This past week saw a concerted attack on Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, regarding a social media post made in 2014. These assaults coincide with the Special Rapporteur’s publishing of a robust report addressing a number of serious human rights violations and concerns in the OPT, specifically on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, calling attention to the wider context of the settler-colonial underpinnings of the prolonged Israeli occupation.
The accusations against Albanese are those frequently weaponized against organizations and individuals calling attention to Israel’s transgressions against Palestinian rights and flagrant violations of international law, including against established NGOs, such as al-Haq, B’Tselem, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and others. The accusations do not address the substance of the arguments, but rather use ad hominem attacks to undermine any criticism of Israel and advocacy for the rights of Palestinians.
Conflating criticism of Israeli policies, and support for those policies by other states and lobby groups, with antisemitism and bias is meant to silence meaningful conversation about Palestinian rights and distract from genuine forms of antisemitism.
Albanese has a mandate to “investigate Israel’s violations of the principles and bases of international law.” We, members of the Global Network on the Question of Palestine and others, stand in solidarity with Francesca Albanese and her unwavering commitment to human rights. We are alarmed by the smear campaign against her and condemn the attacks to repress her mandate. We call on all states, and especially the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to support the Special Rapporteur in her efforts to fulfill her mandate with integrity.
Organizations
American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine
American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)
Arab-American Community Development Corporation
AMR
Aidoun Europe
Aidoun Lebanon
Aidoun Syria
Al-Haq Law in the Service of Man
AssoPacePalestina
BADIL – Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights
Belgian Academics and Artists for Palestine (BA4P)
Belgian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (BACBI)
Boycott from Within (Israeli Citizens for BDS)
Committee for a Just Peace in the Middle East (CPJPO) – Luxembourg
Al-Quds Human Rights Clinic, Al-Quds University
Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
docP-BDS Netherlands
European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine (ECCP)
European Legal Support Centre (ELSC)
The Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD)
Community Action Centre (CAC), Al-Quds University
Finnish-Arab Friendship Society
Free Speech on Israel
International Action Center
Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions – UK
Jewish Network for Palestine (JNP)
Jewish Voice for Labour – UK
Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)
Jews 4 Palestine-Ireland (J4P-I)
Law For Palestine (L4P)
MC Helpline
Muslim Democratic Caucus of Texas
National Lawyers Guild
Nederlands Palestina Komitee
New Weapons Research Groups Onlus odv. Italy
Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace
Promotion of Global and Dialogue and Democracy – MIFTAH
Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice
Richmonders for Peace in Israel-Palestine (RPIP)
Rights Forum (The)
SE London & Lewisham Friends of Palestine mobilisation
Students for Palestine – The Hague
Students4Change
Texas Arab American Democrats
UK-Palestine Mental Health Network
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights
US Palestine Council
Virginia Coalition for Human Rights
Visualizing Palestine
Women in Black Vienna, Human Rights Initiative
Workers World Party
Members of the Global Network on the Question of Palestine
Åge Tiltnes
Anis F. Kassim
Asem Khalil
Bedt Dawn Chatty
Dalaal Jaber
Daoud Kuttab
Emilio Dabed
Ghada Karmi
Hanan Ashrawi
Hassan Ben Imran
Ihsan Adel
Jinan Bistaki
Lena El-Malak
Lex Takkenberg
Luisa Morgantini
Issam Adwan
Jamal Atamneh
Kjersti Berg
Mandy Turner
Mick Dumper
Mouin Rabbani
Munr Nuseibah
Musaab Balchi
Mutaz Qafisheh
Nadim Shehadi
Nicholas Morris
Nur Masalha
Oraib Al-Rantawi
Oroub El-Abed
Ralph Wilde
Rami K. Adwan
Randa Farah
Rania Hammad
Rania Madi
Rania Muhareb
Rosemary Sayigh
Rex Brynen
Riccardo Bocco
Richard Falk
Rosemary Sayigh
Sam Bahour
Sara Roy
Sara Troian
Sari Hanafi
Yusuf Mansur
Others
Ahmad Abuznaid
Ahmed Abbes
Alessandra Mecozzi
Amos Goldberg
Anat Matar
Angela Waldegg
Anne Gray
Aulikki Ansamaa
Avi Shlaim
Avinoam Shalem
Avner Ben-Amos
Barbara Iqbal
Bashar Fteiha
Bernard Spiegal
Bob Brecher
Bram Wispelwey
Carole Travis
Cecilia Dalla Negra
Christer Lindholm
Christian Henderson
Cindy Corrie
Craig Corrie
Rabbi Brian Walt, West Tisbury, Ma
David Cannon
Deborah Darnes
Deepa Govindarajan Driver
Diana Neslen
Elaine C. Hagopian
Eleanor Stein, Esq.
Elsa Auerbach
E. Natalie Rothman
Egbert Harmsen
Erica Lang
Fahed AbuAkel (Rev.), Presbyterian minister Atlanta, GA
Francesca Viceconti
Ghislain Poissonnier
Haim Bresheeth-Žabner
Hanna Hanania
Herman De Ley
Huwaida Arraf
Ilene Cohen
Iman Abu Zueiter
Jacques Fröchen
James Dickins
James Godfrey
Jess Bier
Jocelyne Talbot
John Garrett
John Womack
Jonathan Hempel
Josh Reubner
Kamal Aranki
Kathleen Christison
Kirsti Honkasalo
Leah Levane
Les Levidow
Liisa Kaikula
Lowkey
Lynne Jones
Manu Pineda
Maria Eugenia Rodríguez Palop
Marisa Matias
Mary Pampalk
Melissa Parke
Michael J. Caht
Michael Sapir
Mieke Zagt
Miguel Urban Crespo
Mike Cushman
Mohsen N. Harakeh
Mona Khalidi
Muna Kaldawi Killingback
Nada Pretnar
Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian
Nahida Halaby Gordon
Nancy Wein
Nira Yuval-Davis
Nancy Murray
Noam Chomsky
Nozomi Takahashi
Osama Abuirshaid
Paul Noursi
Paul Wimpeney
Peter Slezak
Rabab Ibrahim Abdulhadi
Ralph Goossens
Rania Batrice
Rashid Khalidi
Rela Mazali
Richard Seaford
Richard Kuper
Richard Silverstein
Robyn Dasey
Roger Waters
Ruth Divon
Sadanand, Nanjundiah
Sai Englert
Saif al-Kassis
Sara Banu
Sean Clinton
Seppo Rinne
Sergeiy Sandler
Sheryl Nestel
Simone Sibilio
Sirkku Kivistö
Sonia Fayman
Susan Abulhawa
Tamar Berger
Tom Asher
Triestino Mariniello
Vanessa Farr
Yael Politi
Yasin Abu Awwad
Zeina Ashrawi Hutchison
Zeina Azzam