Notes

Israel group fights over claims [Shurat Hadin]

An activist group for legal rights based in Israel is encouraging Australian survivors to sign up for the class action scheme against insurers whose Holocaust-era antecedents have failed to pay out policies held by displaced or killed European Jews.

Shurat Hadin Israeli lawyer and human rights advocate Nitsana Darshan-Leitner who founded the Shurat HaDin Israel Law Centre, told the AJN that the centre's initiative, Project Last Chance, will seek to sue insurance companies that made use of the chaos of World War II and the Shoah to avoid paying out claims to survivors, victims and their descendants.


"My goal is to get the victims some compensation towards the time they reach the end of their life. Shurat Hadin This is money that survivors are owed, it's their cash. When you insure your assets -- your home, your life - it's your money and no one is entitled to take it from you ... It belongs to the Jewish people, it belongs to Holocaust survivors."

Darshan Leitner reported that US Senate estimates show that about $US200billion was snatched away from Jewish policyholders because of the insurance companies that operated during WWII. The companies are usually traceable and have successor companies.

Shurat HaDin is using its experience to investigate banks that hold terrorist organization assets.

"We've filed lawsuits against countries, banks, and companies that have helped or promoted terrorism. She claimed she has the knowledge and is not unwilling to challenge corporations, countries or banks from around the world.

Shurat haDin has also launched legal action in Israel to gain access to the database that contains around 140,000 Holocaust survivors and their descendants. The database is part of Israel's Project Heart. It includes around two million assets. https://www.jurist.org/news/tag/shurat-hadin/ The Israeli government, in conjunction with the Jewish Agency for Israel, welcomed applicants to the restitution program. However, the program was abruptly shut down with the registered participants left in limbo.

aviel darshan leitner Shurat HaDin tried to get in touch with the government but received no response. nitsana darshan leitner Israel's Labour and Social Services Ministry stated that Project Heart wasn't intended to be an individual claim scheme. Information about claimants' identities are not available to the public. One theory suggests that Israel underestimated European governments’ intransigence concerning lists of thousands, hundreds of claimants.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-security-israel-lawyer/fighting-israels-foes-in-u-s-courts-lawyer-had-help-from-mossad-idUSKBN1D2296 Darshan Leitner explained that Project Heart participants could be applicants for class actions in Project Last Chance if their identities were made available to Shurat haDin.

Project Last Chance was a novel approach to the Claims Conference. Israel Law Center aviel darshan leitner She stated that it has petitioned government for Holocaust Restitution instead of directly targeting companies and businesses.



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