Why Was UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese Targeted by the US?

The United States (US) has once again shown full support for Israel by officially requesting the UN to dismiss Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for the rights of Palestinians.

Dorothy Shea, the acting US representative to the UN, sent an official letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres dated June 20, 2025. In the letter, Shea accused Albanese of engaging in "political and economic warfare campaigns unacceptable to the American and global economy."

The World Jewish Congress also denounced Albanese's reports, labeling them as "highly biased narratives" and accusing her of abusing her mandate to promote a political agenda instead of upholding human rights.

The reasons cited were virulent antisemitism and support for terrorism. The letter also challenged Albanese's credentials, claiming that she portrayed herself as an "international lawyer" without a license to practice law, as reported by Times of Israel.

Who is Francesca Albanese?

Francesca Albanese is a respected human rights lawyer, researcher, and author. Born in Italy in 1977, she has worked for over twenty years as a human rights expert for the UN, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).

In this capacity, she has advised the UN, governments, and civil society in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Asia-Pacific on upholding human rights norms, particularly for vulnerable groups including refugees and migrants.

In 2022, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Albanese as the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories since 1967.

She has published extensively on the legal situation in Israel and Palestine. Her book, Palestinian Refugees in International Law, provides a comprehensive legal analysis of the Palestinian refugee situation from its origins to the present reality.

Albanese holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of Pisa and an LLM in Human Rights Law from the University of London, SOAS. She is currently completing a PhD in International Refugee Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Amsterdam.

Vocal Advocate for Palestinian Rights

In carrying out her duties, Albanese has often voiced sharp criticisms and condemnations of Israel. She has unequivocally stated that Israel's actions in Gaza constitute an act of genocide.

UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, on November 19, 2024, stated that all investigations conducted by her over the past year have convincingly confirmed that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, as reported by Middle East Monitor.

Albanese stated that she had dedicated the past year to "documenting the genocide committed by Israel in Palestine," emphasizing that "there is no doubt that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, as well as intensive destruction operations."

She noted that her investigations were carried out in collaboration with 30 UN experts, alongside the International Court of Justice's decision issued in July, which clearly confirmed that Israel is committing genocide in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Organizations such as UN Watch and NGO Monitor have frequently accused Albanese of harboring anti-Israel bias and antisemitism. She has made statements indicating that the "Jewish lobby" controls the US, has compared Israelis to Nazis, rejected the notion of antisemitism behind the Hamas attack on October 7, and denied Israel's right to self-defense.

According to Times of Israel, Albanese also dismissed Israel's security concerns and condemned the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. In February 2024, Albanese faced widespread criticism after stating that the victims of the Hamas attack on October 7 were "not killed because of their Jewish religion, but in response to Israel's oppression."

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN under President Biden, openly stated that Albanese was "unfit for her role" and emphasized that the UN should not tolerate antisemitism from officials tasked with promoting human rights.

Multiple Threats

Israel and its supporters have labeled Albanese as "anti-Semitic" in an effort to undermine her work. However, she has been defended by Jewish organizations condemning the "relentless attacks from politically motivated organizations."

When asked if her work had led to receiving numerous threats, Albanese said, "Yes, I have indeed received threats. So far, nothing I have deemed necessary for extra preventive measures. Pressure? Yes, and it does not change my commitment or the results of my work."

Albanese did not further elaborate on the nature of these threats, nor did she disclose who issued them. "These are difficult times," she said. "I have always been under attack since the beginning of my mandate."

Before the United States intervened, Israel had repeatedly denounced Albanese, stating that she "delegitimized the creation and existence of the State of Israel." Albanese denied these accusations.

Albanese is one of the dozens of independent human rights experts mandated by the United Nations to report on specific themes and crises. The views expressed by special rapporteurs do not necessarily reflect the overall views of the global body.

Reasons for the US Request to Dismiss Albanese

In the letter addressed to the UN Secretary-General, the US Mission to the UN mentioned several reasons why Albanese should be removed from her special rapporteur duties for the Palestinian territories:

Antisemitism and Support for Terrorism

The US accused Albanese of engaging in "virulent antisemitism" and supporting terrorism. Officials cited her statements about the "Jewish lobby" controlling Washington and her repeated claims of Israel committing genocide and apartheid, which the US deemed "false and offensive."

Bias against Israel

The US asserted that Albanese has consistently and extremely shown anti-Israel bias, including justifying or downplaying acts of terrorism against Israeli citizens and disregarding Israel's right to self-defense.

Targeting US and International Companies

Albanese recently sent letters to dozens of major US and international companies, warning that doing business with Israel could involve them in genocide and other serious crimes. The US described this as an "unacceptable political and economic warfare campaign" against American and global businesses, based on "highly flawed legal arguments".

Questionable Legal Credentials

The US claimed that Albanese misinterpreted her qualifications by calling herself an "international lawyer" despite not being licensed to practice law, arguing that this undermined the credibility and legitimacy of her mandate.

Alleged Financial Violations

New reports alleged that Albanese received funds from pro-Hamas groups for her activities, which according to the US, constitutes a violation of UN ethical standards and an attempted cover-up by Albanese and the UN.

Undermining the Credibility of the UN

The US argued that Albanese's actions and rhetoric discredit the United Nations (UN) and the Human Rights Council, stating that her ongoing presence "casts a dark shadow on the integrity" of these institutions.

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