The United States has recently placed sanctions against Francesca Albanese. As the UN special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, her strong condemnation of Israel’s conduct in the new war has prompted this prohibitive move. The US mission to the United Nations has called for her removal, alleging a “years-long pattern of virulent anti-Semitism and unrelenting anti-Israel bias.” The shifting action occurs against the backdrop of the war between Israel and Hamas, with nearly 7,000 Palestinians dead as a result of the ongoing violence.
Francesca Albanese, Italian national, passionate human rights lawyer and advocate for Palestine. Most controversially, she has bravely gone on the record to state that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. She has long called on international actors to sanction Israel to hold it accountable. She describes its military operations as a “deadly bombardment” of Gaza. Her recent reporting has drawn the lines connecting a number of major US companies in providing support for what she terms Israel’s occupation.
Even the US Department of State has called Albanese’s accusations of genocide and apartheid “false and offensive.” This controversial decision makes her already tenuous standing in the international community even more complicated. Her comments have drawn the ire of pro-Israel officials and advocacy groups both in the US and in the Middle East. These comments stand in stark opposition to the position taken by the US administration and Israeli leaders. Each side has passionately rebutted charges of war crimes in the ongoing conflict.
Albanese’s new willingness to question Israel’s military actions has found support as the violence that started on October 7, 2023 continues to escalate. In the two weeks since the attack on Israel launched by Hamas, Gaza’s health ministry reports that more than 57,000 Palestinians have died. This shocking statistic is a sobering reminder of the importance and urgency of her demands for accountability, protesting, and fighting against these perceived injustices.
Albanese is indeed walking the walk for justice. She points to the International Criminal Court’s historical indictment of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other high-ranking officials for war crimes as an example of a key victory in this struggle. She has done important work to expose the complicity of a myriad of American corporations. In her view, they are complicit in an ongoing violation of humanity rights in the area.
“No one is safe until everyone is safe.” – Francesca Albanese
Sanctions against Albanese are part of a broader pattern. Getting Away With Murder Previous administrations, including the Trump administration, have fought to prevent criticism of Israel’s conduct in conflicts. Her experience points out an ever-growing gap. Advocates for Palestinian rights find themselves in opposition to governments that would rather protect their diplomatic relationship with Israel.