Trump Administration Urges UN to Remove Palestinian Rights Envoy Over Antisemitism Allegations

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is demanding that the United Nations remove Francesca Albanese, the special rapporteur on Palestinian human rights, accusing her of spreading antisemitic views and supporting terrorism.

In a letter dated June 20 and obtained by The Washington Free Beacon, U.S. officials called on UN Secretary-General António Guterres to take immediate action. The letter, signed by acting U.S. Representative to the UN Dorothy Shea, says Albanese’s statements have crossed the line from criticism into incitement.

The administration’s move comes shortly after Albanese released a report titled From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide. In the report, she urges companies to stop doing business connected to Israeli settlements and to pay reparations to Palestinians. “Genocide, it would seem, is profitable,” she wrote on X. “This cannot continue.”

Critics say Albanese’s language is dangerous and biased. In 2014, she claimed Europe was influenced by a “Jewish lobby” and Holocaust guilt. More recently, she said that Hamas’s October 7 attack, which killed over 1,200 Israelis, was “in response to oppression,” not because the victims were Jewish.

The World Jewish Congress condemned her latest report. “Ms. Albanese has repeatedly misused her role to advance a political agenda rather than defend universal human rights,” said Maram Stern, the group’s Executive Vice President.

Pro-Israel organizations like UN Watch and NGO Monitor have also criticized Albanese’s work. They argue that her repeated statements damage the credibility of the UN and risk fueling hatred.

The Trump administration’s letter also questions Albanese’s qualifications, saying she calls herself an international lawyer without holding a license to practice law.

Albanese’s supporters claim she is fulfilling her duty to hold Israel accountable under international law. They argue her work sheds light on the humanitarian impact of the conflict in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General Guterres has not responded publicly to the letter. In the past, he has said that special rapporteurs are independent experts who do not speak for the UN as an institution.

The dispute highlights growing tensions over how the UN approaches the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It also raises questions about whether international bodies can remain neutral in such a deeply divided issue.