Reports of Ahlam Tamimi’s Deportation Spark Outrage and Diplomatic Tensions

Watan-Widespread anger and frustration have erupted in Jordan and internationally following reports of a decision to deport freed Palestinian prisoner Ahlam Tamimi.

Circulating reports claim that Jordanian authorities have decided to immediately deport Tamimi under increasing U.S. pressure, particularly with Donald Trump’s return to power. According to these sources, Hamas was allegedly given an ultimatum: either facilitate Tamimi’s deportation or hand her over to Washington, based on a prior U.S. indictment accusing her of involvement in a 2001 attack in occupied Palestine that killed 15 people, including two American citizens.

Despite the widespread dissemination of these claims and the ensuing outrage, Jordanian authorities have yet to issue any official statement confirming or denying the reports. While some Jordanian politicians have dismissed the news as baseless rumors, others have condemned it as a “disgrace” that would haunt Jordan’s leadership if proven true.

Critics argue that such a move would be a betrayal of the Palestinian cause and an act of submission to foreign pressure, especially given that Jordan’s constitution guarantees its citizens the right not to be deported.

Legal and Political Context

In 2017, Jordan’s highest court upheld a ruling against Tamimi’s extradition to the United States, citing that the 1995 judicial agreement between Jordan and the U.S. was never ratified by Jordan’s parliament and thus holds no legal standing. Mustafa Nasrallah, Tamimi’s defense attorney, reiterated that she is protected under Jordanian law and that there is no legal basis to reconsider her deportation or extradition.

Ahlam Tamimi’s Background

Ahlam Tamimi was the first woman to join the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades during the Al-Aqsa Intifada. She was released in the 2011 Wafa al-Ahrar prisoner exchange deal after serving 10 years of a 16-life sentence imposed by Israel. She gained prominence for her role in the 2001 Sbarro restaurant attack, in which she facilitated the operation by helping transport the attacker, leveraging her journalistic work and fluency in English.

Following her release, Tamimi was deported directly to Jordan, where she has lived ever since. Now, with renewed discussions about her potential extradition to the United States, Jordan faces a significant test of its national sovereignty and the protection of its citizens’ rights.

The reports of her possible deportation have triggered widespread outrage among Jordanians and across the Arab world. If these claims prove true, it would mark a dangerous precedent that could undermine trust in Jordan’s legal system and sovereignty. Many view it as a move that would sacrifice a symbol of Palestinian resistance in response to external political pressure.