Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, is set to speak at an important international conference this week in Bogotá, Colombia. The conference is intended to help develop a concerted political, economic and legal initiative to oppose Israel’s continuing occupation of Palestinian lands. The two-day gathering brings together representatives from 30 nations, including prominent figures from China, Spain, and Qatar, to discuss urgent actions needed to protect and promote the rights of the Palestinian people.
The People’s Conference committed itself to formulating a concrete strategy for delegitimizing Israel by spelling out and advocating for specific sanctions. It does underscore the need to immediately protect international law and human rights standards. Albanese’s perspective enters the discussion at an especially opportune moment for both Israelis and Palestinians. Her goal is to build a movement around justice and accountability in the region.
Albanese is preparing to contest the sanctions recently leveled against her by the U.S. State Department. These sanctions are a direct result of her fierce lobbying for the International Criminal Court to take action against the U.S. and Israel. Even with the sanctions, she is undaunted in her quest, stating that they will not stop her work.
“These attacks shall not be seen as against me personally. They are a warning to everyone who dares defend international justice and freedom. But we cannot afford to be silenced – and I know I am not alone,” – Francesca Albanese
The UN special rapporteur will highlight the importance of upholding the UN charter and universal human rights instruments as guiding principles for all nations. She hopes that as this situation develops, more countries will start tuning their policy to these basic principles.
“I trust that more states will align their policies with these fundamental principles as we move forward in this existential hour – for both the Palestinian and the Israeli people, and the integrity of the international legal order itself,” – Francesca Albanese
Albanese’s intention is for Australia to adopt the ICJ’s advisory opinion by July 2024. This opinion declares Israel’s occupation illegal, and he plans to act by September 2025. This ruling continues a trend of the ICJ’s prior decisions that have deemed Israel’s occupation in Palestinian land to be illegal.
The conference’s aims strike a chord with Albanese’s objectives of putting an end to Israel’s perceived impunity and dismantling complicity among nations. She further argues that international law is often applied in a selective manner. This continuous practice drowns out the rights of the vulnerable and provides benefits to the powerful.
“For too long, international law has been treated as optional – applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful. This double standard has eroded the very foundations of the legal order. That era must end,” – Francesca Albanese
In addition to Albanese, Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla reiterated the conference’s objectives, stating, “We meet in Bogotá with a twin imperative: to end Israel’s impunity and sever the cords of complicity.” This sentiment is emblematic of the widespread agreement among participants to prioritize addressing the crisis that continue to wreak havoc.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro was among those urging action, adding emphasis on the importance of collective pressure to counteract power politics unchecked. He remarked, “We can either stand firm in defence of the legal principles that seek to prevent war and conflict, or watch helplessly as the international system collapses under the weight of unchecked power politics.”
Albanese’s all-consuming artistic work deeply focuses on justice for the Palestinian people at a crucial moment in history. It is her advocacy at this conference that should inspire action around the globe that accords with the demands of international legal and human rights standards.