Labour9/2/2026

Professional Associations Established a Permanent Forum to Protect Workers from Violence

Following the murder of attorney Arbel Feldman, professional associations in Israel signed the “Workers Without Fear” charter. They agreed to work together to advance legislative amendments, establish mechanisms for reporting threats, and assist workers facing danger.

Key facts

•Publication date: September 2, 2026
•Conference location: Tel Aviv
•Initiating body: Israel Bar Association
•Document: “Workers Without Fear” charter
•A permanent joint interprofessional forum was established
•No specific legislative amendments have yet been mentioned

Who Joined Forces

The Israel Bar Association held the special conference in Tel Aviv. Representatives of teachers’, nurses’, social workers’, doctors’, and public transportation workers’ organizations participated. Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit, Israel Bar Association President Amit Becher, National Public Defender Anat Meysad-Canaan, and representatives of the police and the judiciary also attended the event.

What the Charter Provides

The organizations signed a joint charter to combat violence against public-sector workers and professionals. They intend to work jointly with the government, the Knesset, the police, and law enforcement authorities; advance legislative amendments; and establish mechanisms for reporting, assistance, and support for threatened workers. The source does not mention specific bills or previously enacted legal provisions.

How the Forum Will Operate

The permanent joint interprofessional forum will convene regularly, monitor trends in violence, and formulate joint measures before state authorities. The participants also agreed on mutual support: a serious attack on a member of one of the organizations should, when necessary, prompt a joint response from all the associations. Those who initiated the move called on the state to regard worker protection as a national mission and to combine prevention, protection, enforcement, and punishment.

Legal Status of the Initiative

The charter expresses the commitments of the professional organizations that signed it, but the article does not say that it is a law or legislation. At the time of publication, the initiative concerned the creation of a coordination mechanism and plans to seek decisions from state authorities. Therefore, the charter itself does not currently establish new binding rights or procedures for all workers and employers in Israel.

What this means for you

For workers facing threats or violence, the initiative may in the future lead to clearer reporting channels and coordinated assistance and support from professional associations. However, the source does not report an immediate change in the law or the creation of new protections with binding legal effect; that would require separate decisions by state authorities.

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