When you wish to appoint an attorney to legally represent you in Israel, you must first sign a document called an Israeli Durable Power of Attorney.
There are several different types of Power of Attorney under Israeli law:
- A Specific Power of Attorney is necessary if you wish to have an Israeli lawyer represent you to handle matters like probate, or if you wish to establish a corporation in Israel, or for any other type of legal representation in Israeli courts. In the US, when you sign a letter engaging your US lawyer to represent you, there may be language included which will give your US attorney “Authority to represent” you, and you may not have to sign a separate Power of Attorney agreement. But under Israeli law, you must sign a specific Power of Attorney Agreement, using the correct form.
- Then there is the Irrevocable Power of Attorney. You will need to sign this type of document if you wish to authorize your Israeli attorney to represent you in real estate transactions. The Israeli Irrevocable Power of Attorney is used together with a valid sale contract to ensure that the buyer’s rights to the real estate will be legally transferred in the Israel Land Registry to the new buyer and vice versa that the buyer funds will be insured in a trust or escrow account. Under current Israeli law, an Irrevocable Power of Attorney will still remain valid after the seller has passed away. The correct form must be used to grant an Irrevocable Power of Attorney in Israel.
- If you are not a resident of Israel, or if you are unable to read Hebrew, you will need to obtain and sign an English version of the Power of Attorney. The English version is an exact translation of the Hebrew form.
- Then there’s a General Power of Attorney. Israeli lawyers generally use it in order to conduct due diligence, pay taxes and check in the various government departments. Without a Durable Power of Attorney, this type of power of attorney will not be valid if you become incapacitated or after your death.
So let’s now look at Israeli Durable Power of Attorney. Until recently, there was no such thing as a Durable Power of Attorney in the Israeli legal system. But this changed in 2017. Today, any individual over the age of 18 can execute a Durable Power of Attorney valid in Israel. With a Durable Power of Attorney, you are able to appoint a third party of your choice to conduct business on your behalf in the event that you should become incapacitated or otherwise unable to handle your own financial and medical affairs.
An Israeli Durable Power of Attorney must be completed in Hebrew and is filed online by an Israeli attorney who has been certified by the Administrator General’s office.
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Israeli Durable Power of Attorney.
Power of Attorney under Israeli law
Israeli Specific Power of Attorney
Israeli General Power of Attorney
Israeli Irrevocable Power of Attorney.