David Schoen, former chair of the Zionist Organization of America, told Newsmax on Sunday that the fight for justice after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel is deeply personal, and legal battles are a crucial tool in holding supporters of terrorism accountable.
"I've been representing American victims of terrorism, Arab terrorism for many years now, well over a decade," Schoen told Newsmax's "Sunday Report." "I flew over to Israel to meet with the victims. I can't describe how many tears we shed together, but we filed lawsuits on behalf of these victims, and it's some measure of justice that we try to seek. But, of course, nothing can bring back these lives."
Schoen said the lawsuits are designed to send a clear warning to groups and entities that knowingly support Hamas financially.
"It's the lawsuits mainly that send a message to the groups who provide material support to these terrorists," he said, noting that one case targets the cryptocurrency platform Binance for allegedly letting Hamas move funds.
He emphasized that while victims cannot be made whole, litigation can at least expose networks enabling terrorism.
"The victims can speak out at least through these lawsuits, even though, again, they're not an efficient measure of justice," Schoen said.
He credited President Donald Trump for shifting America's posture toward Hamas and other terrorist groups.
"Thank God we've got President Trump [as the first president who has] really stood up to these terrorists and given them ultimatums," Schoen said. "We've seen one trick after another by these terrorists. We can't count on anything. But at least President Trump has sent a message that we mean business this time."
Many of the suits are filed in U.S. federal district courts under the Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows American victims of terrorism to pursue damages.
Israeli and foreign citizens can also sue in U.S. courts under the Alien Tort Statute, Schoen said.
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