​Antisemitism is a persistent malice that has infected the United Nations Human Rights Council for far too long. Comments made by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese that surfaced today are yet another stain on the credibility of this body and yet another example of the impunity that exists today regarding antisemitism and antisemitic comments made by UN officials. 

In a post on her Facebook page during Operation Protective Edge, Francesca Albanese wrote “America and Europe, one of them subjugated by the Jewish Lobby, and the other by the sense of guilt about the Holocaust remain on the sidelines […]”. The term “Jewish Lobby” is a well-known and millennia-old antisemitic trope. It has been used to direct hatred toward the Jewish people for hundreds of years with horrific consequences. Sadly, this is not the first time we have been made aware of the term “Jewish lobby” being used by UN officials that are charged with investigating Israel. It is a deplorable term that no one should ever use, especially those representing the UN or officials appointed by the UN Human Rights Council.

In addition to this, the Rapporteur in question has made a number of alarming statements. Previously, she dismissed Israeli security concerns as paranoia, talked of “Israel’s greed”, compared Israel’s actions of that to the Nazis and legitimized terrorist actions by Hamas and other terrorist organisations.