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US sanctions UN rapporteur Albanese over anti-Israel stance

Secretary of State Rubio says Albanese engaged in lawfare, antisemitism, and attacks on US sovereignty over Israel policies.

By David Brummer, World Israel News

The United States has imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories, citing what it called a campaign of political and economic warfare against the US and Israel.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move on Wednesday, stating that Albanese’s actions—including outreach to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and public accusations against American companies—warranted direct sanctions under President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14203.

“Today, I am imposing sanctions on Francesca Paola Albanese,” Rubio said in a statement, citing her “efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of those two countries.”

Rubio said the US was acting to protect its sovereignty and that of its allies.

He accused Albanese of abusing her UN position to advance political agendas hostile to the West.

“Albanese has spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism, and open contempt for the United States, Israel, and the West,” the statement said.

Albanese, who was appointed in 2022, has become a polarizing figure in diplomatic circles for her harsh criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

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Last month, her office published a report calling on international corporations—including Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Palantir—to reconsider ties to Israel’s economy, citing unsubstantiated allegations of apartheid and war crimes.

The report claimed that these companies risked offering material support to what it described as possible international crimes.

“Any decision to continue engagement in Israel’s economy is therefore done with knowledge of the crimes that may be taking place,” the report said.

The US had already called for her removal in April, after she was reappointed for a second three-year term.

At the time, the US Mission to the UN labeled her claims of genocide and apartheid “false and offensive,” and slammed the UN Human Rights Council for “tolerating antisemitic hatred,” reported Bloomberg.

Albanese’s post is not under the authority of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. 

Special rapporteurs are appointed by the Human Rights Council and operate independently.

The US withdrew from that body in February.

The State Department accused Albanese of recently escalating her campaign by sending letters to global businesses in multiple industries—technology, defense, energy, finance, and hospitality—warning them of potential ICC investigations based on their operations in Israel.

“She has recently escalated this effort by writing threatening letters to dozens of entities worldwide,” Rubio said.

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“We will not tolerate these campaigns of political and economic warfare, which threaten our national interests and sovereignty.”

The sanctions, issued under an executive order originally aimed at the ICC, reflect Washington’s view that Albanese’s attempts to involve the court are a violation of US and Israeli rights as non-members of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.

President Trump signed Executive Order 14203 in 2020 to block assets and deny entry to individuals who engage with the ICC against US or allied personnel without consent.

The US has long opposed ICC jurisdiction over its citizens and Israeli officials, calling it politically motivated.

Albanese has reportedly urged the ICC to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Rubio reiterated that the US would continue to counter what he described as “lawfare” efforts aimed at delegitimizing its allies.

“We will continue to take whatever actions we deem necessary to respond to lawfare, to check and prevent illegitimate ICC overreach and abuse of power, and to protect our sovereignty and that of our allies,” he said.

Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of United Nations Watch was delighted with Secretary Rubio’s decision, posting on X that “Justice is served. Good triumphs over evil.”

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“You justified the October 7 massacre as it was happening. Now the United States has made you the first purported UN official in history to be sanctioned. You will never again spread your poison on American campuses or enter the country,” he wrote.