Von der Leyen acts ‘beyond deplorable’ on Gaza
(MENAFN) Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, has sharply criticized top European Union leaders for what she describes as enabling Israel’s alleged war crimes in Gaza. In an interview with The Intercept, Albanese condemned European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas for maintaining normal diplomatic relations with Israel amid the ongoing conflict.
Albanese described their conduct as "beyond deplorable" and called for legal accountability, stressing that those complicit in violations of international law—including institutions like banks, pension funds, tech firms, and universities—could face individual responsibility for aiding in what she calls crimes against the Palestinian people.
She revealed that she is preparing a report detailing how various organizations are involved in or benefiting from the occupation of Palestinian territories. Albanese has previously called on von der Leyen to use her influence to halt what she terms a genocide, and criticized Kallas for failing to push for an end to Israeli military operations during her March visit to Tel Aviv.
Albanese, who claims to have received death threats since publishing a March 2024 report labeling Israel's actions as genocidal, emphasized that immunity does not mean impunity.
In response, EU Commission spokeswoman Gioia Franchellucci reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to international law and stated that their legal agreement with Israel allows for continued dialogue on key issues.
The war in Gaza began after a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in around 1,200 Israeli deaths and 250 hostages taken. Since then, Gaza’s health authorities report over 52,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority being women and children.
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