The short version
- The UN’s special rapporteur for the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, is denied entry to the Palestinian territories by Israel.
- She believes that Norway has a special responsibility to help resolve the conflict.
- Albanese believes that there is reasonable reason to believe that Israel is committing genocide, which has led to strong reactions from Israel.
- Albanese is calling for sanctions against Israel, including an arms embargo, to end the violence.
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Her job is to tell the world what is going on in the Palestinian territories.
Now Israel has moved in with tanks and taken control of the border town of Rafah in Gaza, where over 1.4 million Palestinians have been staying for the past few months.
But it has been several years since the UN special rapporteurAn expert appointed by the United Nations to investigate, monitor and report on human rights situations in specific countries or topics.the Italian jurist Francesca Albanese, was able to travel to the area she is to report on.
This spring, Albanese made headlines with a report that says there are reasonable grounds to believe that Israel is committing genocide. The report led to strong reactions from Israel, whose diplomatic delegation in Geneva says they “completely reject the report”.
But Israel’s refusal of entry to UN envoys started long before, the UN top official tells VG.
– The last time I visited the West Bank and East Jerusalem was in March 2022. An Israeli friend warned me that since I could become the next special rapporteur, I would probably not get an entry permit again. “Leave now, as if it were the last time,” he said. I thought he was exaggerating, but it turned out not to be the case, says Albanese from his office in Tunisia.
The special rapporteur says she will not enter the Gaza Strip either because Egypt cannot provide the support needed. Not even the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, is allowed into the Gaza Strip.
Threatened
Since March 2022, the UN woman has therefore had to solve her problem mandateAn official order or mission given to a person or organization without being physically present in the Palestinian territories.
There is still no lack of commitment to and reactions to the work she does. Albanese is open that she receives threats, and has to take extra precautions.
But the criticism from the Israeli authorities already started long before the mentioned genocide report. Israel claims that Albanese “delegitimates the very creation and existence of the State of Israel”.
Albanese rejects this.
– I have no problems with the state of Israel. Israel is a recognized member of the international community. Therefore, there is no reason why Israel should not act in line with the rules that the international community has set for itself, she says, and continues:
– I only ask, and expect, that Israel does not behave like one apartheid stateA state that practices strict racial segregation and discrimination.. They must allow everyone under their control, including them occupied Palestinian territoriesAreas over which Israel has control, but which are internationally considered to be Palestinian land.to live in freedom and dignity.
– Lost his moral compass
She calls what the UN summit sees happening in the Palestinian territories “pure and pure cruelty”.
– As I wrote in my report, I have reasonable grounds to claim that Israel has committed genocide, and continues to commit genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. The violence spreads and escalates to the West Bank. So it must be stopped on both sides.
The Israeli military’s action against the Gaza Strip began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,140 people.
Francesca Albanese talks about Israel’s attack and killing of over 30,000 people in the Palestinian territories, of which 14,000 are children. More than 70,000 people have been reported injured, often with lifelong injuries and disabilities.
She talks about images of soldiers perpetrating violence against living and dead Palestinians. “It has been very, very violent,” she describes.
– This is the reality. I think of the nearly 20,000 children who are now orphans. What is the future for these people?, asks Albanese.
She also worries about the Palestinian people’s feeling of being abandoned by the international community.
– This despite the fact that the abuses have been broadcast, both by survivors and by the soldiers themselves, who brag about the crimes they commit. They have really lost their moral compass, says the UN special rapporteur to VG.
Calling for sanctions
In order to bring an end to the war and violence from both parties, it is crucial to ensure that a ceasefire is concluded and observed as soon as possible, and enforced immediately, believes Albanese.
In order to stop what the UN woman says is an “ethnic cleansing of what remains of historic Palestine”, according to her, there is only one thing to do:
– Sanctions must be introduced against Israel, including arms embargoA ban on selling or supplying weapons to a particular country., but also diplomatic, political and economic sanctions. There is no other way than to force Israel to stop these hostilities and their persecution of the Palestinian people.
I think Norway has a responsibility
The UN has encouraged Norway and other countries to start their own investigations into possible war crimesSerious violations of the laws of war, such as the killing of civilians or the torture of prisoners of war. which has been committed in the war in Gaza.
In November, VG was involved when a group of Norwegian lawyers reported three key Israeli military leaders for “crimes against humanity”. The case is now with Kripos.
National investigations make sense because there are delays at the international level in the case of allegations of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, explains Albanese.
Norway has a special responsibility for stepping into the breach, the special rapporteur believes.
– Given Norway’s role and continued involvement in the relationship between Israel and Palestine, there is a responsibility associated with this. Norway has been a pioneering country in the political process which should have led to peace, but which has not.
In addition, Norway has been a major donor for humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, she reminds.
– Now humanitarian aid is being used as a tool of war. Israel violates international humanitarian law by creating the conditions for a humanitarian crisis, using hunger as a weapon of war, and failing to fulfill its obligation to ensure safe access to humanitarian aid as an occupying power, Albanese believes.
UN Woman is clear in her call:
– There is therefore a greater expectation for Norway, together with a few other countries in Europe, to lead the way towards a better future which must be based on respect for international law.
