Israel denounces UN expert who accused it of 'genocide'

UNITED NATIONS, United States — Israel's UN ambassador on Wednesday called for the resignation of UN independent expert Francesca Albanase, who has denounced the "eradication of Palestinians" from their land through "genocide."

Danny Danon posted on X, formerly Twitter, to call for the UN special rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories to step down immediately.

He made the call after Albanese told a committee at the UN General Assembly that developments in recent months "cement my assessment that Israel is conducting a genocidal campaign against the Palestinians."

"Once again, the UN has rolled out the red carpet for one of the most anti-Semitic figures in modern history, granting her a stage to spew baseless propaganda and lies," Danon wrote.

Addressing Albanese directly, he added: "Your presence at the UN is a disgrace, a betrayal of all moral standards. Resign immediately. Leave your credentials at the door and join your friends at Hamas and Hezbollah, where you belong."

Albanese has long faced harsh criticism, allegations of anti-Semitism and demands for her removal, from Israel and some of its allies, over her longstanding accusations of genocide.

She has previously said the offensive Israel unleashed after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks was "part of a long-term international, systematic state-organised forced displacement and replacement of the Palestinians."

UN special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council. They do not speak on behalf of the United Nations itself.

Albanese also defended herself at a press conference Wednesday.

"I really don't feel comfortable at entertaining any longer discussions concerning the attacks against me, because it's not about me, and I'm not the story. The story is the fact that there are Palestinians who risk to be erased from their land," she said.

She called the United States an "enabler in what Israel has been doing."

US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield posted on X that Albanese is "unfit for her role."

"The United Nations should not tolerate anti-Semitism from a UN-affiliated official hired to promote human rights," she wrote.

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