GENEVA – As Francesca Albanese’s mandate as
Special Rapporteur is subject to renewal, World Jewish Congress Executive Vice
President Maram Stern urged UN Human Rights Council President Ambassador Jürg
Lauber to reject the renewal of Francesca Albanese’s mandate, citing Albanese’s
well-documented history of antisemitism, repeatedly invoking harmful
antisemitic tropes and undermining the legitimacy of Israel, including equating
the Jewish state with Nazi Germany.
Stern took
particular issue with Albanese’s suggestion that the United States is “subjugated by the Jewish lobby” and her repeated comparisons between
Israeli policies and Nazi atrocities as particularly egregious.
In the letter,
which can be read in full here, Stern stated:
“Ms.
Albanese has repeatedly made public remarks that propagate harmful antisemitic
tropes, question the legitimacy of the State of Israel, and employ rhetoric
that undermines the credibility of the Human Rights Council itself.
“Her persistent lack of objectivity and failure to uphold a balanced and
impartial approach required of her as Special Rapporteur compromises her
credibility as an independent expert.
“The
World Jewish Congress strongly calls upon the Human Rights Council to reject
the renewal of Ms. Albanese’s mandate. We urge the Council to immediately
appoint a new Special Rapporteur whose embodies fairness, objectivity, and a
genuine commitment to peace, justice, and the equal dignity of all peoples.”
At the current
session of the UNHRC in Geneva, Yehuda Cohen, father of Israeli hostage Nimrod
Cohen, spoke on behalf of the World Jewish
Congress about the
importance of ensuring the immediate release of all hostages still held in
Gaza.
About the World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is the international organization representing Jewish communities in 100 countries to governments, parliaments and international organizations.