The UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, is facing intense pressure from various political quarters seeking to obstruct the renewal of her mandate, which expires this week after three years in office, due to her support for the Palestinian cause.
The UN Human Rights Council is scheduled to meet on April 4 to discuss the possibility of extending its mandate for an additional three years, amid opposition from a number of countries due to its statements against the Israeli occupation and its description of its policies against the Palestinians as "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide."
The campaign against Albanese has taken on multiple dimensions. UN Watch, a pro-Israel organization known for its stance, called on the Human Rights Council not to extend her term, accusing her of "jihadist terrorism" and "promoting anti-Semitism." The organization also launched a petition calling for her removal, accompanied by a 60-page report titled "A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing."
In the same context, US Congress members, led by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, called for Albanese's term not to be renewed, accusing her of "supporting Hamas" and "biasing Israel."
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs also refused to support the renewal of her mandate, stating that some of her statements "contradict the code of professional conduct."
The campaign against Albanese extended to Germany and France, where she was banned from giving lectures at German universities following pressure from pro-Israel groups. Meanwhile, 42 French MPs called on the French government not to vote to extend her term.
Despite these pressures, Albanese continues to warn of Israeli violations against Palestinians. In her latest report, she asserted that Palestinians face a "real threat of mass ethnic cleansing," emphasizing that Israel is exploiting the war on Gaza to consolidate its control over the Palestinian territories.
In a recent interview, Albanese questioned the silence of Western leaders regarding the genocide in Gaza, arguing that they have the power to intervene to stop it but choose not to. She also called on the international community to take effective steps to protect Palestinians and end the Israeli occupation, in accordance with the rulings of the International Court of Justice.
With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, leaving more than 164,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 11,000 missing.