The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reinstated a staggering $656 million judgment against the Palestinian authorities, following a landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that allows lawsuits from Americans who have been killed or wounded in attacks in Israel.
This decision comes a decade after the court initially dismissed a verdict against the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority, asserting that U.S. courts lacked jurisdiction over foreign entities in relation to overseas attacks. However, recent rulings, including a Supreme Court decision from last June, clarified that such cases could proceed, particularly under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
‘We conclude that the original judgment for the plaintiffs should be reinstated,’ stated the judges in their decision, dated March 30. This has provided a sense of relief for the families involved, as explained by their attorney Kent Yalowitz, who noted that the families have been waiting for justice for an extended period without the necessity of a new trial.
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, another attorney for the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the judgment after 22 years of complex legal battles, emphasizing the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act which were enacted to provide a platform for such cases in U.S. courts. The plaintiffs claim that agents of the Palestinian territories were either involved in or incited the attacks for which they seek justice.
In response, Palestinian officials have consistently maintained that such cases should not be litigated in American courts, highlighting ongoing tensions around accountability for international terror acts.
As the legal proceedings develop, the defendants have been approached for comment regarding this reinstatement of the judgment.
This decision comes a decade after the court initially dismissed a verdict against the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority, asserting that U.S. courts lacked jurisdiction over foreign entities in relation to overseas attacks. However, recent rulings, including a Supreme Court decision from last June, clarified that such cases could proceed, particularly under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
‘We conclude that the original judgment for the plaintiffs should be reinstated,’ stated the judges in their decision, dated March 30. This has provided a sense of relief for the families involved, as explained by their attorney Kent Yalowitz, who noted that the families have been waiting for justice for an extended period without the necessity of a new trial.
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, another attorney for the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the judgment after 22 years of complex legal battles, emphasizing the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act which were enacted to provide a platform for such cases in U.S. courts. The plaintiffs claim that agents of the Palestinian territories were either involved in or incited the attacks for which they seek justice.
In response, Palestinian officials have consistently maintained that such cases should not be litigated in American courts, highlighting ongoing tensions around accountability for international terror acts.
As the legal proceedings develop, the defendants have been approached for comment regarding this reinstatement of the judgment.
