In a disturbing social media exchange, a UN human rights official's response to blatant antisemitism has sparked outrage. Francesca Albanese, the UN's special rapporteur for Palestinian rights, found herself at the center of controversy after a follower posted the medieval blood libel claim that "Jews are capable of eating human flesh."
The exchange turned even more troubling when Albanese, rather than fully condemning the hateful rhetoric, merely redirected it. "Do not attribute what Israel does to all Jewish people," she wrote, before immediately pivoting to criticize Israel, adding that "many, including Holocaust survivors, continue to rise against Israel's crimes against the Palestinians."
This incident came just days after Albanese's Christmas Eve statement calling the Israeli army "rotten to the core," adding to a pattern that has already drawn formal condemnation from the U.S., French, and German governments for alleged antisemitic rhetoric.
The follower's original post had linked the ancient blood libel to current events, referencing Pope Francis and claiming "Jewish cruelty is without regard." Such blood libel accusations have historically been used to justify persecution of Jewish communities for centuries.
Albanese's position as a UN official makes her response particularly concerning. She serves under the UN Human Rights Council, a body that has had its own controversies regarding Israel. The United States withdrew from the council during the Trump administration citing anti-Israel bias, only returning as an observer under President Biden in 2021, despite little change in the council's stance.
This controversy follows a pattern of controversial statements by Albanese, who, in July, was under internal UN investigation for a lobbying tour of Australia and New Zealand allegedly sponsored by pro-Hamas groups. While the UN Human Rights Office claims it funded the estimated $22,000 trip, documentation remains pending. Despite mounting criticism and calls for her termination, UN Secretary-General António Guterres's office maintains it has no authority over Albanese, as she serves in a voluntary role under the Human Rights Council as an "independent expert."
Earlier this year, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield declared that Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for Palestinian rights, is "not fit for this or any other position at the U.N." This unprecedented rebuke came after Albanese compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler on social media, agreeing with a post showing photos of crowds celebrating both leaders. The U.S., Israeli, and German governments strongly condemned Albanese's comments, with the Israeli Foreign Ministry stating it's "inconceivable" that she continues to "use the U.N. as a shield to spread antisemitism."
JNS contributed to this article.
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