According to the Washington Post on July 9, the United States announced sanctions against Francesca Albinis, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, and accused Albinis of targeting American and Israeli citizens for prosecution at the International Court of Justice.

Albinis is an Italian human rights lawyer and also an independent investigator on human rights issues in Gaza and the West Bank. She has repeatedly criticized Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip. In a report published last month, Albinis called on the International Criminal Court to prosecute executives of American companies suspected of profiting from the war in Gaza.

Albinis Reuters

Last March, Albinis stated that there was "reasonable grounds" to believe that Israel's actions in Gaza met the specific legal definition of genocide. It comes as no surprise that the US and Israel firmly denied this. US Secretary of State Rubio said, "Albinis directly cooperates with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel," and accused her of having "unmasked anti-Semitism."

In fact, Albinis has long been under pressure from Israeli and US officials. The Biden administration accused Albinis of being an anti-Semite and implied she was "unsuitable for her position." The Israeli government banned Albinis from entering Israel in February 2024. The Trump administration had been lobbying the UN Secretary-General Guterres to remove Albinis from her post.

However, it is somewhat "humorous" that, like other UN special rapporteurs, Albinis is not under the jurisdiction of the UN Secretary-General but is instead under the jurisdiction of the UN Human Rights Council. The US withdrew from the council this year.

After being sanctioned by the US, Albinis posted on the social media platform "X": "Today, I am more determined than ever to stand on the side of justice, as always. I come from a country with a tradition of outstanding jurists, talented lawyers, and brave judges who have defended justice at the cost of their lives, often even sacrificing their lives. I am determined to honor this tradition."

Albinis' post Social media platform "X"

Albinis is not the only one who has faced pressure from the official sides of the US and Israel due to her independent stance on the Israel-Palestine issue.

With the resurgence of hostilities between Israel and Palestine, and after the Israeli army committed numerous war crimes in the Gaza Strip, in November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Gallant, charging them with "crimes against humanity" (often translated as crimes against humanity) and "war crimes." Israel and the United States are not members of the International Criminal Court and claim that the court has no jurisdiction over Israelis or non-member states.

This February, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan. According to Associated Press, due to the sanctions, Karim Khan has been unable to use his email system and bank accounts, and may even be arrested upon entry into the United States.

Rubio stated on July 9: "The United States will continue to take all actions we consider necessary to deal with the legal battle, stop and prevent the illegal overreach and abuse of power by the International Criminal Court, and protect our sovereignty and that of our allies."

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