The United States Supreme Court has made a significant decision regarding lawsuits against the Palestinian authorities.
The nation’s highest court has unanimously ruled that American victims of attacks in Israel and the occupied West Bank may proceed with lawsuits against the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization in U.S. courts. This decision overturns lower court rulings that had previously dismissed such cases on jurisdictional grounds.
The case centers on a 2019 law passed by Congress, known as the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act. This legislation stipulates that Palestinian authorities could be subject to U.S. jurisdiction if found to have made payments to relatives of individuals who killed or injured Americans.
For years, American citizens affected by attacks in the region have sought legal recourse. In one notable instance from 2015, a jury awarded $655 million in damages to U.S. victims of attacks that occurred in the early 2000s.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court, stated, “The PSJVTA reasonably ties the assertion of federal jurisdiction over the PLO and PA to conduct that involves the United States and implicates sensitive foreign policy matters within the prerogative of the political branches.”
This ruling comes at a time of evolving policies. Reports indicate that in February, the Palestinian Authority announced plans to end its system of payments to families of those killed by Israel or held in Israeli prisons, responding to longstanding requests from Washington.
The evidence suggests that this decision may have far-reaching consequences for U.S.-Palestinian relations and the broader landscape of international law. However, the full impact remains to be seen.
