ALBAWABA - The Palestinian Authority has been ordered by an Israeli court to compensate the casualties of the 2001 bombing of the Sbarro restaurant in Jerusalem. The decision was made over 20 years after the incident, which had a profound effect on the casualties' relatives and survivors.
A 2022 decision by Israel's Supreme Court that held the Palestinian Authority financially accountable for encouraging acts of violence by giving financial support to security inmates and their families served as the basis for the Jerusalem District Court's decision. This most recent ruling comes after casualties and their families brought two cases.
Millions of shekels are anticipated to be paid in compensation, which is estimated to place a heavy financial strain on the Palestinian Authority. According to Israeli media, the decision might establish a precedent that would allow other attack casualties—including those impacted by the events of October 7—to submit comparable claims. For each person killed in such incidents, compensation might amount to much to 10 million shekels.
A busy restaurant at prime time was the target of the 2001 Sbarro incident, a suicide bombing carried out by Hamas in the center of Jerusalem. According to reports, the operation was carried out in reprisal for Israel's previous killing of top Hamas officials in Nablus.
Significant casualties were caused when the attacker, who belonged to Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades, detonated an explosive belt. After being found guilty, Ahlam Tamimi, who helped organize the attack, was freed as part of a prisoner exchange agreement.
