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Operation Rising Lion assistance program

Has your home been damaged and you’ve been evacuated? Is your business not running due to the Operation? Do you serve in the reserves and also own a small business?

The Bank of Israel has initiated an assistance framework for households and small and micro business owners who have been adversely impacted by Operation “Rising Lion”. The framework is intended to provide cash flow relief for those affected and to help them get through the coming period.

To submit a request for a loan deferral, contact the bank at which you manage your current account or the bank from which you took the loan or mortgage.

It is important to know:

Most banks offer additional relief beyond the framework, so we suggest to check for updates on the commercial banks’ websites as well.

The framework will begin on July 1, 2025, and remain in force until July 31, 2025. Note that banks that want to bring the framework into effect earlier, or advance the request submission date, may do so. It should be clarified that a customer may submit a request to be included in the framework through July 31, 2025

Relief for households

  • Who is eligible?

    Households whose home was damaged and they have been evacuated or among whom are people injured and hospitalized due to Operation Rising Lion

    Regarding homes that were damaged: beyond applying the framework to owners of a single home who dwell in the property itself, the two population groups noted above are also included in the first circle group, which is eligible for a deferral without interest or fees.

    1. If a customer owns one home and does not live in it, and the home he owns was damaged and the people living in it had to be evacuated, there is an option to defer mortgage payments, at any amount, and consumer loan payments up to NIS 100,000 for a period of 3 months without being charged interest or fees.

    2. Renters who live in a property that was damaged and were evacuated, are able to defer their consumer loans for a cumulative amount of up to NIS 100,000 for a period of 3 months, without being charged interest or fees.

  • For what are you eligible?

    1. Deferral of mortgage payments, for an unlimited amount, for a period of 3 months, without being charged interest or fees.

    2. Deferral of consumer loan payments, for a cumulative amount of NIS 100,000, for a period of 3 months, without being charged interest or fees.

     

    *Mortgages are in reference solely to first home buyers or to those upgrading their home.

  • What documents must I present when submitting a request?

    1. Households whose home has been damaged must bring an authorization from the local authority or other certified official function regarding the evacuation from the home.

    2. People who have been injured due to Operation Rising Lion must bring an authorization from a certified official function regarding the hospitalization for an injury sustained due to the Operation.

  •  

    How are the deferred payments distributed?

    For distributing mortgage payments – the bank has 3 options:

    1. Adding the payments to the end of the mortgage term

    2. Spreading out the payments over the balance of the mortgage term

    3. Extending a loan, for the amount of the deferral, without interest, for a 4-year term, with repayments beginning after 1 year.

    . For distributing consumer credit payments: Adding the payments to the end of the mortgage term.

     

Relief for small and micro businesses

  • Who is eligible?

    Small and micro businesses with annual revenue of up to NIS 25 million that have been adversely impacted (physical damage or cash-flow related) due to Operation Rising Lion (first circle

  • For what are you eligible?

    1. Deferral for 2 months of loans* with a cumulative amount of NIS 2 million per business, without being charged interest or fees.

    *Business credit for owners of businesses with annual revenue of up to NIS 25 million, not including loans with third party commercial partnership. Regarding business credit with a term to final repayment that exceeds 3 years, payments can be distributed in the manner that mortgages are.

    1. For businesses owned by reserves soldiers—they are eligible, in addition, to a 2-month exemption from interest charges on overdraft** in the business current account (up to an overdraft of NIS 30,000). This benefit will be granted automatically to business owners whom the bank identifies as business owners or as those actually serving in the reserves, or who updated the bank in that regard.

    *Those who served in the reserves between April 1, 2025 and July 31, 2025, during the period or part of it.

    **Exemption from interest charges on overdraft—refers to the debit balance that is part of the credit facility approved by the bank. It refers to the debit balance that is part of the credit facility approved by the bank, including also when the bank allowed the customer to deviate from the facility in accordance with Proper Conduct of Banking Business Directive no. 325.

  • What documents must be presented when submitting the request?

    1. Businesses that due to Operation Rising Lion have suffered physical damage require authorization from the local authority or other certified official function regarding the evacuation of the business.

    2. Businesses that are inactive during Operation Rising Lion require authorization from an accountant/tax advisor/declaration authenticated by a representative lawyer regarding the business’s lack of activity during part or all of the business days on which the business operates during routine times during Operation Rising Lion, which began on June 13, 2025.

    1.  For business owners who serve in the reserves – those who served in the reserves between April 1, 2025 and July 31, 2025 – all or part of that period, and received during that period a receipt/credit into their account in respect of the reserves duty.

      If automatic identification is not possible, such as due to the reserves soldier maintaining several account and the remuneration is received in 1 bank, or for any other reason, the benefit shall be given in line with documentation received from the customer

  • How are the deferred payments distributed?

    Distribution of payments in business credit—by adding the payments at the end of the loan period.

How do we submit a request?

Requests to defer loans can be submitted through the bank at which your account is managed. The request can be submitted between July 1, 2025, and July 31, 2025.

For related helpful information, you can contact:

  • The Consumer Enquiries and Inspections Unit at the Banking Supervision Department: *9086 or 02-655-2680.

  • The hotline for the Commissioner of Credit Data at the Bank of Israel - *6194

  • Information page and updates due to Operation Rising Lion that are on the Bank of Israel website.

הבהרות נוספות

  1. Further clarifications

    • The framework formulated presents the minimum terms, and every bank may expand it for the benefit of its customers and their requests.
    • It should be clarified that the framework is in addition to what was established in Section 9h2 of the Banking (Service to the Customer) Law, 5741-1981, and does not replace it.
    • The deferral of payments requires an enquiry from the customer to the bank and the submission of a request in the format set by the bank.
    • The above does not apply to a borrower who is in legal proceedings. Regarding a borrower who is in arrears at the date of the publication of the framework, a deferral will be allowed up to a period that does not exceed 180 days from the date the arrears begin.