Israeli court: PA meets criteria to be classed sovereign state

[cali]

By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent, and AP

The president of the Jerusalem District Court, Judge Boaz Okon, on Sunday issued a verdict in which he said that the Palestinian Authority meets the criteria to be legally considered a state.

Rejecting a civil lawsuit filed by the Association of the Elon Moreh College against the State of Israel, the PA and other entities, Okon cited Court cited a 1995 Israeli-Palestinian agreement and subsequent Israeli legislation as giving the PA judicial authority in the areas under its control.

Okon ruled that the PA, in the wake of the disengagement, was vested with authorities that constitute a sovereign body responsible over certain parts of the West Bank and the entire Gaza Strip.

<snip>

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/708369.html

[Englander]

1. 'Israel has no jurisdiction in W. Bank'

The Jerusalem District Court ruled on Sunday that even if the Palestinian Authority does not have the status of a state, it is immune from lawsuits filed by private individuals because it has the elements of a sovereign or quasi-sovereign entity.

The ruling, if upheld by the Supreme Court, constitutes a landmark decision that would put an end to more than 120 lawsuits worth billions of shekels filed by private individuals, companies and victims of terrorism since the outbreak of the second intifada.

The ruling, which was handed down by Judge Boaz Okun, who also heads the Courts Authority, contradicts several rulings handed down by the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv district courts that said the PA could be sued by private individuals. The PA has appealed these decisions to the Supreme Court, which has not yet handed down a decision on the matter.

If the Supreme Court rejects the PA appeal, it will also automatically overturn Okun's ruling.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?c=JPArticle&cid=1143498902099&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[sabbat hunter]

2. an excellent ruling

i hope that the israel supreme court upholds this wise decision