US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that Washington would impose sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Expert for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, after criticizing the US policy on Gaza, according to AFP.
“Today I am imposing sanctions on UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese for her illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt (International Criminal Court) action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives,” Rubio said on social media.
Rubio accused Albanese of harshly attacking the US and Israel’s war in Gaza.
He also said that the UN expert has urged the ICC to issue arrest warrants targeting Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
Moreover, Rubio accused her of “biased and malicious activities,” and of having “spewed unabashed antisemitism (and) support for terrorism.”
He also added that Albanese has further written “threatening letters” with ‘baseless’ accusations to multiple US companies. Meanwhile, it asked the ICC to prosecute the companies and their executives.
“We will not tolerate these campaigns of political and economic warfare, which threaten our national interests and sovereignty,” Rubio said.
Albanese has repeatedly attacked US policy on Gaza War particularly US President Donald Trump’s plan to take over Gaza and resettle its people in Egypt and Jordan.
She rejected this proposal and described it as “utter nonsense” and an “international crime” that will spark panic all over the world.
“It’s unlawful, immoral and… completely irresponsible because it will make the regional crisis even worse,” she said.
Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 57,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 137,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
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