The Checks' Clearing House

The clearing house operates in accordance with an agreement between its members-the banking corporations in Israel, the Postal Bank and the Bank of Israel. Part of the clearing house members operate directly in the clearing house, and part of them are represented by other banks. Banks operating in the Palestinian Authority are also members of the clearing house, and they are represented by three banking corporations in Israel.1

The Check Clearing House is managed by the Clearing House Committee, which enumerates 14 members-half of them from the Bank of Israel and half of them from the banking system. The committee's principal function is to regulate the transfer of drafts and settlements between the banks.

The Bank Clearing House operates in accordance with "the clearing house rules", which are updated from time to time in accordance with the decisions of the Clearing House Committee. The Clearing House Committee convenes periodically in order to discuss the clearing house's current requirements and to update the clearing house principles as necessary.

The Paper-Based Clearing House (BCH) settles instruments that are sent on paper. The instruments presented by the banks at the BCH are mainly checks, which are now presented and held by electronic means only. Also presented are non-magnetic credits and debits - manual instruments.

Instruments are settled at the BCH on the evening of the business day on which they are deposited at the banks. The banks are entitled not to honor instruments, and in such cases these are usually returned on the business day following their deposit. Returns of instruments are recorded at the time of return according to the current value on the date of deposit. The settlement between the banks is recorded on the following business day in the Zahav system.