Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, talks to the media during a press conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, July 11, 2023.
Salvatore Di Nolfi/AP/Keystone
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Salvatore Di Nolfi/AP/Keystone
UNITED NATIONS — The Trump administration revealed today that it is imposing sanctions on an independent investigator responsible for examining human rights violations in the Palestinian territories, as part of its ongoing efforts to penalize critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The State Department’s decision to enforce sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, comes after unsuccessful attempts to pressure the international body to remove her from her position. This move coincides with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington for discussions with President Donald Trump regarding the Gaza conflict and other matters.
The impact of the sanctions on Albanese’s ability to travel to the U.S. with diplomatic credentials remains uncertain.
Albanese, an Italian human rights lawyer, has been outspoken about what she perceives as Israel’s “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza. Both Israel and the U.S., who offer military support to Israel, have vehemently denied these accusations.
Prior to this, the U.S. had not directly addressed concerns regarding Albanese as it had not participated in the Human Rights Council sessions this year, following its withdrawal earlier in the year.
Albanese’s Call for Action Against Israel
In recent communications, Albanese has urged countries to exert pressure on Israel, including through sanctions, to halt its lethal attacks on Gaza.
She has also endorsed the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants against Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, for alleged war crimes. In her latest report, she identified several prominent U.S. companies as aiding Israel’s occupation and aggression in Gaza.
“Albanese’s campaign of political and economic warfare against the United States and Israel will no longer be tolerated,” stated Secretary of State Marco Rubio on social media. “We will always stand by our partners in their right to self-defense.”
Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, criticized the U.S. government’s decision to sanction Albanese for seeking justice through the ICC, stating that it aims to silence a U.N. expert for fulfilling her role of shedding light on Israeli violations against Palestinians and urging governments and corporations to not be complicit.
“The United States is actively undermining the norms and institutions crucial for justice in cases of severe abuses,” Evenson remarked in a statement. “U.N. and ICC member countries should vehemently oppose the U.S. government’s blatant attempts to obstruct justice for the most heinous crimes and condemn the unwarranted sanctions on Albanese.”
Albanese’s report from July 1 highlights Western defense companies supplying weapons used by Israel’s military, as well as manufacturers of equipment involved in demolishing Palestinian homes and property.
The report also implicates companies in sectors such as shipping, real estate, technology, banking, finance, online travel, and academia.
“While Gaza faces destruction and the West Bank is under increasing attack, this report exposes the ongoing genocide by Israel, driven by profit motives,” her report stated.
A request for comment from the U.N.’s top human rights body was not immediately returned.
Israel’s Rebuttal Against Albanese’s Claims
Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva labeled Albanese’s report as “legally baseless, defamatory, and an abuse of her authority,” accusing her of overlooking Hamas atrocities.
External experts like Albanese do not represent the United Nations and lack formal authority. However, they serve as monitors for countries’ human rights records within the council.
Albanese has faced criticism from pro-Israel entities in the U.S. and the Middle East. The U.S. mission to the U.N. issued a strong statement last week, calling for her removal due to “a long-standing pattern of anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias.”
The statement refuted Albanese’s allegations of Israel engaging in genocide or apartheid as “misleading and offensive.”
Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, welcomed the U.S. government’s actions, asserting that Albanese’s “biased campaign against Israel and the United States has crossed the line from human rights advocacy to political warfare.”
Trump Administration’s Efforts to Suppress Criticism of Israel
This development marks the culmination of a six-month campaign by the Trump administration to silence dissent regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza. Earlier this year, the administration began arresting and attempting to deport faculty and students from U.S. universities involved in pro-Palestinian protests and other political activities.
