Israel has seized $5.2 million from Palestinian Authority funds following a lawsuit filed by the Yaniv family, whose sons, Hallel and Yagel Yaniv, were murdered in a terrorist shooting at the Huwara junction in February 2023. The Jerusalem District Court approved the seizure based on a lawsuit submitted last week by the family, alongside a request for a temporary freeze of PA funds held by Israel. The lawsuit was made possible under the Compensation for Terror Victims (Exemplary Damages) Law enacted in 2024.
Hallel and Yagel's family praying at the site of the attack
The lawsuit targets the PA’s policy of paying stipends to terrorists and their families. The Yaniv family’s legal team argued that “senior Palestinian officials openly declare that payments to terrorists are a supreme national value. They have even stated that if the PA had only one shekel left, it would be given to 'martyrs' and prisoners.” The legal filing also cited a previous court ruling, which rejected the PA’s defense that these payments were “social benefits,” instead labeling them as a “criminal incentive system.”
The murder of Hallel and Yagel Yaniv
Hallel Menachem Yaniv and Yagel Yaakov Yaniv, two brothers in their early 20s, were brutally murdered on February 26, 2023, in a nationalist-motivated terrorist attack near Huwara. According to the request submitted by their parents, Esther and Shalom Yaniv, through attorney Asher Stub, founder of the Justice for Terror Victims organization, the attacker was a resident of Nablus, a city under PA control. The terrorist was killed during a firefight with Israeli security forces during an attempt to apprehend him.
The lawsuit details the events of the attack, stating that the terrorist arrived at the main road in Huwara and waited for a vehicle carrying Israeli settlers. Spotting the victims’ car stuck in traffic, the terrorist approached on foot, reaching the front passenger window before firing multiple rounds at close range, killing both brothers instantly. The terrorist’s two sons allegedly assisted him in the attack and have been arrested, with legal proceedings ongoing against them. The lawsuit includes claims against these accomplices as well.
The legal filing was made under the Compensation for Terror Victims Law, which came into effect in June 2024. This new legislation entitles the heirs of individuals killed in terrorist attacks to exemplary compensation of $2.6 million per victim. The law allows such claims to be made against both the perpetrators of terrorist acts and those who fund terrorism.
Since the law’s enactment, Israeli courts have issued several temporary seizure orders targeting PA funds held by Israel. For instance, in November 2024, $44 million of PA funds were seized following lawsuits filed by families of victims of the Nova music festival massacre.
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Adv. Asher Stub, who represents the Yaniv family and heads the Justice for Terror Victims organization, said: “The Compensation for Terror Victims Law, which we initiated and was passed in the Knesset this year, will lead to billions of dollars in compensation for families of terror victims. The Yaniv family’s lawsuit achieves two key goals: providing fair compensation for the family and striking a financial blow to the infrastructure that funds and incentivizes terrorist attacks. This lawsuit is part of a series of legal actions we are pursuing, and we are committed to continuing to support terror victims in filing claims to deplete terrorism’s financial sources and ensure justice for its victims.”
Shalom Yaniv, the father of Hallel and Yagel, added: “Nothing can bring back our sons or ease the pain in our hearts. However, the seizure of PA funds is a step toward justice for our family and for the victims of terrorism. It is a just and necessary action, and every family affected by terrorism should take similar steps to send a clear message that those funding terrorism will also pay the price financially. At the same time, Israel must take a firm stance on deporting terrorists. We are grateful to the Justice for Terror Victims organization for guiding us through this legal process.”