World Bulletin / News Desk

The Palestinian government said on Monday it will appeal a U.S. court verdict to fine both the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) $218.5 million for Jewish victims, who fell in Palestinian attacks.

On Monday, a federal jury found the PA and the PLO guilty of supporting six attacks in Israel over a decade ago. The jury ordered the two Palestinian entities to pay $218.5 million to the families of the victims.

The ruling was instigated by a lawsuit filed in 2004 under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act, which allows U.S. victims of international terrorism to seek remedy in federal court.

The Palestinian government said, however, that the federal jury had overlooked legal precedents showing that U.S. court had no jurisdiction over such cases.

"Nevertheless, concerned offices within the PLO will appeal the decision," the government said.

It expressed confidence that justice would be achieved for the Palestinian people at the end of the day.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, meanwhile, hailed the U.S. court decision as a "moral victory for the state of Israel and victims of terrorism."

The U.S. jury's decision comes at a time the Palestinian government suffers an acute financial crisis after Israel withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in tax money Israel collects on the PA behalf.