Jerusalem Court Rules PA Must Pay 50 Million NIS to Injured IDF Soldiers
The Jerusalem District Court ruled that the Palestinian Authority must pay 50 million NIS to soldiers and a police officer injured in terror attacks, setting a precedent that the 2024 terror victims compensation law applies to security forces.
In a landmark ruling issued recently by the Jerusalem District Court, the Palestinian Authority has been ordered to compensate soldiers and a police officer injured in terror attacks, and not just civilians, under the Law for Compensation of Terror Victims (Punitive Damages). In three parallel judgments handed down by Judge Ilan Sela, the Palestinian Authority's claim that the law does not apply to members of the security forces was rejected. It was ordered to pay a total of approximately 50 million NIS in compensation to several terror victims represented by attorneys Anat Ginzburg and Gilad Ginzburg.
Rulings on Security Forces
In the first ruling, the court accepted the lawsuit of a combat soldier who was severely injured in a car-ramming attack several years ago. The terrorist accelerated his vehicle and struck the soldier while he was marching with his troops on a patrol ahead of a swearing-in ceremony at the Western Wall. The soldier sustained severe injuries, was left with permanent disabilities, and was recognized as an IDF disabled veteran. In the second ruling, a female police officer who was attacked in a stabbing attack several years ago was awarded compensation. The terrorist attempted to stab her, and she fought him off and subdued him to the ground. As a result of the incident, she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and permanent disabilities, leading to her retirement from the Israel Police. The third ruling involved a brutal attack several years ago in which a terrorist opened fire, severely injuring a pregnant woman and her husband, who was a soldier. The baby was delivered from the mother's womb but succumbed to its wounds, and the couple was left with severe permanent disabilities.
Court Interpretation of the Law
In all three cases, the arguments presented by attorneys Ginzburg were accepted, establishing that the Law for Compensation of Terror Victims (Punitive Damages), enacted in 2024, applies to both civilian terror victims and security forces, including soldiers and police officers. The court stated:
«The wording of the law is simple and clear, and contains no trace of applying solely to civilians and not to soldiers or police officers. The law speaks of an "individual" injured by a terrorist act or whose death was caused by a terrorist act, a definition that includes civilians, soldiers, and police officers.»
The court further noted that even if the legislature initially had other intentions, the wording of the law is binding. There is no justification for diminishing the rights of a soldier injured in a terror attack, especially when not injured during active military combat operations, nor should such status impair eligibility to sue under the punitive damages law.
Response from Legal Representatives
Attorneys Anat Ginzburg and Gilad Ginzburg, who represented the victims in all three cases, issued a joint statement:
«We are pleased with the groundbreaking ruling that extends the punitive damages law to the security forces as well. The compensation law allows all terror victims—whether civilians, soldiers, police officers, or members of the security forces and families of the fallen—to file compensation lawsuits against the Palestinian Authority, which finances terrorists and their families. The economic war on terror is of utmost importance.»
They added that for terror victims, judgments against the Palestinian Authority represent historical justice and enable vital rehabilitation and compensation, pledging to continue fighting for them in the judicial forums.
