A $656 Million Judgment Against Palestinian Authorities Reinstated by Appeals Court
NEW YORK (AP) — In a significant legal development, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has restored a $656 million judgment against the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority. This decision follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling supporting Americans who suffered in attacks in Israel.
The appeals court’s decision reverses its earlier stance from a decade ago, which dismissed the verdict on the basis that U.S. courts lacked jurisdiction over foreign entities for incidents occurring abroad that did not directly target the United States.
This change comes after the Supreme Court upheld a 2019 law, passed by Congress, permitting the continuation of lawsuits by victims against the Palestinian authorities. The court’s decision, dated March 30, stated, “We conclude that the original judgment for the plaintiffs should be reinstated. That conclusion is consistent with the plain import of the Supreme Court’s decision.”
Attorney Kent Yalowitz expressed relief on behalf of the affected families, stating, “Our client families are very relieved that the court has reinstated the judgment without requiring a new trial. They have been waiting for a very long time for justice to be done.”
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, another lawyer representing the plaintiffs, also expressed satisfaction with the outcome after 22 years of ongoing litigation.
The plaintiffs initiated legal action under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1992, which allows victims of international terrorism to pursue cases in U.S. courts. They claim that Palestinian agents were either directly involved in the attacks or played a role in inciting them.
On the other side, the Palestinian representatives have consistently contended that such legal proceedings should not be permissible in American courts. Attempts to obtain comments from the attorneys representing the defense were made via email on Sunday.
