‘UN Tolerates Antisemitic Hatred’: United States Condemns Reappointment of Francesca Albanese as Special Rapporteur for Palestinians

Latest Developments

• Legitimizing Terrorism: The United States “strongly denounced” the United Nations on April 15 for extending the tenure of Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur for the “Occupied Palestinian Territories.” The U.S. Mission to the United Nations stated that Albanese’s actions in her position “make clear the United Nations tolerates antisemitic hatred, bias against Israel, and the legitimization of terrorism.” The mission added that Albanese’s renewal demonstrated why President Donald Trump was right to end the participation of the United States in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which appointed her.
• Albanese’s Statements Violate Code of Conduct: The 47-member UNHRC voted to renew Albanese to another three-year term as special rapporteur at the beginning of April. The United States, the Netherlands, Hungary, Israel, and Argentina all voiced strong opposition. Dutch Foreign Minister Casper Veldkamp, who has criticized Albanese’s “unseemly” comments in the past, said that she had violated the code of conduct for special rapporteurs, while Hungary’s mission to the United Nations denounced her “one-sided and often prejudiced remarks.”
• Albanese’s Incitement Since October 7: Since the Hamas atrocities in Israel on October 7, 2023, Albanese has been repeatedly condemned for echoing the Iran-backed terrorist organization’s propaganda. One day after the massacre, Albanese said that the attacks’ “violence must be put in context” as a response to Israeli “aggression.” Albanese has accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza, compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, and analogized Israel with Nazi Germany.

FDD Expert Response

“The UNHRC’s renewal of Francesca Albanese’s mandate lays bare the council’s anti-Israel derangement and indifference to antisemitism. Albanese’s long record of antisemitism and documented history of anti-Israel bias should have disqualified her from passing judgment on the Jewish state. Instead, her reappointment will further disqualify the Human Rights Council as an arbiter on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

“Albanese’s renewal in her post illustrates the rot at the heart of the United Nations. Despite operating on the principle of the sovereign equality of its member states — meaning that rogue states and dictatorships from Russia to China to North Korea get away with very little scrutiny — the UN consistently discriminates against Israel alone. Albanese’s post is part of a wider Palestinian infrastructure within the United Nations that includes the ‘Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People’ and a dedicated ‘Division for Palestinian Rights.’ If the United Nations wants to be taken seriously as a peacemaker in the Middle East, then it’s past time for this infrastructure to be abolished.” — Ben Cohen, Senior Analyst and Rapid Response Director

FDD Background and Analysis

“‘Insidious Anti-Israel Trend’: U.S. Congress Warns UN Human Rights Council of Sanctions,” FDD Flash Brief

“U.S. Officials Chide ‘Antisemitism’ of UN Rapporteur Francesca Albanese,” FDD Flash Brief

“More outrageous UN anti-Semitism: High-level official says Israel to blame for Palestinians murdering Jews,” by David May and Richard Goldberg

“Netanyahu Slams United Nations Antisemitism in General Assembly Speech,” FDD Flash Brief

“UNHRC Special Rapporteur Report Justifies Terrorism, Ignores Israeli Security Needs,” by David May