The United States mission to the United Nations sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday stating that it opposes the renewal of Francesca Albanese's role as UN Special Rapporteur due to her "virulent antisemitism, which demonizes Israel and supports Hamas," the mission confirmed on X/Twitter.
"She has clearly violated the UN’s code of conduct and is unfit for her role," their post continued.
Today, the US sent SG @antonioguterres a letter opposing Francesca Albanese’s renewal as UN Special Rapporteur. We condemn her virulent antisemitism, which demonizes Israel and supports Hamas. She has clearly violated the UN’s code of conduct and is unfit for her role. Her…
— U.S. Mission to the UN (@USUN) April 3, 2025
"Her reappointment would show the UN tolerates antisemitic hatred and support for terrorism," the post concluded.
On Tuesday, Rep. Brian Mast - the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee - sent a letter to the UN President of the Human Rights Council expressing objection to Albanese's term renewal, which would involve a second term of three years.
Mast wrote that UN Special Rapporteurs have a duty to uphold the code of conduct as written in Council Resolution 5/2, which states that they must act in an independent and impartial capacity.
Hamas apologism
"Special Rapporteur Albanese has failed to uphold the code," he wrote. "She has consistently aligned herself with Hamas terrorists, accused Israel of genocide, likened the Government of Israel to the “Third Reich,” and compared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler."
"Ms. Albanese unapologetically uses her position as a UN Special Rapporteur to purvey and attempt to legitimize antisemitic tropes, while serving as a Hamas apologist."
Following the Hamas massacre on October 7, Albanese wrote that “violence must be put in context” and that the attack occurred in response to Israeli “aggression.”
The Simon Wiesenthal Center thanked Mast for condemning the “reprehensible” behavior of Albanese and similarly urged UN Secretary-General Guterres to oppose her reappointment.