Francesca Albanese declared what many feared to name
– Atoofa Nasiha
Francesca Albanese, born in Italy in March 1977, is an international legal scholar and the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories since May 2022 as the first woman in this role. Her credentials include a law degree from the University of Pisa and an LL.M. in human rights from SOAS, London. A critical voice in global human rights, she’s also an advisor at Georgetown’s migration institute.
Her latest Report Exposed Ugly Business: “From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide”
In June 2025, Francesca Albanese presented a landmark report to the UN Human Rights Council entitled “From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide.” It did more than accuse Israel’s military of devastation which revealed that behind the bombing and bulldozing lies a profitable corporate machinery enabling and perpetuating mass destruction.
Her findings catalogue over 60 major companies from sectors such as defence, technology, heavy machinery, finance, investment and academia that are materially complicit in Gaza’s erasure. (unwatch.org)
She explained that Israel’s “forever-occupation” became the perfect testing ground for arms manufacturers and Big Tech, with little oversight, zero accountability, and significant profits. (Al-Jazeera)
Among the notable names are Lockheed Martin, Palantir, Caterpillar, Volvo, and financial institutions such as BNP Paribas, Barclays, Pimco, Vanguard. Also implicated are big tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet (Google), IBM, along with investment and pension funds and universities. (The Guardian)
Albanese emphasised that companies supplying weapons, heavy machinery, surveillance platforms or underwriting Israeli treasury bonds are all “embedded in an economy of genocide”, fuelling not only occupation and apartheid, but also large-scale destruction of civilian life. (The Guardian)
She reminded the Council that over 220 billion USD has been added to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange’s value since 2023, highlighting the stark contrast between corporate gains and Palestinian suffering: “One people enriched, one people erased.” (Democracy Now)
Albanese drew comparisons to historical precedents by citing legal accountability for industrial complicity in Nazi-era genocide (IG Farben trials) and economic wrongdoing during South Africa’s apartheid. She argued that private sector executives and companies in Gaza’s case should face ICC and national criminal investigations, and be compelled to pay reparations, including via an apartheid-style wealth tax. (Business and Human Rights Resource Center)
Her urgings also included strong recommendations for states to impose sanctions and arms embargoes, and for corporate entities to divest immediately, conduct due diligence, or face legal consequences for aiding genocide. (Business and Human Rights Resource Center)
In Her Own Words
“While life in Gaza is being obliterated and the West Bank is under escalating assault, this report shows why Israel’s genocide continues: because it is lucrative for many.”
“The genocide in Gaza has not stopped because it is lucrative and profitable for too many… the economy of occupation has transformed into an economy of genocide.”
Not All Heroes Wear Capes, Some Wear Sanctions
In July 2025, the U.S. placed sanctions on Francesca Albanese under Executive Order 14203, designating her a “specially designated national.” That means U.S. citizens and companies are forbidden from interacting with her until August 8, 2025.
What triggered the sanctions?
The U.S. claimed Albanese was waging “political and economic warfare” for backing ICC prosecutions and exposing Western corporations profiting from Israel’s occupation, as detailed in her July report.
Her response to the sanctions
Albanese was unapologetic. She dismissed the move as “obscene” and denounced it as “mafia‑style intimidation techniques”, stating she was “busy reminding member states of their obligations to stop and punish genocide and those who profit from it”. She called the U.S. targeting of her “a sign of guilt, not strength,” reaffirming her absolute commitment to justice.
Global condemnation of the sanctions
Amnesty International called the decision a “shameless and transparent attack” and a “disgraceful affront to international justice.” They urged governments to reject the sanctions and pressure the U.S. to reverse them.
Human Rights Watch warned that the sanctions were “about silencing a UN expert for doing her job” and trying to dismantle international norms.
Other UN officials, including High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and Human Rights Council President Jürg Lauber, expressed that the sanctions set a dangerous precedent, interfering with UN mandate-holders.
Defiant Journalism amid Global Silence
Except for a handful of Arab nations, many of whom have either normalised ties or remained strategically silent, not one has risen with consistent conviction for the Palestinian cause. In a region where over 20 Arab states exist, the silence has been deafening. Amid this absence of principled leadership, Francesca Albanese’s voice echoes louder. She roars with courage and practices advocacy with a rare grace.
