France and Germany call for UN rapporteur to resign

Friday 13 February 2026 - 09:20

By: Dakir Madiha

France and Germany call for UN rapporteur to resign

France and Germany have urged the resignation of United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese following remarks she made during a forum in Qatar, intensifying diplomatic pressure over comments linked to Israel and the war in Gaza.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told the National Assembly on Wednesday that Paris “unequivocally condemns the scandalous and reprehensible remarks of Ms. Francesca Albanese.” He said her comments targeted not only the Israeli government, whose policies can be subject to criticism, but Israel “as a people and as a nation,” which he described as unacceptable.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul echoed that position a day later in a message posted on X. While expressing respect for the UN system of independent rapporteurs, he said Albanese had made numerous inappropriate statements in the past and condemned her recent comments about Israel, adding that she could no longer remain in her post.

The controversy stems from Albanese’s participation by videoconference on February 7 in a panel titled “The Palestinian cause in a world shifting toward multipolarity,” organized by Qatar based broadcaster Al Jazeera. During the discussion, she criticized what she described as international inaction during the Gaza conflict.

According to video excerpts circulated by UN Watch, Albanese said that those who do not control vast financial capital, algorithms or weapons are now realizing that “as humanity, we have a common enemy.” The phrasing drew sharp criticism from Israeli officials and advocacy groups.

The forum also featured senior Hamas official Khaled Meshaal and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, a lineup that further fueled objections from Israeli authorities and their supporters.

In an interview with France 24 recorded before Barrot’s remarks, Albanese rejected accusations that her statements were antisemitic, calling such claims “shameful and defamatory.” She said she had never stated that Israel was the common enemy of humanity. In a subsequent social media post, she clarified that she was referring to “the system that enabled the genocide in Palestine,” not to a state or a people.

Pressure on Albanese has been mounting in France. A group of 21 French lawmakers led by Carole Yadan from the ruling party sent a letter calling for her to be stripped of any UN mandate with immediate effect. Barrot accused her of justifying the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and of comparing Israel to the Third Reich, describing her as a political activist who inflames rhetoric that harms the Palestinian cause.

France, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, said it would formally raise the issue during the upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council scheduled to open on February 23.

Albanese, an Italian lawyer appointed as special rapporteur in 2022, was sanctioned by the Trump administration in July 2025. Then Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused her of overt antisemitism and of waging a political and economic campaign. At the time, the UN Special Procedures Coordination Committee defended her, stating that she had acted in accordance with the code of conduct governing mandate holders.