Two U.S. Envoys call for Sbarro bombing terrorist Tamimi to face justice

Two U.S. Ambassadors marked the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sbarro pizzeria bombing in Jerusalem by calling attention to efforts to bring Ahlam Tamimi to justice.

Tamimi was convicted by Israeli courts for her involvement in the attack, which killed 16 people, including three Americans. She has lived in Jordan since her release from Israeli custody in 2011 as part of a prisoner exchange that freed 1,027 Palestinian detainees in exchange for Gilad Shalit, who had been held hostage by Hamas for more than five years.

U.S. Advocates have pressed Jordan to extradite Tamimi to face a pending Department of Justice indictment, citing a 1995 extradition treaty signed by King Hussein. Jordan has resisted, asserting the treaty was never properly ratified by parliament and remains invalid.

State Department antisemitism envoy Yehuda Kaploun posted on X that "Today, we mark 25 years since the Hamas terrorist attack at the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem. We remember the 16 victims murdered - including Americans Judith Greenbaum, Chana Nachenberg, and Malki Roth - and the more than 120 others injured. The United States will never forget and remains committed to bringing the perpetrators, including Ahlam al-Tamini, to justice." The U.S. Embassy in Jordan shared his post.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also posted on Sunday, sharing a Department of Justice page offering up to $5 million for information leading to her capture. He stated: "Twenty-five years ago today, a Hamas suicide bomber murdered 16 people and injured more than 120 at the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem. Among the victims were Americans Judith Greenbaum, Chana Nachenberg, and 15-year-old Malka Roth. May their memories be a blessing. We stand with @Israel against terrorism in all its forms and remain committed to bringing every last fugitive of this heinous act to justice."

Neither ambassador explicitly called on Jordan to extradite Tamimi. Jewish organizations and Roth's father renewed extradition calls last week. During a 2023 confirmation hearing, Yael Lempert, Biden's nominee to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Jordan, pledged to "do everything in my power" To secure her extradition. Reports in early 2025 suggested Jordan might expel Tamimi, but no extradition progress has been reported.