US appeals court upholds dismissal of suit by Abbas' son

A US appeals court has upheld a decision to throw out a USD 10 million libel suit by the son of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit agreed today that Yasser Abbas cannot make a defamation claim against Foreign Policy magazine over a story that questioned the source of his prosperity.

The 2012 article described the "conspicuous wealth" of Yasser Abbas and his brother Tarek and questioned whether they are "growing rich off their father's system."

The appeals court ruled that the story was not defamatory because it presented the issue in the form of questions without reaching any factual conclusions.
 

The lawsuit claims the story damaged the reputation of Abbas, who runs businesses throughout the Middle East.