US sanctions UN skilled Francesca Albanese, critic of Israel’s Gaza offensive

[ad_1] The Trump administration is imposing sanctions on the UN Human Rights Council particular rapporteur Francesca Albanese, an outspoken critic of Israel's army offensive in Gaza.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio linked the transfer to her help for the Worldwide Prison Court docket (ICC), a few of whose judges have already been sanctioned by the US.

Rubio mentioned the US was sanctioning Albanese for straight participating with the ICC in its efforts to prosecute American or Israeli nationals, accusing her of being unfit for service as a UN Particular Rapporteur.

The sanctions are prone to forestall Albanese from travelling to the US and would block any property she has within the nation.

It's the newest escalation by the Trump administration because it wages a marketing campaign in opposition to the ICC, having already sanctioned 4 of its judges.

The US took the motion after the courtroom final yr issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his then-Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged battle crimes in Gaza, accusations they reject.

Rubio additionally accused Albanese of getting "spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed help for terrorism, and open contempt for the USA, Israel, and the West".

The transfer is prone to provoke a fierce backlash from those that argue for accountability over the civilian dying toll from Israel's army offensive in Gaza.

The particular rapporteur has lengthy argued that Western governments are usually not doing sufficient to help the rights of Palestinians within the occupied Palestinian territories.

Her outspoken stance has attracted vital help amongst those that accuse Israeli and US leaders of weaponising accusations of antisemitism so as to silence scrutiny of their insurance policies.

Her critics have pointed to language used prior to now by Albanese, together with a 2014 remark when she instructed the "Jewish foyer" was influencing US authorities choices when it got here to Israel and the Palestinians.

She is since reported to have mentioned she regretted the comment, however rejected claims it was antisemitic.

The pinnacle of Amnesty Worldwide and former UN Particular Rapporteur Agnes Callamard mentioned she was dismayed by the choice to sanction Albanese.

"Governments all over the world and all actors who imagine within the rule-based order and worldwide regulation should do every thing of their energy to mitigate and block the impact of the sanctions in opposition to Francesca Albanese," she mentioned.

Rubio mentioned Albanese had proven contempt for the US by writing "threatening letters" to a number of US firms, making what he referred to as unfounded accusations and recommending the ICC pursue prosecutions of the businesses and their executives.

"We is not going to tolerate these campaigns of political and financial warfare, which threaten our nationwide pursuits and sovereignty," Rubio mentioned.

Earlier this month Albanese referred to as on dozens of multinational firms to cease doing enterprise with Israel, warning them they risked being complicit in battle crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Financial institution.

She mentioned the businesses "profited from the Israeli financial system of unlawful occupation, apartheid, and now genocide" within the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel rejected her report as "groundless", saying it will "be a part of the dustbin of historical past".

Albanese has criticised Donald Trump's plan, introduced in February, to take over the Gaza Strip and displace its residents elsewhere.

"It is illegal, immoral and... fully irresponsible as a result of it can make the regional disaster even worse," she mentioned in February.

The timing of the sanctions announcement is notable with Netanyahu at the moment in Washington, the place he obtained an prolonged honour cordon on the Pentagon on Wednesday.

Albanese has beforehand rejected related claims in opposition to her, telling the BBC in October: "I do not take these remarks and the defamation they carry frivolously, however on the similar time, I do know this isn't about me, as my predecessors knew that it was not about them.

"I additionally know these member states [making accusations of antisemitism] have completed completely nothing to abide by worldwide regulation."

Her workplace has been approached for remark.

Some 125 nations are events to the Rome Statute that established the ICC and are protected by it, in addition to certain by their membership to uphold the courtroom's choices.

The US, like Israel, isn't a member of the courtroom.

It has sided with Israel, its staunch ally, which it has armed all through the Gaza battle, in opposition to the Netanyahu arrest warrant, whereas many European nations have mentioned they respect the courtroom's independence within the case.

The Israeli army launched a marketing campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, during which about 1,200 folks have been killed and 251 others have been taken hostage.

At the least 57,575 folks have been killed in Gaza since then, based on the territory's Hamas-run well being ministry.

Most of Gaza's inhabitants has additionally been displaced a number of occasions. Greater than 90% of houses are estimated to be broken or destroyed; the healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene methods have collapsed; and there are shortages of meals, gasoline, medication and shelter.