US threatens to impose economic sanctions on Jordan to force extradition of Jordanian citizen wanted by ‘Israel’

Amman (QNN)- The Trump administration is considering withholding economic aid to one of its closest allies, Jordan, in a bid to secure the extradition of a Jordanian woman wanted in ‘Israel’.

Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth mentioned on Tuesday that the USA considers delaying financial aid to Jordan until the Kingdom cooperates in the extradition request for Ahlam Tamimi.

“The United States has multiple options and several ways to secure the delivery of Ahlam Aref Ahmed Al-Tamimi,” wrote the administration’s candidate, Henry Wooster, to be the next US Ambassador to Jordan.

“We will continue to involve Jordanian officials at all levels, not only in this issue but also in a wider extradition treaty,” he added.

He pointed out that “the support of the United States to Jordan under foreign military financing, in addition to economic support and other assistance, is carefully calibrated to protect and promote the range of US interests in Jordan and in the region.”

When asked specifically whether the aid to Jordan would be part of this influence in the case of Tamimi, Wooster replied: “If I confirmed, I will explore all options to bring Ahlam Aref Ahmed Al-Tamimi to justice, ensure her extradition and handle the broader issues associated with the extradition treaty.”

The newspaper claimed that Tamimi is wanted by the FBI for being involved in a bombing in occupied Jerusalem in 2001 during the second Intifada, killing 15 illegal settlers, including an American dual citizen.

Tamimi has lived freely in Jordan since the occupation state released her in a 2011 prisoner swap with the resistance group Hamas. Jordan has rejected American efforts to extradite Tamimi.

In 2017, Jordan’s high court ruled Tamimi could not be extradited, reportedly saying the 1995 extradition treaty had not been ratified. She has also stated the US has no right to charge her because she was already tried and sentenced in ‘Israel’.

Tamimi’s family urges King Abdullah to protect their daughter

The family of Ahlam sent a letter to King Abdullah, urging him to close their daughter’s case in the United States.

“The US administration has been demanding the extradition of the former prisoner Ahlam for political, not legal, reasons”, the family wrote.

“Ahead of your travel to the United States, we urge your majesty to work on permanently closing this case”, the family addressed King Abdullah.

Ahlam Tamimi has been working as a journalist since she was released from Israeli jails. She was born in 1980 in Jordan and studied journalism in Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank.

In the second intifada, she decided to don’t the Palestinian resistance to be the first woman in the military wing of Hamas. She told the media that she decided to join the resistance because it is the only way to liberate Palestine.

Tamimi was sentenced to 16 life sentences in Israeli jails, however, she spent only 10 years of them before being released in a prisoners swap. She got married to her fiance Nizar Barghouthi, who was also a former prisoner.

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