Court Reinstates $656M Judgment for Terror Victims

0:00It's April 5th. Global news today starts now, AI powered and always on. A federal appeals court just reinstated a $656 million dollar judgment against the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization. This is for American victims killed or injured in terror attacks in Israel. The second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals made the call on March 30th, citing with families who fought for justice. But a decade ago, the same court throughout the original verdict, saying U.S. courts couldn't touch lawsuits against foreign groups for attacks abroad. Not aimed at America. But everything flipped after the Supreme Court ruled last June in favor of a 2019 law from Congress. That law cleared the path for these cases to move forward. Families of the victims sued under the 1992 Anti-Terrorism Act, claiming Palestinian agents took part in or encouraged the attacks. After more than two decades of legal battles, this win means no need for a whole new trial, bringing some real closure.

1:01Plaintous lawyers are calling it a huge relief, especially since the families have waited years for accountability. The Palestinian side has long pushed back, arguing these matters don't belong in American courts. With this judgment back in play, it sets a strong precedent for terror victims seeking redress here at home, keeping the pressure on for enforcement.