UK demands investigation into UN Palestinian Rapporteur after latest Israel comments
Minister confirms the UK has asked that the comments of Francesca Albanese 'be urgently investigated'
The government has called for an “urgent investigation” into Francesca Albanese over a “series of comments” made by the United Nations rapporteur on the Palestinian territories.
Albanese has repeatedly come under fire for extreme social media posts, including one in which she stated the Hamas-led attack on October 7 was a “reaction to Israel’s oppression.”
Last month the Italian diplomat accused international governments of enabling a “genocide” and referred to a “common enemy of humanity” when speaking about Israel at a conference in Doha.
After complaints about the remarks by over 40 peers, Labour MP Luke Akehurst had submitted a question asking about the government’s position on Albanese.
Chris Elmore, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign Office, responded: “Along with several other countries, we have raised concerns about a series of comments made by the Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
“Ministers have raised these concerns directly with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the UK has asked that the comments of the Special Rapporteur be urgently investigated against the Code of Conduct for her post, and for action to be taken to restore the confidence of the international community in the independence and objectivity of this important role.”
Akehurst told Jewish News: “I welcome the Government’s response and that it is taking this unacceptable behaviour seriously. The UN clearly must sack Francesca Albanese, as France and others have already called for. Her record of virulent anti-Israel hate is outrageous and longstanding.”
The move followed calls from France and Germany for her removal, along with similar demands from the Czech Republic and Austria.
The Italian human rights expert has long faced accusations of extreme anti-Israel remarks.
In August 2022, three months after her appointment as special rapporteur, she tweeted: “Palestinians’ right to resist is inherent to their right to exist as a people. An unlawful act of resistance does not make the resistance unlawful.”
Less than a year before October 7, 2023, she participated in an official Hamas conference and appeared to justify violent resistance.
Addressing the group’s Council on International Relations on “the impact of the Israeli blockade” in November 2022 via video link, she said: “You have a right to resist this occupation. Israel says ‘resistance equals terrorism’, but an occupation requires violence.”
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