UN Extends Francesca Albanese’s Mandate Despite Intense Israeli Smear Campaign
New York (Quds News Network)- The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has renewed Francesca Albanese’s mandate as Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories for another three years despite an intense Israeli smear campaign. The decision came Friday, during the final session of the Council’s 58th session in Geneva.
The move followed months of pressure from zionist groups and Western allies, including the United States. These groups launched an aggressive smear campaign to block her reappointment, accusing her of anti-Semitism.
Albanese has consistently criticized Israeli policies in the occupied Palestinian territories. In her reports and media appearances, she has stressed that Israel’s actions are deemed ethnic cleansing and genocide. Her outspokenness has made her a target for both governments and zionist lobby groups.
A zionist group that calls itself “UN Watch” led the charge against her, publishing a 60-page report accusing her of spreading hate and “supporting terrorism.” The group also launched a petition urging the UNHRC to cancel her mandate. At a recent session in Geneva, UN Watch director Hillel Neuer publicly demanded her removal.
British MP David Taylor joined the campaign. In an interview with the infamous The Jewish Chronicle, he accused Albanese of defending Hamas’s October 7, 2023 military operation and portraying Israel as a “settler-colonial invasion.”
Other groups, including the World Jewish Congress and the violent zionist youth movement Betar, also took part in the campaign. Betar members reportedly threatened Albanese during a visit to London, referencing Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon.
Despite the pressure, the UNHRC voted to extend her mandate until 2028. The decision marks a significant pushback against efforts to silence UN officials who highlight human rights violations by powerful states.
