UN Rapporteur Criticizes EU's von der Leyen as 'Beyond Deplorable' on Gaza
Francesca Albanese has emphasized that the bloc's official and top diplomat Kaja Kallas “will have to be judged.” The EU's leadership must be held accountable for endorsing Israel’s “war crimes” in Gaza, according to UN Special Rapporteur on...
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Francesca Albanese has emphasized that the bloc's official and top diplomat Kaja Kallas “will have to be judged.”
The EU's leadership must be held accountable for endorsing Israel’s “war crimes” in Gaza, according to UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese.
In a recent interview with The Intercept, Albanese specifically pointed out European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas.
“The fact that the two highest figures of the EU continue business-as-usual engagements with Israel is beyond deplorable,” she stated.
She further remarked, “I’m not someone who says, ‘History will judge them’ – they will have to be judged before then. And they will have to understand that immunity cannot equate with impunity.”
Albanese disclosed that she is compiling a report that highlights the role of various institutions and organizations—including banks, pension funds, tech companies, and universities—in crimes against the Palestinian population in Gaza.
“All those implicated and involved in the unlawful occupation, in providing it with support, are aiding and abetting violations of international law and human rights violations, and a number of these amount to crimes,” she asserted. “There can be individual responsibility and individual liability for those who have been aiding and abetting or enabling such crimes.”
Albanese has consistently urged von der Leyen to utilize her authority as head of the EU executive to intervene and halt the “genocide” in Gaza. She also criticized Kallas for failing to pressure Israel to cease its military operations during her visit to Tel Aviv in March, when Kallas stated that “both sides lose” in the conflict.
Describing it as “a shocking low for the EU,” Albanese remarked on social media that “one of its top leaders stands with Israel’s foreign minister, representing a state responsible for killing 50,000 people, 70% women and children, with Western-made weapons.”
The UN official noted that she and her family have received death threats following her report in March 2024, which argued that Israel’s actions should be classified as genocide.
In response, European Commission spokeswoman Gioia Franchellucci told The Intercept that Brussels is committed to international law and that the EU's relationship with Israel allows officials to communicate their “positions and concerns.”
“The association agreement with Israel is the legal basis of our ongoing dialogue with the Israeli authorities, and it provides mechanisms to discuss issues and advance our points of view,” the spokeswoman explained.
West Jerusalem initiated its operation in Gaza after a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of around 250 hostages. Since the conflict erupted, health authorities in the enclave report over 52,000 Palestinian deaths.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
The EU's leadership must be held accountable for endorsing Israel’s “war crimes” in Gaza, according to UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese.
In a recent interview with The Intercept, Albanese specifically pointed out European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas.
“The fact that the two highest figures of the EU continue business-as-usual engagements with Israel is beyond deplorable,” she stated.
She further remarked, “I’m not someone who says, ‘History will judge them’ – they will have to be judged before then. And they will have to understand that immunity cannot equate with impunity.”
Albanese disclosed that she is compiling a report that highlights the role of various institutions and organizations—including banks, pension funds, tech companies, and universities—in crimes against the Palestinian population in Gaza.
“All those implicated and involved in the unlawful occupation, in providing it with support, are aiding and abetting violations of international law and human rights violations, and a number of these amount to crimes,” she asserted. “There can be individual responsibility and individual liability for those who have been aiding and abetting or enabling such crimes.”
Albanese has consistently urged von der Leyen to utilize her authority as head of the EU executive to intervene and halt the “genocide” in Gaza. She also criticized Kallas for failing to pressure Israel to cease its military operations during her visit to Tel Aviv in March, when Kallas stated that “both sides lose” in the conflict.
Describing it as “a shocking low for the EU,” Albanese remarked on social media that “one of its top leaders stands with Israel’s foreign minister, representing a state responsible for killing 50,000 people, 70% women and children, with Western-made weapons.”
The UN official noted that she and her family have received death threats following her report in March 2024, which argued that Israel’s actions should be classified as genocide.
In response, European Commission spokeswoman Gioia Franchellucci told The Intercept that Brussels is committed to international law and that the EU's relationship with Israel allows officials to communicate their “positions and concerns.”
“The association agreement with Israel is the legal basis of our ongoing dialogue with the Israeli authorities, and it provides mechanisms to discuss issues and advance our points of view,” the spokeswoman explained.
West Jerusalem initiated its operation in Gaza after a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of around 250 hostages. Since the conflict erupted, health authorities in the enclave report over 52,000 Palestinian deaths.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
