Kayla Macke, a Shell spokeswoman in Houston, said the company wouldn't comment on the Supreme Court case.
In the Palestinian case, the central issue is a TVPA provision that authorizes suits against "an individual" engaged in torture. In throwing out the suit, a federal appeals court in Washington said that term means "only natural persons," not corporations or organizations such as the PLO and Palestinian Authority.
The court will hear arguments in both cases early next year and probably rule by June.
The Shell case is Kiobel v. Shell Petroleum, 10-1491. The Palestinian case is Mohamad v. Rajoub, 11-88.