On Wednesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault expressed his desire for the resignation of Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, after her remark labeling Israel as a “common enemy.”
Albanese, who has been criticized for her stance on Israel, participated in an online discussion hosted by Al Jazeera in Doha, Qatar, where she made her controversial statements. She accused Israel of being a “common enemy” that had facilitated “genocide” in Gaza.
“Most countries in the world armed Israel instead of stopping it, citing political excuses, political protection, and economic and financial support,” she commented.
Continuing her remarks, she mentioned, “We now realize that we, as a species, have a common enemy, given our lack of control over vast amounts of financial capital, algorithms, and weapons.”
Le Monde reported that Barrault’s call for Albanese’s dismissal came after he addressed French parliamentarians on Saturday.
“France fully condemns the outrageous and unacceptable comments made by Ms. Francesca Albanese, which were aimed not just at the Israeli government but at Israel as a people and state,” Barrault stated.
He reminded lawmakers that Albanese’s comments, made in an event that included representatives from Hamas and the Iranian regime, added to a long history of “scandalous statements” justifying the October 7 attack on Israel.
“Ms. Francesca Albanese purports to be an ‘independent expert’ for the United Nations. Yet, she is neither an expert nor independent. She acts as a political activist inciting hate speech and undermining the Palestinian cause she claims to support,” Barrault argued.
He emphasized, “The United Nations cannot allow Ms. Albanese to speak on its behalf, as she undermines its principles. The only appropriate response to her provocation is her resignation.”
Barrault confirmed that France would bring up the matter of Albanese’s resignation at the upcoming UN Human Rights Council meeting on February 23.
In response, Albanese addressed the uproar regarding her “common enemy” comment, stating through social media that she was referring to “the system” as a common enemy of humanity that “enabled genocide in Palestine.”
Shortly before Barrault’s call for her resignation, Albanese spoke with France 24 to counter accusations of anti-Semitism, labeling them as “shameful and defamatory.” She claimed that UN officials charged Israel with a relentless plan to destroy Gaza.
“I want everyone to hear what I’m accused of saying: that Israel is an enemy of humanity. I have never said that,” she allegedly stated during the interview.
