Francesca Albanese Sanctioned by U.S. for Gaza-Related Accusations

In a move that underscores Washington’s growing pushback against international scrutiny of its Middle East policy, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories.

Rubio accused Albanese of urging the International Criminal Court to prosecute U.S. and Israeli officials, calling her actions “economic warfare” and labeling her rhetoric “unabashed antisemitism.”

The decision came shortly after Albanese published a scathing report alleging that U.S. companies were profiting from what she termed Israel’s “illegal occupation, apartheid, and genocide.”

Israel welcomed the sanctions, with UN Ambassador Danny Danon accusing Albanese of spreading false narratives. Albanese, an Italian international lawyer, has long been a critic of Israeli policy and most recently condemned President Trump’s proposal to resettle Gazans elsewhere as “an international crime.”

The United Nations clarified that Albanese speaks in her independent capacity, not on behalf of the institution.