<PAGE>   1
                                                                      Exhibit 24

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, the undersigned, do hereby 
constitute and appoint RAZ STEINMETZ, ALLA KANTER, and ELI S. GOLDBERG, or any 
one and or more of them, my true and lawful attorney or attorneys for me, and 
in my name, place and stead, as a director and/or officer of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments thereto, granting unto said 
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform 
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about 
the above premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or 
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all said attorneys-in-fact 
or either of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         February 15, 1999                          /s/ Michael Arnon
----------------------------------        --------------------------------------
               Date                                     Signature

<PAGE>   2
                                                                      Exhibit 24


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY


      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, the undersigned, do hereby 
constitute and appoint RAZ STEINMETZ, ALLA KANTER, and ELI S. GOLDBERG or any 
one and or more of them, my true and lawful attorney or attorneys for me, and 
in my name, place and stead, as a director and/or officer of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments thereto, granting unto said 
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform 
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about 
the above premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or 
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all said attorneys-in-fact 
or either of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


March 25, 1999                            /s/ Benzion Benbassat
---------------                         -------------------------
    Date                                         Signature


<PAGE>   3
                                                                      EXHIBIT 24


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

          KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, the undersigned, do hereby
constitute and appoint RAZ STEINMETZ, ALLA KANTER, and ELI S. GOLDBERG, or any
one and or more of them, my true and lawful attorney or attorneys for me, and in
my name, place and stead, as a director and/or officer of AMPAL-AMERICAN ISRAEL
CORPORATION to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of AMPAL-AMERICAN ISRAEL
CORPORATION to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments thereto, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
above premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all said attorneys-in-fact or
either of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


  February 7, 1999                           /s/ Yaacov Elinav
---------------------                       ------------------
      Date                                       Signature
<PAGE>   4
                                                                      Exhibit 24


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, the undersigned, do hereby
constitute and appoint RAZ STEINMETZ, ALLA KANTER, and ELI S. GOLDBERG, or any
one and or more of them, my true and lawful attorney or attorneys for me, and in
my name, place and stead, as a director and/or officer of AMPAL-AMERICAN ISRAEL
CORPORATION to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of AMPAL-AMERICAN ISRAEL
CORPORATION to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments thereto, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
above premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all said attorneys-in-fact or
either of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



      February 5, 1999                  /s/ Kenneth L. Henderson
-----------------------------               --------------------------
            Date                                    Signature



<PAGE>   5

                                                                      Exhibit 24

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, the undersigned, do hereby 
constitute and appoint RAZ STEINMETZ, ALLA KANTER, and ELI S. GOLDBERG, or any 
one and or more of them, my true and lawful attorney or attorneys for me, and 
in my name, place and stead, as a director and/or officer of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments thereto, granting unto sold 
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform 
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about 
the above premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or 
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all said attorneys-in-fact 
or either of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

   February 3, 1999                   /s/ Hillel Peled
---------------------                 ------------------------
     Date                                 Signature 
<PAGE>   6
                                                                     Exhibit 24


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, the undersigned, do hereby
constitute and appoint RAZ STEINMETZ, ALLA KANTER, and ELI S. GOLDBERG, or any
one and or more of them, my true and lawful attorney or attorneys for me, and
in my name, place and stead, as a director and/or officer of AMPAL-AMERICAN
ISRAEL CORPORATION to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of AMPAL-AMERICAN
ISRAEL CORPORATION to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments thereto, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
above premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could
do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all said attorneys-in-fact or
either of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


     February 7, 1999                   /s/ Shimon Ravid
---------------------------             -----------------------------
          Date                                     Signature

<PAGE>   7
                                                                      Exhibit 24

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
                               -----------------


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, the undersigned, do hereby 
constitute and appoint RAZ STEINMETZ, ALLA KANTER, and ELI S. GOLDBERG, or any 
one and or more of them, my true and lawful attorney or attorneys for me, and 
in my name, place and stead, as a director and/or officer of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments thereto, granting unto said 
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform 
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about 
the above premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or 
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all said attorneys-in-fact 
or either of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

  February 26, 1999                 /s/ Raz Steinmetz
---------------------            ----------------------
        Date                           Signature
<PAGE>   8
                                                                      Exhibit 24

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
    
      KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, the undersigned, do hereby 
constitute and appoint RAZ STEINMETZ, ALLA KANTER, and ELI S. GOLDBERG, or any 
one and or more of them, my true and lawful attorney or attorneys for me, and 
in my name, place and stead, as a director and/or officer of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to sign the Annual Report on Form 10-K of AMPAL-AMERICAN 
ISRAEL CORPORATION to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments thereto, granting unto said 
attorneys-in-fact, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform 
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about 
the above premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or 
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all said attorneys-in-fact 
or either of them may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.



         February 26, 1999                        /s/ Daniel Steinmetz
       --------------------                       ---------------------
             Date                                        Signature