A United States Federal Court in Rhode Island ruled yesterday that not only must Hamas pay for its role in a murderous terrorist attack in Israel, but the PLO must do so as well.
Two months ago, the court ruled that Hamas must pay $116 million to the parents and children of Yaron and Efrat Ungar, who were murdered in a Palestinian terror attack in 1996. Yesterday, the same court ruled that the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority must also each pay similar damages to the plaintiffs.
Each of the terror organizations must forward $30.5 million to each of the Ungars' children, $30 million to Yaron Ungar's parents, who live in Israel, and another $7.5 million to each of Yaron's three siblings.
Yaron, an American citizen, and his wife Efrat were murdered in a drive-by shooting in June 1996, near the city of Beit Shemesh. The couple's two sons, who were 1 and 2 years old at the time, have grown up with Efrat's grandparents, Rabbi Uri and Yehudit Dasberg.
The Ungars' U.S. attorney, David Strachman, downplayed yesterday's decision, saying that several legal issues must still be resolved before the case is closed - including a confirmation of the ruling by a US District Court. "We've got a long way to go before we have a judgment," said Strachman, who was designated by an Israeli court to manage the Ungars' estate.
The lawsuit was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1990 that allows overseas terrorism victims who are U.S. citizens - such as Yaron Ungar - to seek monetary damages in US courts.
Hamas never contested the lawsuit, had no legal representation, and has given no sign that it plans to honor the ruling. The PLO and the Palestinian Authority, on the other hand, were represented by former US Attorney-General Ramsey Clark.
Responding to the Hamas ruling, Efrat's brother Ze'ev Dasberg said, "We're happy that at least an American court knows who the guilty parties are, and we hope that this will, in some way, stop further attacks." Yehudit Dasberg, the grandmother-turned-mother who is raising the two orphans, explained to Arutz-7,
"The United States allows for punitive damages, but here in Israel, one can sue only for the direct harm that was caused - and whatever small sum we would win would be subtracted from our National Insurance payments and that would be the end of it. This means that the Israeli government does not punish the PA for its responsibility for terrorism, but rather relates to the PA as a retarded child - granting it only privileges, but demanding no obligations and no responsibility for its actions. The Americans have found the way to punish them - money; our government has not yet understood this, so we'll 'help' them understand this message."
Two months ago, the court ruled that Hamas must pay $116 million to the parents and children of Yaron and Efrat Ungar, who were murdered in a Palestinian terror attack in 1996. Yesterday, the same court ruled that the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority must also each pay similar damages to the plaintiffs.
Each of the terror organizations must forward $30.5 million to each of the Ungars' children, $30 million to Yaron Ungar's parents, who live in Israel, and another $7.5 million to each of Yaron's three siblings.
Yaron, an American citizen, and his wife Efrat were murdered in a drive-by shooting in June 1996, near the city of Beit Shemesh. The couple's two sons, who were 1 and 2 years old at the time, have grown up with Efrat's grandparents, Rabbi Uri and Yehudit Dasberg.
The Ungars' U.S. attorney, David Strachman, downplayed yesterday's decision, saying that several legal issues must still be resolved before the case is closed - including a confirmation of the ruling by a US District Court. "We've got a long way to go before we have a judgment," said Strachman, who was designated by an Israeli court to manage the Ungars' estate.
The lawsuit was filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1990 that allows overseas terrorism victims who are U.S. citizens - such as Yaron Ungar - to seek monetary damages in US courts.
Hamas never contested the lawsuit, had no legal representation, and has given no sign that it plans to honor the ruling. The PLO and the Palestinian Authority, on the other hand, were represented by former US Attorney-General Ramsey Clark.
Responding to the Hamas ruling, Efrat's brother Ze'ev Dasberg said, "We're happy that at least an American court knows who the guilty parties are, and we hope that this will, in some way, stop further attacks." Yehudit Dasberg, the grandmother-turned-mother who is raising the two orphans, explained to Arutz-7,
"The United States allows for punitive damages, but here in Israel, one can sue only for the direct harm that was caused - and whatever small sum we would win would be subtracted from our National Insurance payments and that would be the end of it. This means that the Israeli government does not punish the PA for its responsibility for terrorism, but rather relates to the PA as a retarded child - granting it only privileges, but demanding no obligations and no responsibility for its actions. The Americans have found the way to punish them - money; our government has not yet understood this, so we'll 'help' them understand this message."