Top UN Expert Urges Trial for EU Officials over Complicity in ‘Israel’s’ War Crimes

By Staff, Agencies

UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese stressed that the EU leadership should be held accountable for supporting "Israel’s" “war crimes” in Gaza.

In an interview with The Intercept published on Saturday, Albanese singled out European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas.

“The fact that the two highest figures of the EU continue business-as-usual engagements with 'Israel' is beyond deplorable,” she said.

“I’m not someone who says, ‘History will judge them’ – they will have to be judged before then. And they will have to understand that immunity cannot equate with impunity,” the UN expert added.

Albanese said she has been working on a report exposing the role of institutions and organizations –including banks, pension funds, tech companies, and universities – in crimes against the Palestinian population of Gaza.

“All those implicated and involved in the unlawful occupation, in providing it with support, are aiding and abetting violations of international law and human rights violations, and a number of these amount to crimes,” Albanese said.

“There can be individual responsibility and individual liability for those who have been aiding and abetting or enabling such crimes," she added.

Albanese has repeatedly urged von der Leyen to use her powers as head of the EU executive to stop the “genocide” in Gaza. She also criticized Kallas for not pressuring "Israel" to end its military operation during her visit to "Tel Aviv" in March, when the diplomat said “both sides lose” in the conflict.

“A shocking low for the EU: one of its top leaders stands with 'Israel’s' foreign minister, representing a state responsible for killing 50,000 people [in 16 months], 70% women and children, with Western-made weapons,” Albanese wrote on X at the time.

The UN official stated that she and her family have faced death threats since she released a report in March 2024, insisting that "Israel’s" actions should be classified as genocide.