Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 3
Sotomayor Refuses to Halt $656 Million PLO Judgment as Appeal of Reinstated Verdict Proceeds
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 3

Sotomayor Refuses to Halt $656 Million PLO Judgment as Appeal of Reinstated Verdict Proceeds

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 3

Summary

  • $656 million in damages remains enforceable after Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied the PLO and Palestinian Authority's request to pause payment while they challenge the revived verdict.
  • The Palestinian authorities told the court immediate payment could destabilize West Bank government services, but Sotomayor let the judgment stand.
  • The case stems from Jerusalem attacks in the early 2000s that killed 33 people and wounded hundreds; American victims and families sued under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
  • The Supreme Court sided with the families in 2025, and the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the verdict in March after years of lower-court rulings favoring the Palestinian authorities.

Insights

How did a retroactive legal loophole resurrect a massive terrorism lawsuit that was thrown out years ago?
Could a revived $656 million U.S. court judgment trigger the financial collapse of the Palestinian Authority?