Considered persona non-grata by Israel, Francesca Albanese is perhaps one of the most hated – and admired – figures in the United Nations today. Appointed in 2022 as the first female United Nations special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, her life has been consumed by the unpaid and under-resourced role – especially since October 2023.
Unlike many Western diplomats, the Italian human rights lawyer has called Israel’s assault on Gaza a genocide, and she has urged Israel’s suspension from the UN. This stance has made her a target of smear campaigns, with the US mission to the UN accusing Albanese of ‘antisemitic hatred and impartiality’ when her term was renewed in April.
