Court orders PA to pay 20 million shekels to Yaniv family

In a landmark ruling, the Jerusalem District Court has mandated the seizure of 20 million shekels from the Palestinian Authority's funds, following a lawsuit filed by the Yaniv family. The family, who tragically lost their two sons, Hallel and Yagel Yaniv, in a deadly shooting attack in Huwara nearly two years ago, sought compensation for their loss under Israel’s law for victims of terrorism.

The lawsuit, filed last week, also included a request for a temporary seizure order on Palestinian Authority assets held by Israel, totaling the sum of 20 million shekels. This move aligns with the Israeli legal framework aimed at compensating victims of terrorism.

In their lawsuit, the Yaniv family highlighted the Palestinian Authority’s longstanding policy of providing financial support to terrorists, asserting that Palestinian officials openly declare these payments to be a top priority, even if it means sacrificing other financial obligations. The family's legal team underscored that the Palestinian Authority has repeatedly stated that it would continue to pay "martyrs" and prisoners, regardless of financial strain.

Judge Amit, in a previous ruling regarding similar cases, rejected the Palestinian Authority's claims that such payments were purely "social" in nature. Instead, the judge reaffirmed that these financial rewards, viewed as incentives for terrorism, are a central tenet of Palestinian Authority policy.

* Arutz 7 contributed to this article.