(JNi.media) The Obama Justice Dept. on Tuesday asked a federal district court in Manhattan to reconsider the size of the judgment it issued last February against the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, because, as lawyers for the defendants had argued, neither could afford to post the appeal bond—111% of the judgment.
DOJ supported the defense, which asked the judge to waive the bond requirement altogether, the NY Times reported.
Citing the economic and political harm such an immense payment would inflict on the Palestinian Authority—and the peace process by extension—DOJ asked the judge on Monday to “carefully consider” the size of the bond he sets for the PA to enable it to appeal the sizable damages award for its proven role in six terrorist attacks in Israel that killed and injured Americans.
The PLO and PA were found liable in the attacks, and the antiterrorism law under which the case was tried demands tripling the jury’s award of $218.5 million, ending up with a total of $655.5 million.
Deputy Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken also appealed to the court, voicing the US government’s concerns about the impact of depriving the Palestinian Authority of “a significant portion of its revenues,” which would “likely severely compromise the PA’s ability to operate as a governmental authority.”
The State Department warned that the PA, facing severe financial problems, could not afford to pay the bond without damaging vital government services.
At the trial, family members of the Jewish-American victims gave graphic testimony about the attacks, which took place in streets, inside a bus, at a crowded bus stop and in a cafeteria on the Hebrew University campus.
For more on the case, read: Sokolow v. Palestine Liberation Organization on the Shurat Hadin website.