Israel PM Netanyahu Hails US Court Verdict That Found Palestinians Guilty of Terror Attacks: Calls PA’s Effort to Join Hague Court As “Sham”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has welcomed the verdict of a New York court, which indicted the Palestinian leadership for being responsible for six deadly attacks in Jerusalem that killed many Americans. It was on Feb. 23, the court found the Ramallah-based Palestine Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organisation or PLO as responsible for six attacks that killed 33 people and wounded more than 390 others from January 2002 to January 2004.

Mr Netanyahu’s reaction is significant in the context of of Israel’s tensed relation with the U.S and some European Union states over the Palestine issue. The U.S state department and White House are unhappy with Israel for its settlement efforts in West Bank. That further made Netanyahu’s proposed U.S visit of March 3, to address U. S Congress more controversial, with the White Housing showing a cold approach. In Europe, a court had ruled in favour of Hamas and asked the EU states to take out is name, from the list of terror organisations.

Palestinian Leadership Exposed

Mr Netanyahu, in his statement, said the court verdict showed Palestinian leadership was responsible for the bloodshed. He said it has also been exposed that the move of Palestine Authority to join the International Criminal Court to sue Israel has been a sham. The PM said, "The US federal court decision determines the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority for the murderous terrorist attacks of the previous decade," he said, reports AFP.

Netanyahu alleged that the PA, instead of drawing the requisite lessons, is going ahead with steps that may endanger regional stability such as the “hypocritical application to the International Criminal Court” and its alliance with the “Hamas terrorist organisation.”

The Israeli PM called up the international community to punish those who support terrorism and join hands with those fighting it, in a clear call to support Israel's resitance to the Palestinian bid to join the Hague-based court.

Deadly Attacks

The jury of the New York court noted the attacks were carried out by militants from Hamas and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is an armed offshoot of the Fatah movement once headed by the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and later taken over by current president Mahmud Abbas. The Federal court held both the PA and the PLO liable for the attack and ordered them to pay damages to those wounded and the victims' families more than $218 million. Thanks to the U.S. anti-terrorism act, the actual damages payable will be automatically tripled and the amount to be paid will be more than $650 million, according to another AFP report.

The Palestinians reacted that the lawsuit was politically motivated and vowed to go in appeal. But, the verdict will be a setback for the Palestinians' image, at a time they are seeking to enlist international support for independence and to push for war crime charges against Israel.

In an official reaction, Palestinian Authority Deputy Minister of Information Dr. Mahmoud Khalifa called the verdict "a tragic disservice" to Palestinians and a setback to the efforts of international community in finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He described the charges as "baseless."

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