On Thursday, the foreign ministers of Germany, Austria, and Italy joined their French counterpart in criticizing Francesca Albanese, the UN’s special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, after she labeled Israel as humanity’s “common enemy.”
The pressure is increasing for the controversial UN rapporteur following her recent remarks against Israel made during a forum hosted by Al Jazeera in Doha, Qatar, last Saturday.
During the online event, Albanese claimed that the situation in Gaza could be described as “genocide,” stating that some entities had enabled this crisis.
“Many nations have armed Israel rather than intervening, often using political justifications, along with economic and financial backing,” she asserted.
She added, “It appears we share a common enemy as a species, lacking control over vast financial resources, algorithms, and weapons.”
This week, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault called for Albanese’s resignation due to her recent provocative remarks directed at Israel. By Thursday, German Foreign Minister Johann Vardepur had also voiced similar sentiments regarding Albanese’s position.
“I respect the independent UN rapporteur system. However, Ms. Albanese has made several inappropriate remarks in the past. I denounce her latest statements concerning Israel. Her position is untenable,” Waddepoul said in a post on social media.
Shortly after, Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger criticized Albanese’s comments, claiming they did not adhere to U.N. standards of impartiality.
“Albanese has entirely branded Israel as an ‘enemy of humanity.’ While critique of Israel’s actions is warranted and Austria insists on compliance with international law, her language promotes hate and undermines the expected standards of UN representatives,” Meinl-Reisinger stated online.
Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani mentioned on social media that Albanese’s stance as UN special rapporteur “does not align with the position of the Italian government.”
“Her remarks and initiatives are inappropriate for someone representing an organization committed to peace and security like the United Nations,” he added.
In an interview with France 24 on Wednesday, Albanese dismissed the allegations of bias against Israel as “shameful and defamatory.” She later clarified that she was referring to “the system” as the “common enemy of humanity” facilitating the genocide in Palestine.
When asked about the ongoing controversy, UN Secretary-General Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric remarked during a press briefing on Thursday that the Human Rights Council appoints special rapporteurs and that it is up to member states to address any dissatisfaction with their comments.
“I’ve always considered the role of a Special Rapporteur essential in the international human rights framework, even if they operate independently of the Secretary-General,” Dujarric stated.
“Though we don’t always agree with their perspectives, including Ms. Albanese’s, it’s ultimately a matter for Member States to resolve,” he concluded.
