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Justice for Malki: 24 Years Later, Her Killer Still Roams Free in Jordan

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America's Forgotten Fugitive: The Roths’ Relentless Pursuit of Hamas Terrorist Ahlam Tamimi — and the Jordanian King Protecting Her.

As the world prepares to mark the 24th anniversary of one of the most brutal terrorist atrocities in Israel’s modern history — the Hamas-orchestrated bombing of the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem — the family of one of the American teenage victims is renewing its fiery campaign for justice. And this time, they’re no longer asking politely.

Arnold Roth, whose 15-year-old daughter Malki was among the 16 murdered in the 2001 massacre, has shifted from advocacy to activism, launching a direct campaign to demand that the United States finally compel Jordan to extradite the self-confessed architect of the attack: Ahlam Aref Ahmad al-Tamimi — a convicted Hamas terrorist who has lived in freedom and fame under the protection of Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

The Face of Evil, The Voice of Hatred

Ahlam Tamimi is no shadowy fugitive hiding in fear. Far from it.

Since her release in the 2011 prisoner swap for captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit — in which Israel paid a staggering price, freeing 1,027 terrorists — Tamimi has flourished in Jordan as a media personality, lecturer, and celebrity. She has openly boasted about her role in orchestrating the slaughter of civilians — including seven children and a pregnant woman — with a twisted pride that would make even the most hardened criminals recoil.

She hand-picked the target. She escorted the suicide bomber to the bustling pizza shop at lunchtime. She knew exactly what she was doing. And she’s never once expressed an ounce of regret. On the contrary, Tamimi has worn her role in the brutal slaughter as a badge of honor, praising "Allah", her God for giving her the privilege of being able to commit what she defines as a "noble act for Palestine and Islam."

Tamimi has reveled in the adulation lavished upon her in Jordan and the broader Arab world. She has hosted a television program, made countless public appearances, and continues to be treated as a national hero — all while thumbing her nose at the families of her victims, including three American citizens.

The Forgotten Victims: American Silence and Jordanian Defiance

Despite being a fugitive wanted by the United States — and despite the U.S. Department of Justice formally charging her in 2017 with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction against U.S. nationals — Tamimi remains untouchable in Amman.

Even more grotesque is the fact that Jordan is the third-largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid, receiving over $1 billion annually, along with highly favorable trade terms and visa programs.

And yet, the Jordanian government has repeatedly refused to extradite Tamimi, citing a flimsy claim that the 1995 extradition treaty with the U.S. was never ratified. This, despite countless diplomatic assurances and the undeniable flow of taxpayer dollars into Jordanian coffers.

“If the treaty isn’t valid, why are we still sending money?” one long-time Senate aide who asked to remain anonymous told the Judean Wednesday night. “Why do we allow Jordanian citizens to enjoy visa privileges that others can only dream of — while they glorify a woman who murdered American children?” The Capitol HIll staffer told The Judean that despite the shameful treatment of this issue by the Jordanians, the relationship with Jordan is complicated given the closeness to Israel. Some in Washington see propping up the monarchy in Jordan as a means to help secure Israel's eastern border - but at what expense is the question that is starting to be asked.

The Roths Take Washington — Virtually

Arnold and his wife Frimet Roth are no strangers to grief — but they’ve turned their loss into an unrelenting campaign for justice. After two decades of diplomacy, op-eds, and interviews, the couple is now pivoting to grassroots pressure.

On July 17, 2025, the Roths held a virtual meeting with Jeanine F. Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, urging her to press the Biden administration for decisive legal action. The meeting followed a May visit with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, where they personally delivered a petition bearing over 30,000 signatures calling for Tamimi’s extradition.

In that meeting, Arnold held up a heartbreaking memento: Malki’s shattered cell phone, recovered from the bombing site. Inscribed on its case were Hebrew words about the Jewish prohibition against lashon hara — speaking ill of others. “It’s one of the few physical traces we have left of Malki,” Arnold told the ambassador. “She embodied kindness and compassion — everything Tamimi tried to destroy.”

From Lawmakers to Activists: A Growing Chorus for Justice

Despite the chilling silence from some corners of the U.S. government, a handful of American Jewish leaders are beginning to speak out:

  • Mort Klein, President of the Zionist Organization of America, confirmed to i24 News that he wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding Tamimi’s extradition. “We’ve pushed members of Congress repeatedly. I’ve spoken about this case in public and written about it extensively,” Klein said — though he declined to provide copies of the letters.

  • Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) in February:

“Justice delayed isn’t always justice denied. We urge King Abdullah to send the unrepentant terrorist Ahlam Tamimi to the US to face trial for the murder of Malki Roth z”l and 16 others.”

Still, Roth believes much more can — and must — be done. “While organizations continue their excellent work, we need grassroots Americans to make noise. This campaign is now about action, not bureaucracy.”

A Scandalous Betrayal of Justice

The refusal to extradite Tamimi is more than a diplomatic impasse — it is a moral scandal. The United States has not only the legal authority, but the moral obligation to demand justice for its citizens, particularly those murdered in cold blood by a terrorist who flaunts her impunity on international airwaves.

Tamimi’s own 2017 interview with the Associated Press laid bare her twisted ideology. She defended the deliberate targeting of civilians — including children — as legitimate “resistance.”

Yet this grotesque glorification of murder has been met by Jordanian hospitality, American silence, and a disturbing sense of diplomatic paralysis.

What Comes Next?

Roth’s campaign is no longer just about one family’s grief. It is a barometer for whether American justice still means anything in a world where terrorists become TV hosts and killers become cult figures.

As the 24th anniversary of the Sbarro bombing approaches, the Roths continue their call to action — not with bitterness, but with defiance, determination, and a father’s unbreakable love for the daughter he lost, but refuses to forget.

EDITORS NOTE: A Call to Action

Join the Roths in demanding the United States hold Jordan accountable.

  • Visit and support The Malki Foundation - they do amazing work and your support will help them continue to honor Malki.

  • Contact your representatives and the peopel listed in Mr. Roth's X post (above).

  • Demand answers from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and President Donald Trump.

Justice for Malki. Justice for America. Justice long overdue.

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The Judean is a digital media platform committed to exposing the truth about Israel and confronting the global wave of anti-Zionist disinformation. Through powerful editorials, featured articles, and historical investigations, we bring clarity to Israel’s story — its ancient Jewish roots, modern democratic values, and ongoing struggle for truth in the media battlefield. At a time when propaganda threatens to rewrite history and vilify Jewish self-determination, The Judean stands as a proud voice of resistance. We exist not to appease, but to assert: Israel is the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people — and that truth is non-negotiable.
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