Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., August 22, 2008 Av 21, 5768 | | Israel Time: 02:51 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Single mother forces rethink on jailing debtors By Ruth Sinai A court last week canceled an arrest warrant for an unpaid debt because the debtor had not known about the debt in time to repay it before legal proceedings began. The debtor is a single mother of three from Ashkelon who originally owed a grocery store NIS 112. She later repaid more than three times that amount, but was unaware of a tiny outstanding debt that ballooned and triggered the arrest warrant. Now MKs will be considering a bill to end debtors' imprisonment, a punitive measure common in 19th-century Europe, but eradicated since in most Western countries. Advertisement The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee is scheduled to discuss an amendment to the Bailiff's Office Law at its meeting today, and is under heavy pressure from the Bar Association to oppose the change. Eran Knobel, whose law firm is a leader in debt collection through the Bailiff's Office, insists that jailing debtors is effective. "Checks that bounce and debts that cannot be collected are a plague," Knobel says. "The moment a person gets an order to report to the Bailiff's Office and pay, he shows up. Few arrest warrants are actually implemented." Knobel's firm represents Blue Square in its case against Oksana Sidorchenko of Ashkelon, which reached the Ashkelon Magistrate's Court last week after an arrest warrant was issued at Knobel's firm's request. A check Sidorchenko wrote for NIS 112.85 bounced in 2006. She said in an affidavit to the court that she had asked the grocery store to let her pay the debt in cash, but was told that her check had already been sent to a collection agency. In February 2007 the Bailiff's Office opened a file on her at the request of Knobel's law firm. Sidorchenko, who barely speaks Hebrew, says she applied to the firm to settle her debt, but met with indifference. However, Knobel's records show that she was offered a repayment plan and turned it down. In June 2007 she received due warning that unless she paid, she would be arrested. The next day she paid NIS 395 - the original debt plus linkage to the consumer price index, interest, Blue Square's legal fees and expenses. "I thought it was over," she says. But Sidorchenko did not know that the case was still open because of a debt, apparently of NIS 14, whose origins are not entirely clear. Because of that debt Blue Square incurred collection fees of NIS 174. With linkage, interest, and lawyer's fees, the sum climbed to NIS 953 - and resulted in an arrest warrant. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Tears of joy Shahar Zubari's bronze medal was Israel's first of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 'Germ of corruption' Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeats his prediction that Israel will be wiped off the map.

Read & React Ahmadinejad: Israel is a germ of corruption that will be removed Responses: 139 Israel warns nationals of Hezbollah kidnap threat abroad Responses: 37 Sheetrit: Israel must not attack Iran, except in line of defense Responses: 26 Meron Benvenisti: Israel's greatest fear is a one-state solution Responses: 72 More Headlines 00:40 U.S. to Syria: Do not meddle in Russia-Georgia conflict 19:04 Livni: Time is running out for peace talks with Palestinians 16:28 State orders West Bank fence rerouted in favor of Palestinians 02:26 ANALYSIS / Fence relocation is acknowledgment that route is politically motivated 02:46 Prosecution to seek immunity for Talansky in U.S. 02:45 Barak: I'm not worried about being removed before elections 01:47 Study: Babies in womb during Six-Day War more likely to have schizophrenia 00:10 IN PICTURES / Olympians display their body art 00:26 Israeli tennis star Shahar Peer leads master class for N.Y. children 21:32 Life of top television presenter threatened, possibly by 'psychic' interviewee 22:28 Jordan urges world to press Israel to halt E. Jerusalem excavations 02:09 Israeli terror victims sue Chinese bank for funding Hamas, Islamic Jihad 19:47 Israel removes West Bank roadblock outside Ramallah 01:08 Happy birthday, Mr. President! Peres marks his 85th with trip to Negev Previous Editions Select Day 21 aug 20 aug 19 aug 18 aug 17 aug 15 aug 14 aug 13 aug 12 aug 11 aug 10 aug 08 aug

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com MBA in Israel in English APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Your vacation starts here Israel Travel Center Guaranteed Lowest Rates Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved