US Department of Justice Calls for Removal of Anti-Israel UN Rapporteur Francesca Albanese
The US Department of Justice has formally called on the United Nations to remove Francesca Albanese from her position as UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, according to The Algemeiner. The United States accuses Albanese of antisemitism, conflicts of interest, support for terrorist organizations, and serious violations of the neutrality expected of a UN official.
The Algemeiner reports that the State Department’s call coincided with the release of an extensive dossier by the NGO UN Watch. The dossier argues that Albanese’s reappointment in April 2025 was illegal and that her current mandate is invalid. According to UN Watch, as of May 1, 2025, Albanese no longer holds a formal UN mandate or diplomatic immunity.
Her reappointment has been controversial, as the UN was formally required to initiate an integrity review after receiving multiple complaints from member states. That step was skipped, despite written objections from countries including the United States, Germany, France, Austria, and the Czech Republic. UN Watch contends that this makes the reappointment legally void. ‘The UN has trampled its own rules by pushing through this appointment without an investigation’, Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch, said.
Support for Terror and Whitewashing Hamas
Albanese has long faced criticism for statements widely seen as supportive of Hamas and for legitimizing violence against Israel. In November 2022, she spoke at a Hamas-organized conference in Gaza, declaring, ‘You have a right to resist’. Since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks, in which over 1,200 Israeli civilians were murdered, she has repeatedly made remarks that minimize or even justify the violence. For instance, she denied that the attack was the deadliest antisemitic massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. France described her stance as ‘a disgrace to the UN’ and accused her of ‘justifying the mass slaughter of October 7’. Germany referred to her behavior as ‘a moral and diplomatic failure’.
Le massacre du 7 octobre est le plus grand massacre antisémite du 21e siècle. Le contester est une faute. Sembler le justifier, en y mêlant le nom des Nations Unies, est une honte.
Ces propos sont d’autant plus scandaleux que la lutte contre l’antisémitisme et toutes les formes… https://t.co/IGOfEP5Q0q
— France Diplomatie 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@francediplo) February 10, 2024
In November 2022, Albanese took part in a conference organized by the Council of International Relations – Palestine, an entity identified by multiple sources as affiliated with Hamas. The council is led by Hamas official Basem Naim. Other speakers included Hamas spokesman Abdul-Latif Qanu, Khader Habib of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and Maher Mezher, Deputy Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
Antisemitic Rhetoric
Albanese has also been accused of promoting antisemitic stereotypes. In a Facebook post promoting a fundraiser for UNRWA, she claimed that ‘America is subjugated by the Jewish lobby’. This drew condemnation from the US Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism. She has also repeatedly compared Israel to Nazi Germany. In July 2024, she endorsed a comparison between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler.
History is always watching. pic.twitter.com/QwxdZpQrLM
— Craig Mokhiber (@CraigMokhiber) July 24, 2024
In August and October 2024, she described Gaza as ‘the largest concentration camp of the 21st century’ and accused Israel of pursuing policies ‘comparable to the race laws of the Third Reich’. In October, she again equated Israel with the Third Reich and its ‘pure race’ ideology. According to UN Watch, such remarks are not legitimate political criticism but rather a systematic effort to delegitimize the Jewish state and normalize antisemitic imagery.
Financial Conflict of Interest
In a report titled UN-Orchestrated Cover-Up of Francesca Albanese’s Financial Misconduct, UN Watch reveals that Albanese participated in fundraising for UNRWA through organizations linked to Hamas. According to the UN Code of Conduct, rapporteurs are barred from engaging in fundraising for organizations they monitor. This raises serious concerns about her impartiality and integrity as an independent expert.
The Department of Justice’s call focuses not only on Albanese’s statements but also on her conduct while in office. The letter highlights that she no longer enjoys diplomatic immunity and may be subject to civil or criminal investigation.
UN Watch asserts that as of May 1, 2025, Francesca Albanese no longer holds a legitimate UN mandate. The organization calls on states to deny her entry, impose sanctions for spreading hatred and supporting terrorism, and pursue legal accountability where possible.
UN Watch concludes that the UN has failed to uphold its own standards of neutrality and credibility. ‘As long as someone with open ties to extremist networks holds this position, the UN system is complicit in normalizing antisemitism and violence against Israel, Neuer said.
The US Department of Justice’s appeal, alongside the UN Watch dossier, reflects mounting international concern over the politicization of human rights roles within the UN. Rather than an independent observer, Francesca Albanese is seen by many as a political activist with a radical, one-sided agenda.
Watch this interview with Hillel Neuer discussing Francesca Albanese:
