Systematic attacks on UN special rapporteur on Palestine ‘unacceptable’: Iran envoy

Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva has denounced the “unacceptable” systematic campaign against the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, stressing that the Israeli regime should be held accountable for its ongoing crimes in Palestine.

Ali Bahraini made the remarks in a post on his X account on Saturday, a day after Francesca Albanese faced a systematic campaign from the Western media, accusing her of being anti-Semitic.

"Instead of targeting those who speak out, the crimes of the Zionist regime in Palestine, the world should hold the Israeli regime accountable for its apartheid policies and genocidal actions in Palestine," Bahraini said.

On Friday, in response to the accusations made against her, Albanese stated that criticizing Israel's actions and policies does not make one anti-Semitic, especially since the occupying regime continues to carry out its atrocities.

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Francesca Albanese is the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

“I am deeply disappointed that various Western governments and diplomats appear to have been misled by spurious, recycled allegations against me, just as I prepare to present my latest report to the UNGA next week,” Albanese said.

“I am profoundly committed to human rights for all people-- How can I be anti-Semitic?" she added.

She further noted that “if these governments really adhere to international law, they should focus - not on the false allegations about me - but on ending the illegal and disastrous situation in occupied Palestine.”

Albanese is due to travel to the United States to present her latest report, "Genocide as colonial erasure," before the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, which oversees social, humanitarian and cultural issues. 

She has frequently slammed the human rights abuses, apartheid policies, war crimes and crimes against humanity perpetrated by Israel in the occupied territories.

UN rapporteur targeted by ‘smear’ campaign of ‘apartheid’ Israel after condemning occupation

Israeli-sponsored campaigns accuse the UN special rapporteur on Palestine of antisemitism after her criticism of Israeli policies.

Back in April, Albanese was the target of what she described as a “smear campaign” that aimed to expel her over anti-Semitism accusations.

She faced a concerted campaign from Israeli right-wing NGOs, papers, and politicians after her open criticism of Israel's “apartheid” policies in May 2022 when she assumed her role.

The Israeli-sponsored pressures to remove her increased in early April in what looked like a concerted campaign as multiple articles were published in several Israeli outlets that accused Albanese of anti-Semitism. These coincided with a Twitter campaign that sought to ramp up pressures on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk to dismiss her.

Albanese has rejected the accusations of anti-Semitism as “lies” and part of a “smear campaign.”

She is also determined to continue speaking out against the Israeli occupation.

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