The UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese says that the decision of Tel Aviv Tribune Washington is reprisals for the “pursuit of justice” in the War of Israel against Gaza.
The United Nations Expert Francesca Albanese criticized the United States decision to sanction it as “obscene”, saying that it was targeted for calling the Israel genocide in Gaza.
Addressing Tel Aviv Tribune on Thursday, Albanese, which serves as a special UN report on occupied Palestinian territory, said that she would not be intimidated in silence by the American move against her on Wednesday.
Albanese stressed that the sanctions imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump would not stop his “quest for () respect for justice and international law”.
The special rapporteur said Washington tactics reminded him of “mafia intimidation techniques” before suggesting that “sanctions will only work if people are afraid and stop getting involved”.
“I want to remind everyone (that the reason why these sanctions are imposed is the continuation of justice,” said Albanese.
“Of course, I criticized Israel. He committed a genocide and crimes against humanity and war crimes,” she added.
While announcing the sanctions on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the Albanians of having led a “political and economic war campaign against the United States and Israel”.
The United Nations rapporteur retaliated Thursday, noting that the atrocities committed in Gaza were not only “the territorial ambitions not linked to Israel” and the support of his supporters but also “companies that take advantage of it”.
Last week, she published a report mapping the companies helping Israel in the displacement of the Palestinians and her genocidal war against Gaza in violation of international law.
Albanese told Tel Aviv Tribune that she always evaluated the effects that American sanctions would have on her.
However, she said that her problems are compared to what the Palestinians face in Gaza during the ongoing bombings in Israel, ground operations and the blockade of the territory.
Albanese also targeted the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), calling it a “death trap”. The group supported by the United States and the United States manages aid distribution sites where hundreds of Palestinians have been killed by bullet since the end of May during the queue for food.
Move against the Albanians “a dangerous precedent”
The UN expert also defended the International Court’s investigation (ICC) on Israeli actions in Gaza and its decision to call for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes.
Rubio described the Albanian thrust for the pursuit of Israeli officials to the ICC as a legal basis for sanctions.
The spokesman for the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was one of those who criticize the American sanctions against the Albanians.
While stressing that Albanians falls under the United Nations Human Rights Council rather than the Secretary General, Stéphane Dujarric described the decision as “a dangerous precedent”.
“The use of unilateral sanctions against special rapporteurs or any other UN expert or official is unacceptable,” he said.
The ambassador of the United Nations Human Rights Council Jurg Lauber also deplored this decision against the Albanians.
“I call all the UN member states to cooperate fully with special rapporteurs and council holders and to refrain from any act of intimidation or reprisals against them,” said Lauber.
The Israel campaign in Gaza has destroyed most of the territory and killed more than 57,575 Palestinians in the past 21 months, according to local health officials.
