US Sanctions UN Expert Over ICC, Gaza Actions

The United States has imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, citing her efforts to involve the International Criminal Court (ICC) in prosecuting U.S. and Israeli nationals and companies allegedly benefiting from the Gaza conflict. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Albanese of antisemitism and exceeding her UN mandate, a move that human rights groups condemn as an attack on accountability. Albanese has labeled Israel's actions in Gaza as potentially genocidal and has urged for arms embargoes and economic disengagement from Israel, while also accusing over 60 companies of complicity. She has also criticized Italy, France, and Greece for permitting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to use their airspace despite ICC arrest warrants, arguing that these countries are obligated to detain him under the Rome Statute. The U.S. and Israel reject the war crimes allegations, maintaining that their military operations are acts of self-defense. The situation highlights ongoing tensions between international legal efforts and geopolitical interests.