Albanese defies sanctions, joins coalition to end Israeli occupation
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UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese responds to US sanctions by supporting a 30-nation Hague Group conference in Bogotá aimed at ending "Israel’s" unlawful occupation of Palestine, citing a turning point for international law and justice.
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UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese at a press conference during a session of the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva, on March 27, 2024. (AFP)
UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has vowed not to be silenced by sanctions imposed by the US last week. She praised a 30-nation Hague Group conference in Bogotá, Colombia, aimed at ending "Israel’s" occupation of Palestine, calling it "the most significant political development in the past 20 months."
The Hague Group, initially formed by South Africa and Colombia, has grown to include Algeria, Brazil, Indonesia, Qatar, and Spain. Additionally, Colombian President Gustavo Petro, hosting the event, stated that the world is transitioning from condemnation to collective action against "Israel’s" military aggression.
Albanese will speak at the two-day gathering that begins on Tuesday, describing it as a critical moment for both the Palestinian people and "Israel". The conference includes representatives from China, Spain, Qatar, and other states, and seeks to take practical steps in support of a UN General Assembly motion mandating measures to end "Israel's" unlawful occupation.
The gathering also aims to devise a plan of political, economic, and legal actions to implement a July 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which declared "Israel’s" occupation of the Palestinian territories unlawful.
The UN resolution supporting the ICJ opinion calls for full implementation by September 2025.
In its advisory, the ICJ stated that "Israel’s security concerns do not override the principle of the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force," urging the occupation to end "as rapidly as possible." It also noted that UN member states are obligated "not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory."
Albanese's declaration
Albanese is determined to resist what she sees as a politically motivated attempt to suppress her work. This comes in response to the US State Department's claims that its sanctions were a response to her "shameful promotion" of ICC actions targeting the US and "Israel".
"These attacks shall not be seen as against me personally. They are a warning to everyone who dares defend international justice and freedom," she is expected to say. "But we cannot afford to be silenced – and I know I am not alone. This is not about me or any other single individuals but about justice for the Palestinian people at the most critical juncture in their history."
Albanese will underscore that international law must not be selectively applied. "For too long, international law has been treated as optional, applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful. That era must end," she will declare.
To conclude, the UN rapporteur will sound the call for justice and humanity, saying, "The world will remember what we, states and individuals, did in this moment, whether we recoiled in fear or rose in defence of human dignity. The time has come to act in pursuit of justice and peace, grounded in rights and freedoms for all, and not mere privileges for some, at the expense of the annihilation of others."
Toward justice and accountability
Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, executive secretary of the Hague Group, stated: “We meet in Bogotá with a twin imperative: to end Israel’s impunity and sever the cords of complicity. The International Court of Justice has already made its rulings, deeming Israel’s continued presence in the Palestinian territories as unlawful. There is no absence of legal clarity.”
The Group will now debate how best to enforce the ICJ's opinion, with proposed actions including halting arms exports and denying docking rights to ships carrying military equipment to "Israel".
“There are a range of views on how far states can go politically or legally to isolate Israel,” said one diplomat, highlighting that its continued impunity is largely sustained by US support.
At a previous Hague Group conference in January 2024, nine nations committed to enforcing provisional ICJ measures. These included actions such as arms embargoes and the prevention of military shipments to "Israel" from docking at their ports.
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