident parent, or with the contact arrangement itself. Israeli case law recognizes a spectrum running from justified resistance, where the child has a genuine reason, through to induced alienation, and the remedies differ sharply along that spectrum. Coercive enforcement under Section 6 of the Contempt of Court Ordinance sits at the far end and is used sparingly.

A parent living abroad faces an extra difficulty, because a missed handover often falls inside a short and expensive trip. Israeli courts respond far better to a documented pattern than to one failed visit, so log each attempt with dates, messages and the response received. File while still in the country where possible, since urgent motions move faster when the applicant can attend a hearing at short notice. Courts frequently order a graduated plan through a contact center (merkaz kesher) with a therapist present, and can direct which parent funds it. Video contact orders are commonly added as a bridge, as explained in the guide to visitation rights for non-resident parents.

From the full guide: Parental Alienation in Israel: A Legal Guide for Foreign Parents

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