Israeli Court Rules That American Family Is Owed $116 Million By Palestinian Authority

In 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Palestinian Authority owed the U.S. family of Yaron and Efrat Unger for the murder of Yaron and Efrat by Hamas in 1996. The family then took that decision to an Israeli court for further declaration and execution of that settlement. And the Israeli court has ruled in their favor. Here's some of the details from CNN:

An Israeli court has ruled the family of an American couple killed in a terror attack can collect $116 million in damages from the Palestinian Authority.
The ruling could set a precedent for a number of suits that have been filed against the Palestinian Authority in American courts.
The court in Jerusalem ruled the Israeli government can legally implement a 2004 U.S. court ruling that found the Palestinian Authority liable. However, the ruling does not explain how the plaintiffs would collect the money.

Family members sued the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization in an American court because both victims were American citizens. In its petition, the family argued that the Palestinian Authority bore ultimate responsibility for the attack because the Hamas attackers were controlled and assisted by elements within the Palestinian Authority.

Now, of course, the question is how the family is going to get their money. I'm sure the Palestinian Authority will claim that they are not bound by either an American court or an Israeli court - I'm not sure if they even have a legal system in Palestine (smirk).

So, I have a suggestion. When the next payment of $350 million of U.S. aid is scheduled to be delivered to the palestinians, we simply allow the families of these murdered citizens to take that money instead. There! Simple, huh?

It appears that there will be more and more of these lawsuits being filed and decided over the coming years - and it just might be one of the most effective ways to thwart the flow of any U.S. funds into the terror state of Palestine...at least that is my view.

I'm sure the family of Yaron and Efrat Unger didn't sue just for the money. I would guess they had hoped to win this case so that indeed, the palestinians would have less money to buy rockets and bombs to kill more innocents in Gaza and the West Bank and inside of Israel.

Court: Palestinian Authority must pay U.S. family $116 million

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- An Israeli court has ruled the family of an American couple killed in a terror attack can collect $116 million in damages from the Palestinian Authority.
The ruling could set a precedent for a number of suits that have been filed against the Palestinian Authority in American courts.
The court in Jerusalem ruled the Israeli government can legally implement a 2004 U.S. court ruling that found the Palestinian Authority liable. However, the ruling does not explain how the plaintiffs would collect the money.
The Palestinian Authority's pleading in the case was not made public, but an attorney for the plaintiffs summarized it for CNN. The attorney said the Palestinian Authority asked the court to throw out the case because an unfavorable judgment would make the organization liable for such large sums from this and other cases that it would go bankrupt.

Monday's ruling is the latest turn in a long legal case brought by the relatives of Yaron and Efrat Unger, who were killed in 1996 when Hamas gunmen attacked their car in Israel.
Family members sued the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization in an American court because both victims were American citizens. In its petition, the family argued that the Palestinian Authority bore ultimate responsibility for the attack because the Hamas attackers were controlled and assisted by elements within the Palestinian Authority.
The case ultimately went to the U.S. Supreme Court, where in 2004 the justices ordered the Palestinian Authority and the PLO to pay the family.
After the judgment, the family petitioned the Israeli government to enforce the American ruling.
In his ruling, Israel District Court Judge Aharon Farkash hinted at the Palestinian Authority's arguments that a ruling favorable to the plaintiffs would bankrupt the organization.
"How can one accept the claim that a legal ruling should not be enforced because it might hurt the perpetrator financially?" he wrote. "Should we not punish convicted persons for no other reason than that it might cause their bankruptcy?"
The family's attorney acknowledged many hurdles remain before a judgment can be collected.
"The decision is important because it means that the U.S. judgment can be enforced in Israel," said Mordechay Heller, an attorney for the Unger family. "However, we expect the Palestinians to appeal, and there is still a long road ahead of us."