Brussels, Belgium—The Palestinian institutions and associations in Europe express their strong condemnation of the hostile campaign launched by the U.S. administration against Ms. Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories. This campaign represents a continuation of an escalating authoritarian approach targeting free voices that defend international law and denounce the war crimes and acts of genocide committed against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Department of State announced sanctions against Ms. Albanese, claiming that she seeks to “illegally and outrageously incite the International Criminal Court to take action against U.S. and Israeli officials, companies, and executives,” according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
These sanctions came in the wake of Ms. Albanese’s bold report issued last June entitled: “From the Economy of Occupation to the Economy of Genocide,” which sparked widespread anger within American right-wing circles, particularly among tech experts from the Trump administration, for exposing the direct involvement of more than 69 international companies in financing and reinforcing the economy of occupation and genocide. The report named arms manufacturers and major tech companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Booking Holdings, Caterpillar, and Airbnb, accusing them of economic participation in the machinery of violence against the Palestinian people by providing tools and technologies used in killing, destruction, and displacement.
This American escalation against Ms. Albanese represents a blatant assault on the independence of the United Nations human rights system and an attempt to intimidate anyone who dares to hold major powers accountable for their crimes in the region, especially the United States and Israel.
We affirm that Ms. Francesca Albanese has always been and continues to be one of the most prominent voices advocating for justice and the Palestinian people’s right to liberation, an end to occupation, and the establishment of their independent state. Since the beginning of the ongoing genocidal war against Gaza, Albanese has clearly condemned war crimes and ethnic cleansing, called for the activation of international accountability mechanisms, demanded a halt to arms exports to Israel, and urged the imposition of effective sanctions on the occupation system.
In this context, the undersigned Palestinian institutions and associations:
- Strongly condemn the American campaign against Ms. Albanese and consider it a blatant violation of freedom of expression and functional independence within the United Nations.
- Express their full pride in Ms. Albanese’s positions and reports and affirm their full support for her in facing this vicious political attack.
- Call on all countries, governments, and international human rights organizations to denounce this assault and to defend the independence of UN rapporteurs.
- Call for the launch of a broad media and grassroots solidarity campaign with Ms. Albanese, including:
- Continuous media coverage to expose the American campaign and highlight the courage of her stance.
- Organizing public rallies in squares and public spaces across Europe.
- Mobilizing digital support on social media to assert that the voice of truth cannot be silenced.
We also appeal to all free forces in the world—political parties, trade unions, civil society institutions, intellectuals, and academics—to stand against this aggressive campaign and to support Francesca Albanese as a global symbol of freedom in the face of intimidation and enforced silence policies pursued by the U.S. administration in service of the Israeli occupation.
The undersigned Palestinian institutions and associations:
- Handala Cultural Association – Belgium
- Palestinian Community in Belgium
- Palestine Café VZW – Belgium
- Union of Palestinian Communities in Europe
- Palestinian Club – Belgium
- Democratic Palestine Committees – Germany
- Palestinian Women’s Union – Germany
- Palestinian Democratic Forum in Europe
- The Arab House – Ukraine
- Union of Palestinian Doctors and Pharmacists in Austria
- The Arab-Palestinian Democratic Union (Italy)
- Sardinia-Palestine Friendship Association (Italy)
- Bergamo-Palestine Friendship Association (Italy)
- Palestinian Forum in Spain
