In early 2014,
HaMoked contacted the banking commissioner and the director of the postal bank over the increasing number of cases it had encountered of Israeli banks refusing outright to create bank accounts to Palestinians who had been living in Israel legally for many years. In its letter, HaMoked demanded that the discriminatory policy be changed immediately or, alternatively, that they explain what legal provisions or regulations the banks were following in refusing to take on Palestinians as clients.
The postal bank responded that in its view Palestinians legally living in Israel should not be prevented from opening a bank account.
Concurrently, the Bank of Israel informed HaMoked that in August 2014 a new order would enter into effect allowing Palestinians who met "certain requirements", among them the presentation of a magnetic card issued by the military's civil administration, to open a bank account in Israel.
Despite these assurances, in recent months, HaMoked has received complaints over the refusal of clerks at various postal bank branches to open accounts to Palestinians.
HaMoked wrote to the bank, gave details of specific recent cases of refusals to open bank accounts, and explained that this was not an isolated problem at one specific postal bank branch, or any specific clerk’s ignorance of the law, but a general policy. HaMoked demanded that the bank open accounts to all the people listed in the letter, and also that the bank clarify again to the staff in all the braches that accounts may be opened for Palestinians living in Israel legally. In addition, HaMoked demanded that notices be posted at the various postal bank branches, informing the public of the possibility of so doing.
