From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Independent UN body condemns ‘vicious attacks’ on UN anti-Israel rapporteur Albanese
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An independent United Nations body condemns what it describes as vicious attacks based on disinformation by several European ministers against the organization’s special rapporteur for Palestine, Francesca Albanese, who is facing a firestorm of criticism over her anti-Israel comments.
France, Italy, Czechia and Germany have called for Albanese, who has been repeatedly accused of antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric, to step down over remarks last weekend in which she referred to a “common enemy of humanity” after criticizing “most of the world” and the media for enabling Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.
Critics and Israel have accused the UN special rapporteur of referring to Israel with the “common enemy” remark, while Albanese has denounced this as a “manipulation” and “completely false.” Israel has denied all accusations of genocide.
The UN Coordination Committee – a body of six independent experts which coordinates and facilitates the work of Special Rapporteurs – accused European ministers of relying on “manufactured facts.”
“Instead of demanding Ms Albanese’s resignation for performing her mandate…these government representatives should join forces to hold accountable, including before the International Criminal Court, leaders and officials accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza,” the Committee said, presumably in a reference to Israel.
It said the pressure exerted on Albanese was part of an increasing trend of politically motivated and malicious attacks against independent human rights experts, UN officials and judges of international courts.
US President Donald Trump’s administration imposed sanctions on Albanese after she wrote letters to US companies accusing them of contributing to gross human rights violations by Israel in Gaza and the West Bank.
There is no precedent for removing a special rapporteur during their term, although diplomats said that states on the 47-member council could, in theory, propose a motion to do so.
However, they said strong support for Palestinian rights within the body means that such a motion was unlikely to pass.
The Times of Israel Community.