UN urges US to reverse sanctions on expert over Gaza genocide criticism - War on Gaza
UN human rights chief Volker Turk issued a statement on Thursday urging the 'prompt reversal' of the sanctions, warning against what he described as escalating 'attacks and threats' targeting UN-appointed experts and officials from other international bodies, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose judges have also faced US sanctions.
'I urge the prompt reversal of US sanctions against a Special Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Council, Francesca Albanese, in response to work she has undertaken under the mandate on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory,' Turk said.
Albanese said the measures were 'calculated to weaken my mission,' but pledged to continue her work.
'I will continue to do what I have to do,' she told reporters during a visit to Slovenia. 'Yes, of course, it will be challenging… I'm putting everything I have on the line.'
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions on Wednesday, claiming Albanese had engaged in 'illegitimate and shameful efforts' to prompt ICC action against US and Israeli officials, as well as executives and companies linked to the war.
Rubio accused her of 'biased and malicious activities,' alleging she had 'spewed unabashed antisemitism [and] support for terrorism.' He said the sanctions were a response to her call for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
'We will not tolerate these campaigns of political and economic warfare, which threaten our national interests and sovereignty,' he said.
Albanese has consistently described Israel's war on Gaza as genocidal. In her latest report, published earlier this month, she identified companies—many of them American—that she said 'profited from the Israeli economy of illegal occupation, apartheid, and now genocide.'
Israel has condemned the report and welcomed Washington's response. 'Albanese has consistently undermined the credibility of the UN Human Rights Council by promoting false narratives and pushing for illegitimate legal actions that ignore the realities on the ground,' said Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon.
The current president of the Human Rights Council, Swiss ambassador Jürg Lauber, also denounced the sanctions and called on UN member states to 'refrain from any acts of intimidation or reprisal' against mandate holders.
UN Special Rapporteurs operate independently and do not speak on behalf of the United Nations. Albanese, an international law scholar born in Italy, was appointed to the position in 2022.
Washington has escalated efforts to shield Israeli officials from legal accountability. Last month, the US imposed sanctions on four ICC judges following the court's decision to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Albanese's mandate includes investigating violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territories. She has previously warned that the war has stripped Palestinians of all legal protections and constitutes an 'extermination.'
More than 58,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed in Israel's genocidal war on Gaza since October 2023, according to Gaza's health ministry. Independent estimates suggest the true death toll may be closer to 100,000.
Follow us on:
Short link:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East
2 hours ago
- Middle East
OPEN// PM says Rafah border crossing has never been closed from the Egyptian side
NEW ALAMEIN, July 23 (MENA) - Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli stressed that the Rafah border crossing has never been closed from the Egyptian side. During the times when the Palestinian side maintained control over the crossing, all humanitarian and relief aid continued to flow into the Gaza Strip, Madbouli said at a press conference following the Cabinet's weekly meeting in New Alamein city. In fact, 80% of the humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza from the start of the conflict until now has come from the Egyptian government and Egyptian civil society, he noted. Despite efforts exerted by countries that have with far greater resources than Egypt, Egypt remains the largest contributor of aid to Gaza, the premier said. Egypt, he added, has not stopped receiving and sheltering wounded Palestinians and their families, who have been welcomed as honored guests and brothers on Egyptian soil. Since the outbreak of the conflict on October 7, 2023, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi clearly stated that Egypt completely rejects any attempt to liquidate the Palestinian cause or forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza. He stressed that Egypt was the first country to make such a stand, highlighting the bilateral meetings held by President Sisi with European leaders and officials from around the world during which he reaffirmed Egypt's consistent and principled stance in this regard. Madbouli said Egypt has been engaged from day one in mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire. "We succeeded in brokering the first ceasefire agreement in partnership with Qatar and the United States. Egypt has never stopped its mediation efforts and continues to push for de-escalation in hopes of ending the conflict.' He added that Egypt has also taken the lead in efforts to reconstruct Gaza, recalling the summit held in Egypt in March this year, where Cairo presented its comprehensive Gaza reconstruction plan. 'That plan was adopted by Arab and Islamic countries and has become a joint Arab-Islamic initiative,' he said, noting that Germany also reiterated its full support for Egypt in implementing the plan. At the end, Madbouli stressed that Egypt is exerting relentless efforts to deliver as much aid as possible to the Palestinians in Gaza. (MENA) S R E
Al-Ahram Weekly
6 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
El-Sisi, Greek PM discuss Gaza ceasefire and Libya stability - Foreign Affairs
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed urgent regional developments in a telephone call on Wednesday, including the situation in Gaza, the political process in Libya, and ongoing coordination in the Eastern Mediterranean. According to the Egyptian Presidency, El-Sisi, who received a phone call from Mitsotakis, highlighted Egypt's continued efforts to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, facilitate the release of hostages and detainees, and ensure the immediate and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid. He stressed the necessity of launching Gaza's reconstruction as soon as the ceasefire is in place, while reiterating Egypt's firm rejection of any attempts to displace Palestinians by force. Furthermore, El-Sisi reaffirmed that the only path to lasting peace and stability in the Middle East lies in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The two sides also discussed the situation in Libya. They emphasised the importance of preserving peace and security in Libya and advancing the political process towards forming a unified government capable of holding simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections. Moreover, the two leaders emphasised the importance of continued coordination and cooperation on maritime border demarcation to promote development and prosperity for all nations in the Eastern Mediterranean region. They also touched on the deep-rooted strategic relations between Egypt and Greece. Both President El-Sisi and Prime Minister Mitsotakis expressed their shared commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation, particularly in the fields of trade, investment, energy, and electricity interconnection. They also vowed to continue their efforts to curb irregular migration. El-Sisi also reiterated to Mitsotakis Egypt's dedication to safeguarding religious sites on its territory, including the religiously and historically significant Saint Catherine's Monastery. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
7 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
IAEA team to visit Iran within 2-3 weeks - Region
A delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency will visit Iran within two to three weeks, an Iranian official said Wednesday, adding that the group will not have access to the country's nuclear sites. "We have agreed actually to accept a delegation of the IAEA, a technical delegation, to pay a visit to Iran very soon, in two to three weeks," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told reporters in remarks that followed Israeli and US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities last month. Gharibabadi said the visit would focus on establishing new relations with the UN nuclear watchdog, noting: "The delegation will come to Iran to discuss the modality, not to go to the sites." He was speaking at the United Nations ahead of negotiations Friday in Istanbul with France, Britain and Germany, which are threatening to slap sanctions on Iran over its alleged failure to adhere to its nuclear commitments. If the European countries impose sanctions, "we will respond, we will react," Gharibabadi said. In early July, a team of IAEA inspectors left Iran to return to the organisation's headquarters in Vienna after Tehran suspended cooperation with the agency. Iran has blamed the IAEA in part for the June Israeli attacks. The United States, in support of Israel, carried out its strikes on June 22, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called the strikes a success that "destroyed" the sites, but several media outlets have reported leaked intelligence suggesting a hazier picture. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said this week that Tehran has no plans to abandon its nuclear program, including uranium enrichment, despite the "severe" damage to its facilities. Talking on Wednesday about the resumption of US-Iran nuclear talks, which were cancelled in mid-June, Gharibabadi said: "The sooner, the better," though he emphasised that the United States must rule out any further military action. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
