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Francesa Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, speaks at a conference, \u201cA Cartography of Genocide\u201d Israel\u2019s Conduct in Gaza,\u201d at the Roma Tre University, in Rome, Italy, Oct. 6, 2025. Photo: REUTERS\/Remo Casilli<\/p>\n
Top diplomats from Austria, Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic have joined France in calling for the resignation of the United Nations\u2019 special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, who has an extensive history of using her role to denigrate Israel<\/a> and seemingly rationalize the terrorist group Hamas\u2019s attacks against the Jewish state.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, French Foreign Minister Jean-No\u00ebl Barrot accused Albanese of being \u201ca political activist who stirs up hate\u201d after she delivered yet another inflammatory tirade against Israel, this time at an Al Jazeera forum in Doha, prompting renewed calls for her resignation.<\/p>\n He described Albanese\u2019s \u201coutrageous and reprehensible remarks<\/a>\u201d as targeting \u201cnot the Israeli government, whose policies may be criticized, but Israel as a people and as a nation, which is absolutely unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n The top French diplomat announced that France will demand Albanese\u2019s resignation \u201cwith firmness\u201d at this month\u2019s United Nations Human Rights Council session.<\/p>\n Despite her history of antisemitic statements<\/a>, the United Nations has consistently refused to fire Albanese, citing her status as one of its \u201cindependent experts.\u201d<\/p>\n Now, officials in Austria, Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic have aligned with France in demanding Albanese\u2019s removal, warning that she continues to spread hatred under the cover of her official role.<\/p>\n Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Albanese\u2019s \u201cconduct, statements, and initiatives are not appropriate for the position she holds within an organization dedicated to peace and security.\u201d<\/p>\n Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger accused Albanese of \u201cspreading incitement\u201d in a way that \u201cundermines the impartiality and highest standards that the role of a UN representative requires.\u201d<\/p>\n German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called her \u201cuntenable in her position,\u201d noting that she \u201chas made numerous inappropriate remarks in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n Albanese sparked fresh outrage after seemingly calling Israel a \u201ccommon enemy of humanity,\u201d drawing sharp condemnation from diplomats and human rights advocates worldwide.<\/p>\n Speaking at the Al Jazeera forum in Qatar last weekend, she accused Israel of<\/a> \u201cplanning and carrying out a genocide\u201d during the country\u2019s defensive war against Hamas.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s also true that never before has the global community seen the challenges that we all face, we who do not control large amounts of financial, algorithms, and weapons,\u201d Albanese said, appearing to invoke a long-standing antisemitic conspiracy that Jews control wealth and technology.<\/p>\n She also accused Western nations of being complicit in the so-called \u201cgenocide\u201d by supplying arms and financing Israel, while claiming that Western media helps defend the Jewish state by \u201camplifying the pro-apartheid, genocidal narrative.\u201d<\/p>\n Facing mounting backlash and renewed calls for her resignation, Albanese defended herself, insisting that her comments targeted a \u201csystem\u201d that allowed a \u201cgenocide\u201d to unfold in Gaza.<\/p>\n In an interview with France 24, Albanese rejected the allegations against her as \u201ccompletely false accusations\u201d and \u201cmanipulation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have never, ever, ever said \u2018Israel is the common enemy of humanity,’\u201d she said.<\/p>\n On Thursday, St\u00e9phane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, acknowledged disagreement with Albanese\u2019s statements, emphasizing that her language does not reflect the tone or approach of the United Nations.<\/p>\n \u201cIf member states are not happy with what one or more of the special rapporteurs are saying, it is their responsibility to get involved in the work of the Human Rights Council \u2026 and push for the direction they wish to push for,\u201d Dujarric said in a statement.<\/p>\n On the contrary, UN human rights spokesperson Marta Hurtado defended Albanese, stressing concerns over personal attacks and misinformation targeting UN officials.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are very \u200cworried. We are concerned that \u200cUN \u2060officials, independent experts and \u2060judicial officials, are increasingly subjected to personal attacks, threats and misinformation that distracts from the serious human rights issues,\u201d Hurtado said in a statement.\u00a0<\/p>\n Since taking on the role of UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories in 2022, Albanese has been at the center of controversy due to what critics, including US and European lawmakers, have described as antisemitic and anti-Israel public remarks<\/a>.<\/p>\n Last year, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) faced intense pressure to block Albanese\u2019s reappointment for another three-year term, with several countries and NGOs urging UN members to oppose the move due to her controversial remarks and alleged pro-Hamas stance.<\/p>\n Despite significant pressure and opposition, her mandate was confirmed to extend until 2028<\/a>.<\/p>\n In her long history of antisemitic remarks, Albanese has referred to a \u201cJewish lobby\u201d controlling the US and Europe, compared Israel to Nazi Germany, and stated that Hamas\u2019s violence against Israelis \u2014 including rape, murder, and kidnapping \u2014 needs to be \u201cput in context.\u201d<\/p>\n