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Francesca Albanese condemned in Italian parliament for ‘promoting antisemitism’ and ‘winking at Hamas’

Albanese was condemned in the Senate after left wing parties held a press conference with the UN rapporteur

February 9, 2026 16:06
Ester Mieli
Ester Mieli of the Brothers of Italy party speaks in the Italian Senate about Francesca Albanese (Credit: UN Watch/X)
2 min read

Francesca Albanese, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, has been accused of promoting antisemitism and “winking at Hamas” by a member of the Italian Senate.

Ester Mieli, a senator with the ruling Brothers of Italy party, said Albanese “distorts her mandate” and “minimised the terror attack in a post on Oct 7”.

Albanese, who is herself Italian, has long been accused of anti-Israel activism and a lack of impartiality in her role as Special Rapporteur since being appointed to the position in 2022.

The United States placed sanctions on her – the first member of the UN to face such action – for what the Trump administration claimed was “unabashed antisemitism”. Albanese has denied accusations of antisemitism.

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