Middle East and North Africa
Israel.
Israel's 1998 Law Not to Stand Idly By on the Blood of Your Neighbor sets a general duty to help a person in immediate serious danger when one can do so without endangering oneself or others, backed by a fine. The same law lets a court order reimbursement of a helper's reasonable costs. The National Insurance Institute and the Tax Authority administer volunteer insurance rules and a tax credit for donations to approved institutions.
Is there a legal duty to help a stranger?
YesSection 1(a) of the law (Hebrew original; the translation here is this guide's own) obliges a person to help someone who is before their eyes, because of a sudden event, in grave and immediate danger to life, bodily integrity or health, when it is within their ability to help without endangering themselves or another. Section 1(b) treats notifying the authorities (Israel Police, Magen David Adom, the fire service) or summoning another person able to help as having given help, and Section 4 provides that violating Section 1 is punishable by a fine.
Are people who help protected?
LimitedSection 2 of the same law provides that Section 5 of the Unjust Enrichment Law, 5739-1979 applies even where the helper acted under the Section 1 duty, and allows a court to order whoever caused the danger (including the rescued person if they caused it) to reimburse the helper's reasonable expenses and payments. This guide did not find a separate statutory immunity from liability for helpers in the sources that could be verified.
How the government promotes giving and service
Ways to give and volunteer
Israel has a large nonprofit sector with public records on registered amutot, and volunteering is common. This list is limited to humanitarian and neutral channels.
Check a charity before you give
A public database of Israeli nonprofit organizations, including their legal status and reports; the official record is held by the Registrar of Nonprofits.
Give your time
Give money, blood or a donation
In an emergency or a crisis
Before you act
- Check that a group is a registered amuta before giving, and be wary of fundraisers who push for cash or transfers to private accounts.
- Visitors should confirm current security advisories and use only organized volunteer programs, since access to some areas is restricted.
This list covers only a few national and well-known channels and does not rank charities or cover every local group. Checked 2026-10-28. Listing an organization is not an endorsement, and none of them has endorsed this site. Some official sites block automatic checks, so a link may need a second try.
One thing worth knowing
Israel's duty is general and criminal in form but sanctioned only by a fine, and it counts calling the police, Magen David Adom or the fire service as having fulfilled it.
What this does not mean
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. This guide relied on the Hebrew text of the law on Nevo and translated it myself; This guide did not find an official English translation. A fine-only offense and the existence of the duty say nothing about enforcement or about whether the law changes behavior. This is a plain-language summary of public sources, not legal advice, and it does not rank countries. No government named here has endorsed this site. Not reviewed by a lawyer. Statutes were read in public sources and may have changed. Last checked October 26, 2026.