The decision in a landmark case in New York on Monday found the Palestinian Authority liable for terror attacks, awarding $655 million in damages to victims from 10 American families.
The lawsuit was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows those victimized by U.S.-designated terrorist organizations to file suit and pursue their civil actions even if the case happened outside of the United States.
Anti-terrorism cases aim to inflict financial harm on terrorist operations and obtain financial compensation for victims.
The case, Sokolow v. PLO, was filed seeking $1 billion in compensation for a number of deadly attacks in or near Jerusalem during the second Palestinian intifada (uprising) 10 years ago. The attacks, which ranged from bus bombings to shootings to suicide attacks in cafes, ultimately killed 33 people and wounded hundreds.
Some of the victims were American citizens, allowing them to file the suit against the Palestinian Authority, the entity responsible for administering and governing parts of the West Bank.
Financial Impact
The Palestinian Authority has long struggled financially and the payout in the verdict is about $200 million more than the amount of aid it receives from the U.S. government alone every year.
In fact, numerous foreign governments give the Palestinian Authority financial assistance. The United States alone gives $440 million a year in grants, cash, and narcotics control, according to the Congressional Research Service.
