Palestinian Authorities Seek U.S. Supreme Court Intervention to Delay $656 Million Judgment
The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority have approached the U.S. Supreme Court, requesting a temporary suspension of a substantial $656 million judgment. This development arises from a legal battle initiated by American victims of attacks in Israel, which has persisted over two decades.
The request follows a decision by a lower court to reinstate the damages, influenced by a previous Supreme Court ruling. The PLO and Palestinian Authority contend that settling the judgment immediately could “destabilize critical government services Petitioners provide in the West Bank, injure innocent citizens, and jeopardize regional security.”
The authorities are urging the justices to delay the payment as they challenge the reinstatement of the verdict.
The legal action originated from incidents in Jerusalem during the early 2000s, which resulted in the deaths of 33 individuals and injuries to hundreds more. Families affected by these attacks invoked the Anti-Terrorism Act to pursue their case in U.S. courts, aiming to hold international terror perpetrators accountable.
Initially, a federal court in New York overturned the verdict on appeal, siding with the PLO and Palestinian Authority, even as legislative amendments sought to maintain the lawsuits’ viability. However, in 2025, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the families, reviving the legal proceedings.
In March, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with reinstating the judgment. Representatives for the plaintiffs expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, emphasizing that it would facilitate “justice to be done.”
