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By Debra Dock Trestman
At a recent evening gathering in Rancho Bernardo, the Howard and Lori Kaye Memorial Lecture Series welcomed an extraordinary speaker—Israeli attorney Or Hikry, whose life’s work sits at the powerful intersection of justice, courage, and survival. With quiet conviction, Hikry stood before a full house at Chabad of Rancho Bernardo, recounting his journey from the front lines of the Israel Defense Forces to the courtrooms where he now fights a different kind of war—one waged with legal briefs instead of bullets. This was no ordinary lecture. It was a raw, eye-opening account of how terror isn’t just fought on the battlefield—it’s also fought in court.
From Soldier to Legal Advocate
Like many young Israelis, Hikry entered military service at 18. He was assigned as a special assistant to a high-ranking general, an experience that exposed him to the high-stakes world of security and strategy. After four transformative years, he turned to law, seeking a new way to defend his people. A degree in law with an emphasis on human rights added a global perspective to his already resolute mission.
But it wasn’t until he met Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, founder of Shurat HaDin – Israel Law Center, that he found his calling. “I realized the courtroom could be just as powerful as the battlefield,” Hikry said.
The Economics of Terror: Exposing “Pay-for-Slay”
At the core of Hikry’s work is one uncomfortable truth: terrorism often pays. Literally. In his lecture, Hikry detailed the Palestinian Authority’s “Pay-for-Slay” program—a controversial policy in which Palestinians who commit acts of terror receive monthly salaries from the PA, even while imprisoned. The larger the attack’s impact, the higher the payout.
“These payments range from $500 to $3,000 a month,” Hikry explained. “That’s more than most Palestinian families earn from honest work.” And it doesn’t stop there. The families of deceased terrorists, injured attackers, and even released prisoners are all eligible for PA stipends, regardless of their terror affiliation—Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and others. The International Red Cross aids the terrorists in receiving these stipends by bringing them the necessary paperwork needed to file for these stipends.
Even more disturbing, much of the money flowing into these payments comes from international aid—funds from the U.S., EU, and other Western democracies with no idea how their money is being used. Hikry explained how this international aid and contributions to the PA while well intended perpetuate violence providing incentives to committing terrorism and causes a deepening of the cycle of hatred and violence.
Turning the Tables in Court
Shurat HaDin, the nonprofit where Hikry serves as an attorney, uses a strategy known as “lawfare”—applying legal tools to strike back at terrorists and their sponsors. And their victories are impressive.
One of the most notable was the 1997 Ben Yehuda Street bombing in Jerusalem, in which American citizen Stuart Hersh was severely injured. Shurat HaDin filed a lawsuit againstIran, Hamas’ sponsor, and won a $423.5 million judgment. The team tracked down Iranian assets in the US, including a Texas property, which was sold to help compensate the victims.
Shurat HaDin has also taken on global corporations that attempt to discriminate against Israelis. When Ben & Jerry’s announced, it would stop selling ice cream in Judea and Samaria, Hikry’s team invoked U.S. trademark law and registered “Judea and Samaria’s Ben & Jerry’s” in Israel. The legal maneuver worked—the boycott was reversed.
In another case, Airbnb faced legal backlash for delisting Jewish-owned properties in the West Bank. The law center sued under the U.S. Fair Housing Act, arguing discrimination. Airbnb settled, keeping the listings live. “These aren’t just legal cases,” said Hikry. “They’re battles for combating the global effort by Israel’s enemies to delegitimize, boycott and wage “lawfare” against the Jewish State.”
October 7 and the New War at Home
On October 7, 2023, Israel endured one of the most horrific terror attacks in its history. Hikry was immediately called into reserve duty, tasked with locating 3,000 missing Israelis—many dead, kidnapped, or hospitalized.
After the attack, Gazan Civilians stole the credit cards of the victims on October 7. His unit worked tirelessly to notify credit card companies about the mass thefts prohibiting the perpetrators from using the credit cards.
He also coordinated the delivery of vital medications for hostages via the International Red Cross. Tragically the International Red Cross refused to deliver these medications. Outraged, Shurat HaDin has since launched legal action against the Red Cross for their role in refusing to support the hostages taken on the October 7th terror attack.
A New Generation of Defense
Terrorism has evolved and so has Hikry’s response. In recent years, Palestinian militants have launched incendiary kites and balloons into Israeli farmland, destroying crops, and irrigation systems. In addition, these incendiary devices have exploded and cause fires near school, endangering the lives of children. Legal battles are underway to secure compensation for affected families.
In 2023, a troubling trend emerged: terrorists began targeting Israeli drivers with gunfire, firebombs, and roadside ambushes. Shurat HaDin responded by launching the Operational Driving Course (ODC)—a free survival training program for Israeli civilians. Led by Hikry himself, it teaches emergency driving tactics, first aid, and live-fire simulations. “This is about giving people the tools to survive,” Hikry said. “Because terror doesn’t wait.”
A Voice of Justice in a Noisy World
Through his tireless efforts, Mr. Or Hikry has become more than just a lawyer—he’s a warrior in the courtroom, a voice for victims, and a reminder that justice can still be pursued even in the face of unimaginable violence.
His message at Chabad of Rancho Bernardo was clear: We can fight terror in the court room by stopping the funds that allow it to continue.
To learn more about Shurat HaDin or support their mission, visit www.shurat-hadin.org. To support more speakers for the Howard and Lori Kaye Memorial Lecture Series, visit www.chabadrb.org.
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