NY Court Orders PA Pay Intifada Damages
The ruling restores a 2015 jury decision in the case of Sokolow v. the Palestinian Authority, which found the PA and PLO liable for involvement in a series of attacks carried out between 2001 and 2004. The original damages award of $218.5 million was tripled under the US Anti-Terrorism Act, bringing the total to $655.5 million.
A US federal appeals court has reinstated a $655.5 million judgment against the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), reviving a long-running legal battle brought by American victims of terrorism during the Second Intifada.
The ruling restores a 2015 jury decision in the case of Sokolow v. the Palestinian Authority, which found the PA and PLO liable for involvement in a series of attacks carried out between 2001 and 2004. The original damages award of $218.5 million was tripled under the US Anti-Terrorism Act, bringing the total to $655.5 million.
The case had previously been dismissed in 2016 by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that US courts lacked jurisdiction over the PA and PLO. That decision was later left standing by the US Supreme Court in 2018. However, a separate Supreme Court ruling in 2025 established that American courts can hear certain terrorism-related claims against foreign entities, paving the way for the Sokolow case to be reinstated.
The lawsuit was filed by families of victims killed or injured in multiple attacks, including bombings in Jerusalem. Plaintiffs argued that the PA and PLO provided financial support and resources that contributed to the attacks, including through policies that reward individuals involved in acts of terrorism.
Legal advocates behind the case described the ruling as a significant precedent. Attorneys involved said it could expand the ability of American victims to pursue compensation in US courts for attacks carried out abroad.
Despite the ruling, enforcement remains uncertain. US courts do not have a direct mechanism to compel the PA or PLO to pay damages. Lawyers representing the plaintiffs are expected to seek enforcement through Israeli courts, where existing legal frameworks may allow for action against funds transferred to the Palestinian Authority.
The decision is likely to have broader implications for similar cases, as it clarifies jurisdictional questions that have long limited legal recourse for victims of international terrorism.