UN Expert Albanese Rejects US Sanctions Over Criticism of Israel

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, has condemned new sanctions imposed on her by the United States, calling them “obscene” and an attempt at intimidation.

The sanctions were announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio under President Donald Trump’s administration, blocking Albanese’s entry into the United States and freezing any assets under its jurisdiction. The measures come after Albanese’s reports accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza and calling for accountability over alleged human rights violations.

Albanese stated that the sanctions would not silence her work and described them as “a badge of honour” that exposes what she called the misuse of power to suppress criticism. She accused the United States of using “mafia-like intimidation tactics” to protect its allies from scrutiny under international law.

The UN official emphasized her continued commitment to monitoring and reporting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, stating that her role is to uphold international legal standards and ensure that the suffering of civilians is not ignored.

The sanctions on Albanese are part of a broader approach by the Trump administration to penalize international figures and institutions critical of Israel, reflecting its strong support for Israeli policies in the region.

With input from Al Jazeera