One of the recipients of the 2012 Moskowitz Prize for Zionism is Attorney Darshan-Leitner, who fights for the interests of victims of terrorism in Israel, filing lawsuits against major terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Hizbullah, while upholding the victims’ dignity.

As a jurist, she has fought many cases that have received media attention: She represented the family of an Israeli soldier who was killed by a lynch mob in Ramallah, claiming NIS 64 million from the Palestinian Authority. She represented the children wounded in a terrorist attack in Kfar Darom.

Darshan-Leitner also represented a ballet dancer who filed a harassment suit against the Egyptian ambassador to Israel, Mohamed Bassiouny. She represented Israeli citizen Samuel Sheinbein, who lives in the United States and was tried for murder. The prosecution wanted Sheinbein to be incarcerated in the United States, but Darshan-Leitner’s successful fight brought his trial to Israel.

In another case, Darshan-Leitner represented Israeli soldier Daniel Weiss, suspected of murder in Canada, who was extradited to Israel to stand trial. As well, she uses the intricacies of international law to fight the battle against terrorism; for example, Shurat Hadin led the attempts to halt an illegal flotilla to Gaza by convincing international insurance companies not to provide the ships’ coverage, thus negating their participation in the flotilla.

Brig. Gen. (Res.) Avigdor Kahalani, a member of the judging committee, said, “Nitsana Darshan-Leitner impressed the committee with her dedication, day in and day out, to preserving the honor of Israel and to pressing the legal case against those who seek to harm it and its citizens. Her tenacity and professionalism have achieved results, including some about which we in this country are still unaware. People like Nitsana serve as a beacon for society.”

The annual Moskowitz Prize was established by Dr. Irving and Cherna Moskowitz, as an expression of support for the people who implement Zionism in today's society, and who work for the betterment of society and to strengthen the Jewish national home.