Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), representing over 2,500 traditional, Orthodox rabbis in American public policy, joined in an amicus curiae brief filed earlier today in the cases Fuld v. PLO and U.S. v. PLO in the Supreme Court of the United States. These cases pertain to the attempt of Miriam Fuld, widow of Ari Fuld, and other victims of PLO-sponsored terrorism to sue in American federal court. The Supreme Court agreed to hear these combined cases later this year.
Mark Pinkert, Jason Torchinsky, Erielle Davidson, and Jared Bauman from the law firm of Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky & Josefiak took the lead on the amicus brief, which was filed on behalf of a coalition of seventeen Jewish, Pro-Israel, and civil rights organizations, including CJV.
The amicus brief traces the history of the PLO and PA’s payment system for rewarding and encouraging terrorism through compensation—generally referred to as “Pay for Slay.” The brief examines the official laws and institutions that make up the PLO and PA’s terror incentive program, how that program grew over time, and how these organizations create a cycle of violence by offering terrorists “martyrdom” and benefits to their families. The brief also pays tribute to the many victims of the PLO and PA’s terrorism—including several Americans, both Jewish and non-Jewish.
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In response to Pay for Slay and to bring justice to American victims, Congress passed a series of laws trying to subject the PLO and PA to civil liability in U.S. courts, most recently passing the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act of 2019 (“PSJVTA”). The brief supports the Petitioners, who are American victims of Pay for Slay but who had their lawsuits dismissed when a lower court held that the PSJVTA is unconstitutional. This amicus brief argues that the PSUVTA is constitutional because it is a fair and reasonable statute; the PLO and PA should reasonably expect to be subject to U.S. jurisdiction because of their activities in the United States.
CJV is proud to have joined in this important brief.
Photo credit: Supreme Court by Claire Anderson, with Unsplash license.