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Bank Hapoalim

Jacob Magid
Exclusive
Jacob Magid
Palestinian banking crisis averted, as Israeli bank delays plan to halt collaboration
Palestinians wait in line to withdraw money from an ATM in the main market in Ramallah city in the West Bank on June 9, 2024. (Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)
A day before deadline, Discount Bank agrees to push off plan to stop correspondent banking services to Palestinian counterparts, which tethers West Bank to global economy
Ilustrative: Offices of Discount and Hapoalim banks in the center of Tel Aviv (Miriam Alster/ FLASH90)
August 21, 2026, 1:11 am
Progress made in talks with Israeli banks to delay move that could collapse PA economy
Sources tell ToI that Discount and Hapoalim are likely to hold off on threat to stop providing critical correspondent services to Palestinian banks, following Western intervention
By Jacob Magid
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich gestures toward a map of the West Bank during a press conference at the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem, September 3, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
July 23, 2026, 3:25 am
Israel acts to ease Palestinian banking crisis it helped create, but is it moving too late?
Smotrich signs waiver allowing transactions with Palestinian banks until end of 2026, though Israeli financial institutions are wary about continuing to provide services crucial to keeping West Bank economy afloat
By Jacob Magid
Banking supervisor Daniel Hahiashvili speaks at a press conference in Tel Aviv on May 19, 2025. (Sharon Wrobel/Times of Israel)
May 18, 2026, 7:03 pm
Regulator demands fairness from Israeli banks as they cash in on hefty fees
Banking supervisor warns that lenders that don’t treat their customers well will be ‘in trouble,’ sees the entry of new players catalyzing competition in the local banking system
By Sharon Wrobel
A woman takes out money from a Bank HaPoalim ATM machiine in Tel Aviv on December 9, 2024. (Miriam Alster/FLASH90)
May 6, 2026, 11:11 pm
Israel’s competition watchdog declares top 5 banks an oligopoly, targets deposits
Hapoalim, Leumi, Mizrahi Tefahot, Discount and First International control 98% of banking sector’s assets, competition watchdog says; critics denounce their huge profits, excessive fees
By Sharon Wrobel
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, seen after a press conference in Jerusalem, December 4, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
December 25, 2025, 8:42 pm
Smotrich threatens banks with extra taxes if they go after customers’ benefits
Finance minister threatens to double proposed new tax on excess profits slapped on lenders’ excessive income to 30%; banking shares plunge
By Sharon Wrobel
Banking supervisor Daniel Hahiashvili speaks at a press conference in Tel Aviv on May 19, 2025. (Sharon Wrobel/Times of Israel)
May 19, 2025, 6:46 pm
Israeli regulator calls for more competition as large banks cash in on hefty loan fees
Banking supervisor seeks to remove barriers for the entry of non-bank entities that will provide credit and saving tools, force current lenders to offer better terms and services
By Sharon Wrobel
Illustrative: Parked airplanes belonging to Israir and El Al at Ben Gurion International Airport, August 8, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/FLASH90)
March 10, 2025, 2:35 pm
Daily Briefing Mar. 10: Day 521 – Israeli banks gain in war, El Al gets company on NY route
Tech editor Sharon Wrobel discusses lenders’ profits, Israir’s new TLV-NY plans; reporter Diana Bletter analyzes allegations against IDF in Gaza and non-Jewish villagers’ return home
By Jessica Steinberg, Diana Bletter and Sharon Wrobel
The Bank of Israel's main offices in Jerusalem, January 2, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)
February 26, 2025, 4:50 pm
Israeli banks told to set aside $839m to offer customers lower fees and other benefits
Bank of Israel urges banks profiting from high interest rates to provide benefits, as households, small businesses, and other war-affected populations struggle to make ends meet
By Sharon Wrobel
Photographer Ziv Koren's 'Naval Commando fighters in training' 2009, photograph, part of the Bank Hapoalim 'Israeli Art' exhibit opening February 15, 2025 (Courtesy)
February 11, 2025, 3:07 pm
Nova community to get proceeds of exhibit showcasing Israeli art
Bank Hapoalim’s annual ‘Israeli Art’ event will donate 75% of proceeds from sales to helping survivors, the bereaved and families of hostages taken from rave on October 7
By Jessica Steinberg
Illustration: Israelis withdraw money from Bank Hapoalim cash machines. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
November 18, 2024, 10:48 pm
Major lenders’ profits soar as banks cash in on wartime interest rate growth
As homes and businesses grapple with loan repayments, Hapoalim sees quarterly profit rise 14% fueled by NIS 4.58b in net interest income; Discount’s profit jumps 39%, Leumi’s 30%
By Sharon Wrobel
Ilustrative: Offices of Discount and Hapoalim banks in the center of Tel Aviv (Miriam Alster/ FLASH90)
February 14, 2024, 7:26 pm
After credit downgrade, Moody’s lowers deposit ratings of Israel’s five largest banks
Lower rating increases borrowing costs for banks, which in turn will likely be passed on to consumers and lead to higher lending rates
By Sharon Wrobel
An illustrative view of a Bank Hapoalim branch in central Jerusalem on July 27, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
November 16, 2023, 4:01 pm
Bank Hapoalim defers NIS 17.8 billion in loan and mortgage payments due to war
Bank set aside a provision for credit losses of NIS 662 million in the third quarter amid increased risk of an economic slowdown
By Sharon Wrobel
Illustrative: View of the Bank Hapoalim offices in the center of Tel Aviv. August 4, 2015. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
May 22, 2023, 2:06 pm
Bank Hapoalim posts NIS 2.01b quarterly profit fueled by 49% jump in interest income
Net profit surges 21.3%, prompting bank to raise dividend payout 10 percentage points to 40% of quarterly profit as it benefits from steady interest rate hikes over past year
By Sharon Wrobel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Knesset session on March 20, 2023 (Erik Marmor/Flash90)
March 21, 2023, 2:35 pm
5 bank heads to PM: Stop overhaul immediately, you’ll turn Israel into dictatorship
Top business leaders call on PM to halt contentious legislative process, saying it ‘undermines the foundations of democracy’ and will damage economy and society as a whole
By ToI Staff
A branch of Signature Bank is photographed, in New York, March 12, 2023. (Bobby Caina Calvan/AP)
March 13, 2023, 11:02 am
US regulators shut down crypto-friendly Signature Bank as financial crisis grows
NY-based financial institute founded by Bank Hapoalim, which sold stake in 2005, collapses as investors pull deposits following crash of SVB; 3rd largest bank failure in US history
By Agencies and ToI Staff
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