Tax Authority Plans Return to Bnei Brak Despite Workers’ Safety Concerns and Union Opposition

The Israeli Tax Authority announced on Sunday evening its intention to resume operations in Bnei Brak following a meeting at the office of Mayor Hanoch Zeibert, attended by senior tax officials. This decision comes despite the ongoing safety concerns of the tax workers, who were violently attacked last week while conducting routine inspections in the Kiryat Vizhnitz neighborhood. The attack resulted in significant damage to a tax inspectors’ vehicle and required police intervention.

Ophir Elkala’i, chairman of the State Employees Union, firmly stated that tax workers will not return to Bnei Brak until their safety is guaranteed. He criticized the municipality for failing to condemn the violence and highlighted the absence of any dialogue with employee representatives regarding protective measures. Elkala’i emphasized that without assurances, the risk of future attacks remains, and workers will stay away.

The conflict escalated after the Tax Authority suspended assistance to Bnei Brak residents whose homes were damaged during recent Israeli military operations against Iran, following the attack on its employees. Tax Authority Director Shai Aharonovitch informed the mayor that he had ordered an immediate halt to damage assessments and aid for the city’s residents, citing the municipality’s refusal to denounce the violence and implying that tax workers were unwelcome.

During the meeting, Mayor Zeibert condemned the violence, stating that Bnei Brak, known as a city of Torah and Hasidism, upholds peaceful values and that public servants perform their duties faithfully. Aharonovitch assured that the Tax Authority intends to continue providing services to all residents as before. However, the union’s rejection of the return plan remains firm.

Further revelations showed the attack was a coordinated effort by local residents, with messages circulated among the community labeling tax inspectors as "unwanted guests" and urging non-cooperation. This organized resistance underscores the tense atmosphere surrounding the Tax Authority’s presence in the city.

The situation remains unresolved, with the Tax Authority pushing for a return to work in Bnei Brak while the union demands concrete security guarantees before any resumption of activities.