The Tabu is run by the Land Registry and Settlement of Rights unit of the Ministry of Justice. On gov.il anyone can order an extract for a fee, using the block (gush), parcel (chelka) and, for an apartment in a shared building, sub-parcel (tat-chelka) numbers. There are three types: a regular extract, a historical extract that also shows cancelled entries, and a concentrated extract that summarises a condominium. The sub-parcel number is not necessarily the apartment number in the building.
A lot of Israeli land is state land held on long leases from the Israel Land Authority, so for such properties the lease and the Authority matter too, and the bank may ask for an Authority letter before registering its mortgage.
The pitfall is relying on the seller's word. In a new building you may hold only a contract and a caveat for months. Have your lawyer order the extract before you pay and read the liens section.
Example
Before paying ₪2,000,000 for a resale apartment, your lawyer orders a Tabu extract. It should show the seller as the registered owner, and any mortgage on it, for instance the seller's bank lien for a ₪600,000 balance, must be cancelled at closing from the price. Your bank then registers its own lien for the new ₪1,500,000 loan.