World must unite to isolate Israel or Gaza genocide will continue: UN's Albanese to Al-Masry Al-Youm - War on Gaza

Al-Ahram Weekly

3 days ago

Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, called on the international community to unite in isolating Israel diplomatically and economically as the only effective way to halt the genocide and starvation campaign being carried out in Gaza.
In an interview with the Egyptian media outlet Albanese Al-Masry Al-Youm, published on Thursday, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories remained defiant, continuing her bold campaign to expose Israel's crimes of repression, forced displacement, and apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territories despite being targeted by Israel and sanctioned by the US.
Albanese, an Italian legal scholar and expert on human rights who has served as the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories since 1 May 2022, was among the first international voices to label Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide, challenging dominant Western and pro-Israel narratives.
When Israel banned her from entering its territory in 2024, Albanese described the move as a diversion tactic aimed at deflecting attention from the atrocities being committed in Gaza.
Speaking to the Egyptian news outlet Al-Masry Al-Youm, Albanese emphasized that what is happening in Gaza today did not begin last month or even last year. 'Gaza has never been a normal place to live. Since 1948, it has been a ghetto for Palestinian refugees, and today it has turned into a full-scale prison camp,' she said.
'People there are being exterminated, starved, bombed, burned alive, and tortured by every means imaginable. This is not just a humanitarian crisis — it is an ongoing crime against an entire people,' she said.
Albanese urged UN member states to impose sanctions on Israel as an essential first step, halting arms exports to Israel and banning the import of its weapons and surveillance technologies.
'This includes Arab states as well,' she said, 'which must end all forms of trade with Israel.'
She called on Arab countries to return to their historic tradition of collective action against a state that systematically violates international law.
'Major Arab states are not doing enough to stop this genocide. I'm not even sure if they officially recognize what's happening in Gaza as genocide, which is a question that must be asked clearly,' she said.
Albanese also indicated that she understands the harsh situation facing Egypt. "If the crossing is opened and aid is allowed in, Israel may bomb it. This is the harsh equation," she explained.
She added that regional powers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE must use their influence to send a clear ultimatum to Israel: "Stop the bombing now, or we will sever all ties with you and with the United States. That is the only stance that can bring about real change.'
'Today, Israel and the United States are actively undermining the international legal order while committing genocide against Palestinians. Sadly, I see no real collective action from Arab or Western states to stop this madness,' she stated.
Albanese warned that no country in the region is safe from Israeli violations. 'Israel has bombed Syria and expanded its presence there. It has bombed Lebanon and pushed further in. Anyone who thinks Egypt is safe just because it's not currently being targeted is mistaken. Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen—no one is immune when there's a state so brazenly violating international law.'
End the occupation
Albanese demanded the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from all occupied Palestinian territories, stressing that Israel has no legal right to be in Gaza, the West Bank, or East Jerusalem.
'That should be the starting point for any political action. All states — especially powerful Arab countries — must bear responsibility. You hold immense leverage, but it is not being used to end the occupation, apartheid, and genocide being inflicted on Palestinians,' she expressed.
She also underscored that ending the suffering of the Palestinian people will not happen through statements of condemnation, but through bold political decisions that dismantle the occupation and stop the crimes.
'People must understand: there's no such thing as a 'good Israel' versus a 'bad Israel in the settlements.' The Israeli state, through all its institutions, is committing crimes and must be held accountable. Now is the critical moment — otherwise, the killing and ethnic cleansing will continue,' she continued.
Albanese also urged individuals to take part in collective pressure campaigns. 'This isn't just about statements. It's about examining our own homes — seeing what supports the killing, and boycotting it. It's about cutting financial ties with companies that profit from this war and saying, collectively: enough.'
Mass death
Albanese issued a stark warning: 'If the situation continues as it is, the people of Gaza will die — individually and collectively. What's happening is the systematic destruction of human life, physically and psychologically.'
'Palestinians are incredibly resilient — what continues to astonish us all is their endurance amid this ongoing hell. But what's being done to them surpasses human limits.'
'We are witnessing a genocide unfold before our eyes, and the world remains silent. The moral wound this silence will leave cannot be healed — not for the people watching, nor for the institutions failing to act.'
'In the end, nothing will make sense, and nothing will be justified, so long as the genocide continues. Whatever responsibility or humanity we have must be dedicated now to stopping this crime — otherwise, history will record that the world saw and turned away,' she warned.
Ending genocide is non-negotiable!
Albanese told Al-Masry Al-Youm she believes Israel is exploiting the ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks to entrench the status quo rather than change it.
'Israel is negotiating in bad faith — this is nothing new. For over 35 years, it has claimed to engage in peace talks while simultaneously committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. From forced displacement and population transfers to annexation of land, all this has now culminated in genocide,' she said.
Albanese stressed that genocide cannot be addressed through negotiations. 'You cannot equate the oppressor and the oppressed at the negotiation table while bombing and starvation continue.'
'What's needed is an immediate end to the genocide, not talks about the terms of its continuation. These negotiations, while crimes persist, serve only as a delaying tactic that enables more killing and the slow death of Palestinians — whether under bombs or through hunger and disease,' she added.
She called on the international community to take serious action: 'If the world truly wants to stop this catastrophe, it must isolate Israel diplomatically and economically. There is no other effective option.'
Albanese also affirmed that all captives should return home — a universally recognized human right. 'But let us not forget that nearly 10,000 Palestinians are currently imprisoned, around half without charges or trial, held in inhumane conditions. Justice cannot be selective, and negotiations must not serve as a cover for impunity.'
Palestinians deserve Nobel
Commenting on campaigns to nominate her for the Nobel Peace Prize, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese said she feels deeply uncomfortable with the attention directed at her rather than the Palestinian people, who are being "bombed, besieged, and starved."
"Still, I understand why some see a glimmer of hope in me at a time when most leaders — even at the United Nations — lack the courage to call what's happening a genocide, just as they failed in Rwanda and Bosnia, where the UN was present but protected no one," Albanese said.
She emphasized that if anyone truly deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, it is the people of Gaza.
"They are resisting amid an unimaginable humanitarian catastrophe. And if anyone must be honored, it should be the doctors and journalists there, for their sacrifices in the name of peace and human rights," she concluded.
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