Sotomayor Refuses to Halt $656 Million Judgment Against PLO and PA

Justice Sonia Sotomayor refused the PLO and Palestinian Authority's application to halt a $656 million judgment while they appeal its reinstatement. The award stems from a lawsuit by Americans killed or wounded in six terrorist attacks in Israel during the early 2000s, which killed 33 people and wounded hundreds. The groups argued that immediate payment could destabilize West Bank government services and regional security. The Second Circuit reinstated the verdict in March after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2025 ruling upheld Congress's jurisdictional path for terror victims' claims.