In Israel, if a contract requires mediation before arbitration, can we bypass mediation if the other side stalls

Hi, I'm sorry to hear that you're in a dispute. The answer really depends on how the contract is worded. In general, and unless a contract is illegal, the courts will uphold what the contract states: meaning if it states that mediation is compulsory before arbitration, then the courts will send the parties to mediation. Regardless, most courts in Israel will refer the parties to mediation before 'discussing' the case - so either way it is best to start there (with mediation). Good luck