Holtzman Vogel Authors Amicus Brief in Support of Lawsuit Against UNRWA on Behalf of Former Senior Government Officials
Former Attorney General and federal judge Michael Mukasey, General Keith Alexander (ret.), former Vice President Mike Pence’s organization Advancing American Freedom, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts and numerous other former senior government officials filed an amicus brief in the Southern District of New York in support of a lawsuit calling for the UNRWA and its leadership to be held accountable for their participation in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
The amicus brief details UNRWA’s extensive financial support of Hamas including by making payments to Gaza based employees in U.S. currency, failure to deter the creation of terrorist infrastructure within and under its facilities, and hiring of employees who partook in the attack.
The brief argues that the named defendants in the suit do not enjoy immunity for several reasons, including that the named UNRWA leaders have not been granted diplomatic immunity by the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the U.N. and that many of the allegations in the complaint allege conduct that does not qualify for immunity protection.
Jason Torchinsky, partner with Holtzman Vogel Baran Torchinsky and Josefiak PLLC (“Holtzman Vogel”), drafted and filed the amicus brief. With Jason Torchinsky on the brief were Holtzman Vogel lawyers Drew Ensign, Ed Wenger, John Cycon, and Erielle Davidson.
Holtzman Vogel is counsel in a separate lawsuit against UNRWA USA on behalf of a group of October 7 victims in the District of Delaware, in Lavi v. UNRWA USA, Case No. 1:24-cv-00312 (filed March 8, 2024).
