Estonia has joined other countries in expressing concern over the conduct of United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, issuing a statement that underscored support for the UN human rights system while warning against rhetoric that could undermine its credibility.
In a statement released by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government said, “Estonia strongly supports the UN’s human rights pillar, including the independence and integrity of the UN Special Procedures system."
“At the same time, several positions taken by Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese raise serious concern," the statement continued.
The ministry called “to avoid rhetoric that undermines the constructive and balanced engagement that is essential to the credibility of the UN human rights framework," adding, “Failing this, the mandate cannot be carried out."
Estonia’s remarks follow similar criticism voiced by several European countries after Albanes stated that Israel is the “common enemy" of humankind.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, “I respect the system of independent UN rapporteurs. However, Ms. Albanese has repeatedly made outbursts in the past. I condemn her recent statements about Israel. She is untenable in her position."
Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger similarly criticized the Special Rapporteur, stating, “Francesca Albanese broadly brands Israel as an ‘enemy of humanity.’ Criticism of Israel’s conduct is legitimate, and Austria has always called for compliance with international law. But Albanese is spreading incitement. Such language undermines the impartiality and highest standards required of a UN representative. Ms. Albanese has unfortunately repeatedly failed to meet these standards."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told lawmakers that France “unreservedly condemns the outrageous and reprehensible remarks made by Ms. Francesca Albanese, which are directed not at the Israeli government, whose policies may be criticized, but at Israel as a people and as a nation, which is absolutely unacceptable."
Barrot said her remarks “target not the Israeli government, whose policies can be criticized, but Israel as a people and as a nation, which is absolutely unacceptable," and added that they “add to a long list of scandalous positions, justifying October 7, the worst antisemitic massacre in our history since the Holocaust, mentioning the Jewish lobby or comparing Israel to the Third Reich."
More than 20 French MPs demanded that Albanese be removed from her position following her remarks at an Al Jazeera conference.
In her video remarks at the conference, Albanese said: “The fact that instead of stopping Israel, most of the world has armed, given Israel political excuses, political sheltering, economic and financial support ... We who do not control large amounts of financial capitals, algorithms and weapons, we now see that we as a humanity have a common enemy."
Albanese later claimed in an interview with France24 that she “never, ever, ever said ‘Israel is the common enemy of humanity,’" calling the accusations “completely false accusations."
Albanese’s anti-Israel bias was first exposed in 2022 through social media posts in which she claimed that the “Jewish lobby" controls the US.
In December 2023, she called a demand that Hamas release the 251 hostages it kidnapped on October 7, including small children and 9-month-old Kfir Bibas, “unacceptable." She has not called for the release of the hostages held in Gaza, but has called for the release of a Gaza hospital director arrested on suspicion of being a Hamas leader.
Shortly after the October 7 massacre, Albanese published a book titled ‘J’Accuse,’ co-opting the title of a famous essay about the Dreyfus trial, in which she attempted to shift blame for the massacre from the Hamas perpetrators to Israel.
Albanese has also denied that Israel has the right to self-defense against Hamas even after October 7.