Darshan-Leitner added that decision would be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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A Federal appeals court tossed out a $655 million civil terrorism judgment against the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Wednesday, ruling that United States courts lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. The award was automatically tripped under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The court said the federal courts lack personal jurisdiction over the defendants.
In February 2015 a USA jury found Palestinian authorities liable for six attacks in Jerusalem that killed and injured Americans, awarding victims and their families more than $218 million in damages. “This cruel decision must be corrected so that these families may receive justice”.
“This is a Palestinian victory that should not be underestimated and it is a big blow to anyone who attempts to blackmail us”, Palestinian Finance Minister Shukri Bishara said in an interview. “We have drawn a red line under it”, he said. “We are very gratified that the court fully accepted our clients’ consistent position that the PA and the PLO are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States courts in these matters”, he said in a statement. The attacks killed 33 people, including several Americans, and wounded more than 450. It also found no evidence the attacks specifically targeted American citizens.
The case was filed in 2004 against the PLO and Palestinian Authority by 11 American families that accused the groups of supporting the violence in the so-called second intifada, or uprising.
It said those purposes were insufficient to give USA courts jurisdiction over the groups for random attacks overseas.
US jurisdiction in the case was primarily asserted on the basis of a Washington diplomatic mission maintained by the PLO, which conducts foreign affairs for the Palestinian Authority, engages in normal commercial activities, and has contracts with lobbying and consulting firms in the United States.
The decision says offices maintained by the PLO and Palestinian Authority in Washington were used to promote the Palestinian cause in speeches and media appearances and to retain a lobbying firm, purposes that are insufficient to give USA courts jurisdiction over the groups for random attacks overseas.
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Arab Bank settled separate litigation under the Anti-Terrorism Act last August over its responsibility for attacks in Israel.
