Bank HaPoalim and the Bank of Israel: Discrimination against Palestinians must stop
Adalah to Bank HaPoalim and the Bank of Israel: Discrimination against Palestinians must stop
Following an Israel Channel 10 media investigation revealing discriminatory policies against Palestinian citizens of Israel at Bank HaPoalim, Adalah approached the Director of Bank HaPoalim and the Public Complaints department of the Bank of Israel on 6 June 2013, demanding that these policies cease immediately, and that clear standards and penalties for racism be set.
Channel 10 reveals racist policy in undercover investigation
Channel 10 conducted an investigation in which Palestinian citizens of Israel who attempted to transfer their accounts from a branch in an Arab town in Israel to a branch in a Jewish town because it was closer to their work location were refused. Jewish individuals, however, were immediately able to transfer their accounts. Channel 10 conducted the test multiple times with the same answer, revealing that there is an overarching policy of discrimination at Bank HaPoalim.
Policy is a dangerous infringement
Adalah Attorney Nadeem Shehadeh wrote in the letter that: "Branch managers' refusal to transfer Arab customers' accounts to branches in Jewish areas reveals a racist policy that constitutes a dangerous infringement on customers' dignity and their constitutional right to equality."
Adalah: HaPoalim must cease, issue new regulations
Adalah demands that Bank HaPoalim respects the constitutional rights of the bank's Arab customers to dignity and equality, and to cease all discriminatory treatment. In addition, Adalah asked that the Bank of Israel issue regulations banning discriminatory practices, in addition to penalties for any kind of discrimination or racism.
See also:
Anti-Arab Discrimination exposed at Bank Hapoalim, The Times of Israel, 5 June 2013
Users at Bank HaPoalim ATMs in Jerusalem. Image via Wikimedia Commons.
