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UN Staff and Human Rights Groups Defend Francesca Albanese Amid Smear Campaign
UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese faces attacks from pro-Israel NGOs & European officials over misrepresented statements. UN staffers, UNRWA, and human rights groups defend her, calling the smear campaign “disinformation.”
ND
by News Desk
2026-02-16
UN Staff and Human Rights Groups Defend Francesca Albanese Amid Smear Campaign

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, has received widespread backing from current and former UN staff, human rights organisations, and artists, following attacks from pro-Israeli NGOs and several European government officials.

The controversy began after UN Watch, a pro-Israel non-governmental organisation, circulated an edited clip of Albanese speaking at the Doha Forum, falsely claiming she had called Israel “the common enemy of humanity.” Albanese’s actual words highlighted global threats to fundamental freedoms, not Israel specifically.

European officials, including ministers from France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Czechia, amplified the misrepresentation. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot went as far as calling for Albanese’s resignation at the UN Human Rights Council session on February 23. The actions drew condemnation from hundreds of UN staffers in a group called United Staff for Gaza, which has nearly 2,500 members.

“United Staff for Gaza appeals for an end to personal attacks, threats, intimidation, and disinformation targeting UN agencies, mandate-holders, and personnel,” the group said in a statement.

Albanese, an Italian human rights lawyer appointed in May 2022, has been a prominent voice on human rights violations in Gaza and the occupied territories, drawing frequent criticism from pro-Israel groups and governments. UNRWA also defended Albanese, stating that the attacks “aim at silencing her voice and undermining the few remaining independent human rights reporting mechanisms.”

Former UNRWA communications director Chris Gunness condemned pro-Israel politicians for allowing “industrial-scale fake news, doctored soundbites, anti-Palestinian hate speech and genocide denial” to influence public discourse. Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard criticized European ministers for attacking Albanese based on misrepresented statements rather than addressing Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank.

Despite mounting support for Albanese, French Foreign Minister Barrot has not withdrawn his call for her resignation. Supporters argue that the backlash represents a coordinated effort to discredit independent UN human rights reporting, while Albanese continues her work defending Palestinian rights under international law.

The controversy highlights the challenges faced by UN special rapporteurs, who operate independently of the Secretary-General, in exposing human rights violations amid politically charged campaigns aimed at discrediting their work.
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Palestine

HumanRights

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