The United Nations Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, urged the international community to take urgent and concrete steps to stop what she termed as Israel's "genocide" in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.
Speaking before delegates from 30 countries gathered in Bogota, Colombia, Albanese highlighted the brutal assault by Israel in Gaza and called for decisive intervention to end the ongoing offensive in the region.
Albanese emphasized that every country must immediately reassess and suspend all relations with Israel, pressing for governments to ensure their private sectors follow suit. She pointed out that Israel's economy is essentially structured to sustain an occupation that has escalated into genocide.
This is her latest appeal after Foreign Minister Marco Rubio announced sanctions against her last week on July 9, 2025. Rubio accused Albanese of making "illegitimate and shameful" efforts to provoke ICC action against U.S. and Israeli officials and companies.
Criticizing the European Union's Stance
On the same day, through her comments in X, Albanese urged the European Union to suspend its association agreement with Israel. She based her appeal on the bloc's legal obligations under international law, Anadolu reported.
As EU foreign ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss the status of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, among other issues, Albanese called on the bloc to act in accordance with decisions of international bodies.
The UN Special Rapporteur said a "historic" meeting would mark the end of the genocide in Gaza, the dismantling of the occupation and apartheid ongoing by Israel, and the beginning of justice and accountability.
She also criticized the way the EU recently characterized its diplomatic meeting with Israel, emphasizing that true milestones can only be achieved through concrete action against international law violations.
Citing recent research findings, Albanese stated that the EU is not just the largest trading partner for Israel but also a major investment partner, with investment value almost double that of the United States. She warned that continuing trade with an economy closely linked to the practices of occupation, apartheid, and genocide represents direct involvement.
From 2023 to 2024, the EU's exports to Israel increased by 1.2 billion euros (equivalent to US$1.4 million), which according to Albanese demands that the bloc cease its support for the collapse of the international legal order.
Albanese emphasized that the EU is now at a critical moral and legal crossroads: “To deepen this appalling stain, or to finally uphold the values the Union claims to represent.”
While a full suspension of the agreement requires a unanimous vote, a partial suspension for certain aspects such as trade, research, or political dialogue can still be done with a qualified majority. Some countries, such as Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia support the suspension, while others, including Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, reject the proposal.
Sanctions Fail to Shake Her
Francesca Albanese is determined to continue voicing justice for the people of Gaza. She stated that the sanctions imposed by Washington show that she has "hit a nerve" with her important work. She also emphasized that her main concern remains the ongoing killing in Gaza and the UN's inability to effectively intervene, Middle East Eye reported.
The sanctions follow a broader pattern applied by the Trump administration to shield Israel from international scrutiny, following previous sanctions against ICC officials after the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Albanese also referred to Washington's sanctions for her criticism of the White House's stance on Gaza as a violation of her immunity, as reported by Al Arabiya.
Albanese, who is in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, said, "It's a very serious measure. It's unprecedented. And I take it very seriously," to the audience in the capital.
Albanese has long faced criticism for her genocide accusations against Israel. "It's clear violation of the U.N. Convention on Privileges and Immunities that protect U.N. officials, including independent experts, from words and actions taken in the exercise of their functions," said Albanese.
She added that the sanctions serve as a warning to anyone who dares to defend international law and human rights, justice, and freedom.
Albanese, an Italian human rights lawyer appointed in 2022, has been a vocal critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, which she refers to as genocide, and has supported international legal action against Israel's policies.
Albanese criticized the U.S. for damaging the multilateral system, stating that the UN should act as a global body representing all 193 member states, rather than reflecting the interests of a single country.
Despite the personal and professional impact of the sanction, Albanese reaffirmed her commitment to opposing the genocide in Gaza.
These U.S. sanctions coincide with Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to Washington, highlighting the geopolitical context of this unprecedented punitive action against a UN human rights expert.
These sanctions mark a historic and worrying precedent where a world superpower has imposed financial and political sanctions on a UN special rapporteur for fulfilling her human rights mandate.
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