Arnold & Porter Secures Appellate Victory in Second Circuit, Reinstating USD $655.5 Million Judgment for Victims of Terrorist Attacks

Arnold & Porter recently secured an appellate victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, resulting in the reinstatement of a USD $655.5 million judgment on behalf of American citizens and their families who were killed or injured in terrorist attacks in Israel carried out by agents of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA). The ruling marked the culmination of a more than 20-year legal battle and reinforces the principle that U.S. courts will hold accountable those who provide material support for acts of international terrorism against American citizens.

On March 30, 2026, the Second Circuit granted plaintiffs’ motion to recall its prior mandate and affirmed the district court’s original judgment against the PLO and the PA in Waldman v. Palestine Liberation Organization. The decision follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2025 ruling in Fuld v. PLO, which held that the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act (PSJVTA) does not violate the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause.

In its decision, the Second Circuit determined that all relevant considerations — including the intervening change in governing law, judicial economy, fairness to plaintiffs who filed suit more than two decades ago, and the interest of finality — supported reinstating the original jury verdict entered after a seven-week trial.

The Arnold & Porter team was led by partners Kent A. Yalowitz and Allon Kedem.