ZOA Praises Board Member David Schoen
ZOA Praises Board Member David Schoen’s Vital Work in Winning Case Against PLO/PA
Proof PLO/PA Funds, Promotes Murder of Jews
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) congratulates its national board member, attorney David Schoen, for Mr. Schoen’s vital pre-trial role in Sokolow v. PLO, a case brought in U.S. federal court in New York by innocent Americans civilians who were maimed and murdered in attacks sponsored by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Mr. Schoen successfully argued key pre-trial motions, and obtained critical documents and deposition testimony from convicted terrorists confirming the PA/PLO’s complicity – including evidence of PA/PLO payments to terrorists, and evidence that U.S. designated terrorist groups make PLO/PA decisions and policy while sitting on the PLO/PA Executive Committee.
The injured and murdered American plaintiffs in the Sokolow case were the victims of PA/PLO-sponsored terrorist bombings on Israeli buses and on a pedestrian-filled Jerusalem street, and machine gun attacks carried out by PA police officers on cars in Israel filled with innocent Jewish civilians.
Last week, a Manhattan jury held that the American victims of these heinous PA/PLO-sponsored terror attacks were entitled to $ 218.5 million in damages, which was trebled to $655.5 million under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act, 18 U.S. Code § 2333.
Last week, a Manhattan jury held that the American victims of these heinous PA/PLO-sponsored terror attacks were entitled to $ 218.5 million in damages, which was trebled to $655.5 million under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act, 18 U.S. Code § 2333.
Mr. Schoen’s involvement as lead counsel during parts of the pre-trial phase of the Sokolow case was impressive, especially considering the victories he achieved and what he was up against.
Mr. Schoen also served as lead counsel in another case against the PA/PLO, and is currently counsel in a related case against Syria on behalf of American victims of terrorism in Washington DC federal district court. These cases, entitled Shatsky, Thaler et al. v. PLO, PA and Shatsky, Thaler et al. v. The Republic of Syria, concern a PA/PLO-sponsored terrorist bombing of a pizzeria in Karnei Shomron, which murdered two American teenage girls and wounded other Americans. The bomber was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), who was trained, financed and equipped by a PA security forces officer who had been released from an Israeli prison, and who, as the PA knew, was the leader of the PFLP’s Qalqiya office while serving as a PA security officer. The PA had hired this former prisoner as a PA security office because of his terrorist “credentials” and because he had killed another man in prison. PA officials admitted during depositions that Mr. Schoen took that the PA preferred to hire former prisoners and make them PA “security” officers! The PFLP also sits on the PLO Executive Committee – which makes the decisions for the PLO and PA. Syria was also culpable, because Syria hosts and gives material support to the PFLP.
These cases are a real “David and Goliath” struggle. Mr. Schoen had to work ’round the clock against powerful and apparently very-well-funded PLO/PA teams of attorneys.