An Israeli judge says a U.S. court ruling that the Palestinian Authority must compensate the family of a U.S. citizen killed by Palestinian militants is enforceable here.

The judgement means the family's lawyers can claim around $117 million dollars from Palestinian Authority assets in Israel.

The Palestinians are expected to appeal.

Sunday's court ruling was the latest development in a long-running lawsuit filed by relatives of Yaron Ungar, who also holds Israeli citizenship, and his wife Efrat, who were killed by Hamas gunmen in June 1996.

His family filed a claim with a federal court in Rhode Island, saying the gunmen acted under orders from the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, making them responsible.