Special Rapporteur calls sanctions “mafia-style intimidation” as international outcry grows over U.S. attempts to silence scrutiny of Israeli actions in Gaza.
The United States has imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, intensifying its campaign against international criticism of Israel’s Gaza offensive.
Albanese, an outspoken human rights lawyer from Italy, has been a vocal critic of Israel’s military campaign and Western inaction regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Albanese refrained from directly addressing the sanctions but reaffirmed her stance: “On this day more than ever: I stand firmly and convincingly on the side of justice, as I have always done.” She highlighted her commitment to justice, noting Italy’s legacy in supporting the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Albanese, speaking to Al Jazeera, condemned the sanctions as “mafia-style intimidation techniques,” a move widely seen as a political backlash following the ICC’s arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The U.S., which is not a member of the ICC, strongly opposed the court’s move and has already sanctioned four ICC judges under previous administrations.
Senator Marco Rubio, one of the key U.S. figures backing the sanctions, accused Albanese of “spewing antisemitism,” supporting terrorism, and showing contempt for the U.S. and its allies. He claimed she had sent “threatening letters” to U.S. companies and urged the ICC to prosecute them over business ties with Israel.
Albanese has previously urged multinational corporations to withdraw from activities that “profit from the Israeli economy of illegal occupation, apartheid, and now genocide,” warning that such businesses risk complicity in war crimes. Israel rejected her findings as “groundless.”
Critics of the U.S. decision, including Amnesty International’s Secretary-General Agnes Callamard and former UN officials, condemned the sanctions as an attack on international law and human rights advocacy. Callamard urged governments to block the impact of these sanctions and defend the independence of UN mechanisms.
Albanese has also rejected claims of antisemitism, acknowledging past controversial remarks but asserting that these accusations are part of a broader effort to silence criticism of Israel’s policies. “I know this is not about me, as my predecessors knew it was not about them,” she told the BBC, adding that those accusing her had “done absolutely nothing to abide by international law.”
The timing of the sanctions coincides with Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, where he was honored at the Pentagon amid continued U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza. Since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023 — which killed about 1,200 Israelis and led to the capture of 251 hostages — Israel’s military campaign has resulted in the deaths of at least 57,575 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with over 90% of homes damaged or destroyed and critical infrastructure on the verge of collapse.
While the U.S. maintains its support for Israel and rejects the ICC’s jurisdiction, many European nations have expressed respect for the court’s independence, underscoring deepening global divisions over justice and accountability in conflict.