Has JASTA pushed Saudi Arabia and Israel closer?
Riyadh has become convinced more than ever that the closer it gets to Tel Aviv, which it believes has influence in US decision-making circles, the stronger and safer it will become in the face of JASTA.
In an Oct. 3 meeting, the Saudi Cabinet said that the United States passing the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) — which allows families of the 9/11 victims to sue countries of the perpetrators of the attacks — is of great concern to the international community, as international relations are based on the principle of equality and sovereign immunity. It added that a weakened sovereign immunity would negatively affect all countries, including the United States.
On Oct. 20, US Secretary of State John Kerry said after his meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Adel al-Jubeir, in Washington, “We discussed ways to try to fix this in a way that respects and honors the needs and rights of victims of 9/11, but at the same time does not expose American troops and American partners and American individuals who may be involved in another country to the potential of a lawsuit for those activities.”
