Quds News Network

Washington (Quds News Network)- The United States imposed sanctions on UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese on Wednesday. The decision followed her calls for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate US and Israeli officials and companies involved in the occupation of Palestinian land. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move in a post on X. “Today I am imposing sanctions on Francesca Albanese for her illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt ICC action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives,” Rubio wrote. He accused Albanese of leading a “campaign of political and economic warfare” against the US and Israel. “These actions will no longer be tolerated,” Rubio added. “We will always stand by our partners in their right to self-defense.” The sanctions come days after Albanese released a report identifying US tech giants allegedly complicit in Israel’s illegal occupation. Companies listed included Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet (Google’s parent company), and Palantir. The report stated that these firms supply military equipment, AI surveillance tools, and infrastructure used to entrench Israeli control over Palestinian territories. Albanese, an Italian international law expert, has served as the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories since 2022. She has frequently criticized Israeli policies and has called for accountability over war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank. The US move marks a sharp escalation in efforts to shield Israeli and American actors from international legal scrutiny, especially amid growing global outrage over the genocide in Gaza. Washington has rejected the ICC’s jurisdiction and continues to oppose investigations targeting its allies. Legal experts have warned that sanctioning UN officials for fulfilling their mandate sets a dangerous precedent. Rights groups condemned the move as an attack on international law and an attempt to intimidate watchdogs. Former UN official Craig Mokhiber condemned the move, calling it “a lawless, vile act.” In a post, he wrote: “Rubio, your arrogance will catch up to you. The impunity that you are enjoying now will be gone within a few years, and I am confident that you will be held accountable for your persecution of human rights defenders and for your violations of the human rights of countless people in the US. There are millions who will work to ensure it.” Albanese has not yet issued a public response to the US sanctions.

US Sanctions UN Expert Francesca Albanese Over ICC Push Against Israel

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