Supreme Court Denies Palestinian Authority Request to Block $656 Million Terror Judgment

Justice Sonia Sotomayor declined Monday to suspend enforcement of a $656 million verdict rendered against the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization in a long-standing case brought by Americans injured or killed in attacks in Israel. The decision follows the Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling that sided with the plaintiffs in the contentious dispute.

Palestinian officials argued in filings that immediate payment of the judgment would jeopardize essential services throughout the West Bank and requested the justices postpone collection while they pursue an appeal of the reinstated verdict. The high court previously revived two related cases this year after years of legal disputes over jurisdictional and statutory questions.

The underlying lawsuit stems from attacks carried out in Jerusalem during the early 2000s that resulted in 33 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Plaintiffs pursued their claims under the Anti-Terrorism Act, federal legislation designed to grant U.S. courts jurisdiction over international terrorism cases involving American victims.

A New York federal court initially dismissed the verdict on appeal, but a subsequent revision to congressional law expanded access to American courts for such cases. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the verdict in March, with plaintiff attorneys calling the decision a significant step toward accountability after years of protracted litigation.