Israel Tax Authority Halts Compensation for Bnei Brak Residents Amid Rising Violence Against Inspectors

The Israel Tax Authority has escalated its response to recent violent incidents in Bnei Brak, where tax inspectors were attacked during routine enforcement activities. Shay Aharonovitch, the head of the Tax Authority, sent a stern letter to Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert condemning the assaults and announcing a suspension of compensation processing for war-related damages to residents' property. This decision will remain until the mayor publicly denounces the violence against tax officials.

The tension peaked last Thursday when tax inspectors conducting a seizure at a business owned by the Hur Levin brothers were violently confronted by hundreds of people, requiring police intervention to evacuate the inspectors safely. This was the second such attack in two weeks, both involving police assistance to protect tax employees. Aharonovitch criticized the municipality for failing to condemn these attacks, interpreting the silence as a sign that tax workers are unwelcome in the city.

The recent unrest began during a routine inspection in the Vizhnitz neighborhood, coinciding with the end of school hours, when dozens of students and residents gathered and escalated the situation by throwing eggs and damaging the inspectors' vehicle. Police were called in large numbers to secure the area and escort the tax officials out safely.

In an effort to resolve the crisis, Aharonovitch has requested an urgent meeting with Mayor Zeibert. The Tax Authority's firm stance highlights the growing friction between municipal authorities and national enforcement bodies amid ongoing social tensions in Bnei Brak.

Summary: The Israel Tax Authority has stopped processing compensation claims for Bnei Brak residents after tax inspectors were attacked during enforcement actions. The authority demands a public condemnation of the violence from the city's mayor before resuming services, following multiple violent incidents requiring police intervention.

Points: - Tax Authority head Shay Aharonovitch halts compensation processing for Bnei Brak residents amid inspector attacks. - Inspectors were violently attacked twice in two weeks, requiring police evacuation. - Aharonovitch criticized Mayor Zeibert for not condemning the violence publicly. - The latest incident involved hundreds attacking inspectors during a business seizure. - Police intervened after eggs were thrown and inspectors' vehicle was damaged. - An urgent meeting is planned between the Tax Authority and the mayor to address the crisis.

Topic: security israel_relevant: true Entities: {"people":["Shay Aharonovitch","Chanoch Zeibert"],"organizations":["Israel Tax Authority","Israeli Police"],"places":["Bnei Brak","Vizhnitz"]}