Overview

• On June 20, the U.S. formally requested that U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres remove Francesca Albanese as special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories.
• U.S. officials accuse Albanese of “virulent antisemitism” and support for terrorism based on her public statements and comparisons of Israeli leadership to Adolf Hitler.
• The administration says Albanese misrepresented her qualifications by claiming to be an “international lawyer” without bar admission and used her role to send threatening letters to major corporations warning of criminal liability.
• Albanese’s latest report, “From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide,” urges companies to halt operations in Israel and pay reparations for alleged human rights violations.
• A U.N. spokesman clarified that special rapporteurs report directly to the Human Rights Council and that only that body can revoke her mandate, which remains in place.