"It will not deter me": UN’s Francesca Albanese says US sanctions deeply affect her life

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, says recent sanctions imposed by the United States will deeply affect her personal and professional life, but will not deter her from speaking out against 'Israel’s' crimes in Gaza.

“It’s very serious to be on the list of the people sanctioned by the US,” Albanese said in an interview with the Associated Press (AP) in Rome. “My daughter is American. I’ve been living in the US and I have some assets there. So of course, it’s going to harm me.”

Read more: US sanctions UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese over criticism of 'Israel', US

Albanese, a prominent human rights expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, has been a vocal critic of 'Israel’s' conduct in Gaza, describing it as “genocide.” In response, the US, a close ally of 'Israel', recently placed her under sanctions after reportedly pushing to remove her from her post.

The restrictions mean she can no longer conduct financial transactions through US institutions, including access to credit cards tied to American banks. But Albanese says her commitment to justice outweighs the consequences.

“What can I do? I did everything I did in good faith, and knowing that, my commitment to justice is more important than personal interests,” she said.

In a recent report published this month, Albanese introduced the concept of “Israel’s genocidal economy,” arguing that 'Israel’s' decades-long occupation has evolved into an entire system of profit built on the suffering of Palestinians.

“There’s an entire ecosystem that has allowed Israel’s occupation to thrive. And then it has also morphed into an economy of genocide,” she said.

In her report, she calls for sanctions against 'Israel' and urges prosecution of what she terms the “architects, executors and profiteers” of the alleged genocide.

While both 'Israel' and the US firmly reject these accusations, Albanese says the global perception is shifting, especially after images of severely malnourished children and widespread starvation in Gaza circulated worldwide.

“It’s shocking,” she said. “I don’t think that there are words left to describe what’s happening to the Palestinian people.”