The plaintiffs seek to hold the Palestinian Authority legally accountable under Israel’s Compensation for Victims of Hostile Action Act, which provides for exemplary damages and the Torts Ordinance, arguing the authority incited and endorsed the terrorists’ actions.
The lawsuit describes how terrorists surrounded the Nova festival area, indiscriminately shooting at revelers, turning a vibrant event into a slaughter zone. Thousands of young people fled but terrorists blocked main routes, systematically attacking, torturing, raping, killing and kidnapping anyone in their path.
While the Psyduck music festival was not directly targeted, some fleeing attendees were killed. In total, 399 festival-goers were murdered and 44 were abducted to Gaza.
The lawsuit accuses the Palestinian Authority of paying stipends and providing benefits to imprisoned terrorists and families of those killed or injured in attacks, directly linked to their terrorist acts. It claims compensation of NIS 10 million ($2.7 million) per deceased victim and NIS 5 million ($1.35 million) for the permanently disabled survivor.
Earlier this year, Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit rejected the Palestinian Authority’s petition to annul the Terror Victims Compensation Law, affirming that it pays significant sums to terrorists and their families in connection with their crimes and that political motives behind the law do not invalidate it.
The attorneys representing the families said in a statement, “This is one of the largest lawsuits of its kind against the Palestinian Authority, both in the number of plaintiffs and the claim’s scope, exceeding NIS 1 billion. We seek to hold the authority accountable for financing, encouraging and supporting terrorists through grants to Palestinian prisoners in Israel and their families, as well as families of other terrorists, as we will prove in court.
“This support contributed to the October 7 events, where over 1,200 Israelis were killed and 252 abducted.” The Palestinian Authority’s legal representatives did not issue a response.