Her defiance is not noise, it is clarity. At a time when political convenience has muted even the most powerful platforms, Albanese’s truth-telling serves as both a disruption and a reminder: silence is not neutrality, it is betrayal. Her voice matters because it proves that integrity still exists, even when institutions fall.
After the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered its 2024 advisory opinion declaring Israel’s occupation unlawful, she did not retreat. Instead, she became more assertive in calling out the deep complicity that fuels the occupation.
In July 2025, at an emergency conference in Bogotá attended by representatives of over 30 nations, Albanese did not mince her words. She called for urgent and decisive actions including state-level sanctions, military embargoes, and the complete severing of ties between governments, private sectors, and Israel’s occupation apparatus. She described Gaza as a “hellscape” created not just by bombs but by long-standing policies she categorically labelled as genocidal.
While many leaders in the West either remained silent or issued hollow statements, Albanese exposed the double standards. In her public addresses and media interviews, she emphasised how Western powers rush to defend human rights selectively, only when it aligns with their geopolitical interests. She has unapologetically criticised Western governments for turning a blind eye to Palestinian suffering while being quick to rally behind human rights causes elsewhere.
Referring to some international officials and media voices, Albanese boldly remarked that “truth has become too dangerous for those whose careers are built on managed silence.” She reminded the world that neutrality in the face of mass atrocities is complicity.
Her fearless stance and moral clarity have made her a target of sanctions and smear campaigns, but they have also made her one of the most credible voices of conscience in a time of global complicity. While others tiptoe around political red lines, Albanese continues to speak with a clarity that has silenced apologists and exposed the cowardice of those in power.
See GAZA, Speak GAZA AND Save GAZA
While the world scrolls past headlines and many nations turn a blind eye, Gaza is being reduced to rubble – stone by stone, life by life. This is not war but a cold planned erasure.
According to satellite imagery analysis by the UN and independent researchers, 70% of Gaza’s buildings are now uninhabitable. In northern Gaza, at least 84% of infrastructure is destroyed. In Rafah, the figure jumps to 89%, as reported by UNOSAT and Haaretz.
Khan Younis, once bustling with life, now lies shattered, with 63% of its area heavily damaged. Gaza City, the historic heartbeat of the Strip, has seen 78% destruction, based on field reports and damage assessments.
It gets even darker. Investigative findings from Haaretz reveal that around 2,000 buildings per month are systematically demolished under Israeli military supervision. Contractors hired for this task reportedly receive 5,000 shekels per building, turning demolition into a booming business amid bloodshed.
To this brutal transformation of homes into dust, Francesca Albanese’s voice stands as a protest louder than bombs. Her refusal to stay silent and her insistence on naming genocide for what it is has become a symbol of rare, righteous defiance in a time of global complicity.
Nobel Peace Prize Nomination
Her solitary voice and unapologetic stance in the face of power and silence have not only stirred global conscience but also earned her worldwide recognition. As a testament to her fearless advocacy, Francesca Albanese has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The nomination is backed by EU parliamentarians such as Aodhán Ó Ríordáin and Matjaž Nemec, along with Canada’s New Democratic Party. An Avaaz campaign supporting her has gathered over 400,000 signatures, showing how deeply her work resonates across borders. In a world where truth is often silenced, Albanese stands as an icon of resistance and of hope.
The ICJ Gave Warnings, She Gave the World a Wake-Up Call
In July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued a set of preliminary measures, urging Israel to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza. Yet, beyond the courtroom declarations, the world saw a disappointing hesitation from many political leaders and institutions. Diplomatic caution replaced decisive action.
Francesca Albanese did not wait. As the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, she had already spent over 600 days tracking the events unfolding in Gaza. With meticulous documentation and legal clarity, she declared what many feared to name.
“I have investigated it day by day for 630 days and… after five months I could tell you that it was genocide. You don’t need a scientist… You just need to connect the dots.”
Her statement was not impulsive. It reflected deep legal observation grounded in facts – destroyed infrastructure, mass displacement, dehumanising rhetoric, and systematic targeting of civilians. While others stayed silent or softened their language, Albanese called it by its name.
Her commitment has remained firm even as she faced diplomatic pressure, media criticism, and state-imposed sanctions. In an era where international law is often bent to suit the powerful, her voice has become a reminder of what integrity looks like when institutions begin to break down.
Albanese’s advocacy isn’t just her pride. It has become a powerful inspiration for many around the globe to raise their voices against injustice. In a time when truth is often buried, her bold stance reignites the hope for fearless, principled journalism.
