PMW plays major role in historic lawsuit against PA by terror victims
Palestinian Media Watch welcomes yesterday's verdict in the lawsuit by 10 American families who are all victims or related to victims of Palestinian terror. PMW played an important role in the case, working with the lawyers of Arnold & Porter (US-based) and Shurat Hadin (Israel-based) for two years preparing the lawsuit for trial.
The families sued the Palestinian Authority for damages, saying that the PA was responsible for the terror attacks in which they were personally injured or their relatives were killed. Yesterday, the US court ruled that the PA is financially liable for $655 million in damages for involvement in those terror attacks.
PMW submitted two expert opinions to the court as well as hundreds of certified translations and PA TV videos showing PA promotion of terror from 2000 - 2004 (the period relevant for this trial).
In addition, PMW provided documentation of the PA's support for terror and acceptance of responsibility after the terror attacks. PMW showed that the PA celebrates terror attacks and rewards terrorists with high salaries and other benefits, including some of the terrorists involved in the specific terror attacks of this lawsuit.
PMW also supplied material documenting that the PA to this day continues to pay salaries to all terrorist prisoners, including terrorist prisoners involved in the terror attacks connected to the trial. The lead trial lawyer, Kent Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter, said: "The PA and PLO policies of financial inducements and rewards for terrorism that are at the center of this case unfortunately continue today, more than a decade later." [Jerusalem Post, Feb. 24, 2015]
Yalowitz also focused on the ethical side of the victory:
PMW shares these sentiments. Having monitored, documented, and reported to governments and the media on the PA's direct promotion of murder of Israelis, glorifying and rewarding of the terrorists with high salaries, PMW is gratified to have been a part of this important fight for justice.