The Jerusalem District Court has ruled that the Palestinian Authority (PA) must pay millions of shekels in compensation to the victims of the 2001 Sbarro suicide bombing in Jerusalem, N12 reported on Tuesday.
The decision follows a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that held the PA accountable for acts of terror due to its financial support for convicted terrorists and their families. The ruling comes in response to lawsuits filed by victims and their families over the last two decades.
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On August 9, 2001, a suicide bombing at the Sbarro pizzeria killed 15 civilians, including four children, and injured 130 others. Palestinian terrorist Ahlam Ahmad al-Tamimi orchestrated the attack, leading the bomber to the crowded restaurant during lunchtime. She was sentenced to 16 life terms but was released in a 2011 prisoner swap for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
The court’s ruling could set a precedent for similar cases, including potential claims from victims of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel. Legal experts suggest compensation requests could reach up to 10 million shekels for each person murdered.
This is part of Israel’s strategy to hold the PA financially accountable for terror activities. Critics of the PA argue that its policy of paying stipends to imprisoned terrorists and their families incentivizes attacks. The PA has consistently rejected such claims, arguing the payments are a form of social support.
The PA has not commented on the ruling.