The UN’s unflinching professional on Palestinian affairs Francesca Albanese mentioned Tuesday that Washington’s sanctions following her criticism of the White Home’s stance on Gaza are a “violation” of her immunity.
The United Nations’ Particular Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories made the feedback whereas visiting Bogota, almost per week after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio introduced the sanctions, calling her work “biased and malicious.”
“It is a very critical measure. It is unprecedented. And I take it very severely,” Albanese informed an viewers within the Colombian capital.
Albanese was in Bogota to attend a world summit initiated by leftist President Gustavo Petro to seek out options to the Gaza battle.
The Italian authorized scholar and human rights professional has confronted harsh criticism for her long-standing accusations that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza.
“It is clear violation of the UN Conference on Privileges and Immunities that shield UN officers, together with impartial specialists, from phrases and actions taken within the train of their capabilities,” Albanese mentioned.
Rubio on July 9 introduced that Washington was sanctioning Albanese “for her illegitimate and shameful efforts to immediate (ICC) motion towards US and Israeli officers, firms, and executives.”
The sanctions are “a warning to anybody who dares to defend worldwide legislation and human rights, justice and freedom,” Albanese mentioned.
On Thursday, the UN urged the US to reverse the sanctions towards Albanese, together with sanctions towards judges of the Worldwide Legal Court docket, with UN chief Antonio Guterres’s spokesman calling the transfer “a harmful precedent.”
On Friday, the European Union additionally spoke out towards the sanctions dealing with Albanese, including that it “strongly helps the United Nations human rights system.”
Albanese, who assumed her mandate in 2022, launched a damning report this month denouncing firms — a lot of them American — that she mentioned “profited from the Israeli economic system of unlawful occupation, apartheid, and now genocide” within the occupied Palestinian territories.
The report provoked a livid Israeli response, whereas a few of the firms additionally raised objections.
Washington final month slapped sanctions on 4 ICC judges, partly over the court docket’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, barring them from the US.
UN particular rapporteurs like Albanese are impartial specialists who’re appointed by the UN human rights council however don’t communicate on behalf of the United Nations.
The battle in Gaza was triggered on October 7, 2023 after Hamas militants killed 1,219 individuals in Israel and took hostages, in accordance with an AFP tally primarily based on official figures.
Greater than 58,479 Palestinians have been killed in ongoing retaliation operations, in accordance with information from the Well being Ministry of the Hamas authorities, thought-about dependable by the UN.
Israel has occupied the West Financial institution since 1967 and violence has surged within the territory since October 2023.