# Disability Claims in the Galilee — Information Center | Law Offices of Itay & Anat Levi, Tiberias > Information center about National Insurance disability claims for residents of the Galilee. Service areas, medical committee locations, and the steps involved in a claim. Operated by the Law Offices of Itay & Anat Levi, Tiberias. Initial consultation at no charge. Source: https://disability-law-israel.co.il/en/pages/galilee-disability.html --- # Disability Claims in the Galilee — Information Center This page is an information resource for residents of the Galilee considering a National Insurance disability claim. It covers service areas, medical committee locations, and the typical steps involved. It is published by the Law Offices of Itay & Anat Levi in Tiberias. Our firm is based in central Tiberias and works with claimants from across the Galilee — from Tiberias and Safed, through Karmiel and Ma'alot, up to Kiryat Shmona and the Golan Heights. From experience, residents of peripheral areas often face practical challenges that residents of the center do not: distance to medical committees, fewer specialist clinics, and travel difficulties for in-person appointments. This page outlines how a Galilee-based claim typically unfolds. **Important.** The accurate, complete and up-to-date version of our information center is in Hebrew. This English page is a faithful summary of the corresponding [Hebrew page](https://disability-law-israel.co.il/pages/galilee-disability.html). Nothing on this page is a promise of an outcome. Eligibility, percentage of medical disability, and the monthly stipend are determined solely by the [National Insurance Institute](https://www.btl.gov.il/) (Bituach Leumi) based on the documentary record. For binding information always consult the official sources. ## Languages we work in Hebrew · Arabic · Russian · English. Initial consultations can be conducted in any of these languages, and in person at our Tiberias office or by Zoom. ## Service areas within the Galilee ### Upper Galilee - Kiryat Shmona - Metula - Rosh Pina - Hatzor HaGlilit - Yesud HaMa'ala *Medical committees: Safed, Nahariya.* ### Lower Galilee & the Kinneret - Tiberias - Safed - Migdal - Kinneret - Degania *Medical committee: Tiberias.* ### Western Galilee - Karmiel - Ma'alot-Tarshiha - Nahariya - Acre - Shlomi *Medical committees: Nahariya, Acre.* ### Golan Heights - Katzrin - Majdal Shams - Buq'ata - Golan villages *Medical committees: Tiberias, Safed.* ## Types of disability claims commonly seen in the region ### General disability (נכות כללית) Claims under the general disability track of the National Insurance Institute. The amount of the monthly stipend in 2026 depends on the medical disability percentage and the work-incapacity degree determined by the committees. As of 01.01.2026, the full monthly general disability allowance for a 75% or 100% work-incapacity degree is **₪4,711**, according to the National Insurance Institute (the exact figure is published by Bituach Leumi [here](https://www.btl.gov.il/benefits/Disability/Pages/SchumKizbaNechut.aspx)). Eligibility and final amounts are determined only by Bituach Leumi. Common conditions in the region include: - Orthopaedic conditions — back, joints, post-trauma. - Mental-health conditions — depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder. - Chronic diseases — diabetes, cardiac, pulmonary. - Autoimmune conditions. ### War-related and hostile-action injuries The Galilee is a border region. Since October 2023, many residents and reservists have been exposed to security events. We work on: - Reservists with service-related injury, including post-traumatic stress disorder following service in the "Swords of Iron" war. - Civilian casualties of hostile action — rocket fire from Lebanon, terror events. - Evacuated residents of border communities (Kiryat Shmona, Metula and other towns along the northern border). See also: [guide to war-related mental-health disability rights](war-mental-health-disabilities-guide.html). ### Work accidents in the Galilee The Galilee combines agriculture, industry, construction and tourism. Common work-accident profiles we see in the region include agricultural machinery injuries, falls and trauma on construction sites in expanding northern towns, industrial accidents in the Migdal HaEmek and Karmiel zones, and adventure-tourism incidents. ### Additional benefits for residents of national-priority areas Most Galilee localities are designated by the State of Israel as *national priority areas*. Residents may be entitled to additional benefits beyond the basic stipend — municipal property-tax (Arnona) discounts, income-tax credit points for peripheral residents, expanded housing assistance, and special arrangements for residents of "fingerprint" frontier communities. The full benefits package is described in our [additional benefits](additional_benefits.html) page. Always verify current entitlement via [Bituach Leumi](https://www.btl.gov.il/) and your local municipality. ## How a Galilee-based claim usually unfolds - Initial consultation — at your home or by Zoom. You do not need to travel to Tiberias. We can meet you at your home or by video call, review the case, and explain what an entitlement process would look like. - Document collection. We obtain medical files from the hospitals and clinics that serve the region — Poriya (Tiberias), Rambam (Haifa), Western Galilee Hospital (Nahariya), and your community health-fund clinics. - Filing the claim. The claim is filed at the Bituach Leumi branch closest to you. - Accompaniment to the medical committee. A representative of the firm can accompany you to the committee in Tiberias, Safed, Nahariya, or Haifa, depending on where you live. - Follow-up and, where appropriate, appeal. If the initial decision is unsatisfactory, we examine grounds for appeal and prepare the file accordingly. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a disability lawyer who comes to the Galilee? Yes. Our office is in central Tiberias — inside the Galilee itself — and we travel for client meetings across the region, from Kiryat Shmona in the north to Acre and Nahariya in the west. We also conduct meetings by Zoom. You do not need to travel to central Israel. ### Where do residents of the Galilee attend medical committees? Lower Galilee and Kinneret residents are typically examined in Tiberias; Upper Galilee residents in Safed; Western Galilee residents in Nahariya or Acre. Appeal committees are usually held in Haifa. We are familiar with the committees in the region and can accompany you to each one. ### Are there special entitlements for residents of peripheral and border areas? Many Galilee localities are designated national-priority areas, which can carry additional benefits — expanded municipal-tax (Arnona) discounts for people with disabilities, income-tax credit points for peripheral residents, expanded housing assistance, and dedicated programs for residents of frontier communities along the Lebanon border. The exact entitlement depends on the specific community and is updated periodically by the relevant ministries. ### What about evacuees from border communities? Residents of border localities who were evacuated and who developed mental-health or physical conditions as a result of the war and evacuation may be entitled to recognition. Each case is examined on its facts. ### How much does the consultation cost? The initial consultation is at no charge — we meet, review the case, and explain the entitlements and the realistic prospects. Fees for representation are set in a written engagement letter in line with Bar regulations and are case-specific. ## Related pages - Tiberias — main office - National Insurance claims at the Tiberias branch - Safed - Karmiel - War-related mental-health disability — guide - Additional benefits beyond the monthly stipend ## Contact us We are happy to meet residents of the Galilee anywhere in the region for an initial conversation at no charge. [Call: 052-6260325](tel:+972526260325) [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/972526260325?text=Hi,%20I) [Contact form](../contact.html) Law Offices of Itay & Anat Levi · Yochanan Ben-Zakkai 13, Beit HaRambam, Tiberias · [04-6108880](tel:+97246108880). This page is informational and does not constitute legal advice. Eligibility for any National Insurance benefit is determined by Bituach Leumi based on the specific facts and documents in the file.