Francesca Albanese, the controversial United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, once again sparked outrage with statements equating Israel, a sovereign nation, and Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization responsible for horrific atrocities, including the murder, torture, and rape of civilians. Albanese's recent comments downplay Hamas's brutality, even as she offers ambiguous condemnations that fail to hold the terrorist group accountable for its actions.

In her latest remarks, Albanese appeared to cast doubt on whether Hamas executed Israeli hostages whose bodies were discovered in a Gaza tunnel. Rather than unequivocally condemning Hamas for this heinous crime, she muddied the waters, suggesting uncertainty over the circumstances of their deaths. This comes despite overwhelming evidence of Hamas's culpability, including videos and forensic proof. "Whether the Israeli hostages found dead in a Gaza tunnel were executed or killed, this is yet another heinous crime that must be accounted for," Albanese posted on X (formerly Twitter), in what many see as a deliberate attempt to sow confusion and shift blame away from Hamas.

"Whether".

Just when you thought UN Special Rapporteur (for Hamas) Francesca Albanese could not stoop any lower ... pic.twitter.com/jRZvpPnWu1

— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) September 2, 2024

Albanese’s history of pro-Hamas rhetoric is well-documented. She has previously accused Israel of provoking Hamas's violent incursions into Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip and has even gone as far as denying verified reports of rape and torture committed by Hamas fighters. Her reluctance to directly condemn Hamas's actions, including their October 7th assault on Israeli civilians, reflects a broader pattern of bias that undermines her credibility as a supposedly impartial UN official.

Addressing the brutal execution of Israeli hostages by Hamas, Albanese’s statement failed to name or directly criticize the group responsible. Instead, she issued a generic condemnation of the incident, lamenting the deaths “regardless of whether the hostages were executed or killed by other means,” and extended her condolences ambiguously to all mourning families without distinguishing between victims and perpetrators.

EXPOSED: The UN's Francesca Albanese is running a global influence network of 100 PLO, UN & UNRWA officials and Hamas-linked NGOs to influence countries to accuse Israel of “genocide,” and to lobby countries to fund UNRWA — including with racist messaging: https://t.co/S3kpmGs478 pic.twitter.com/jgUhsN9Rgq

— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) June 11, 2024

Albanese also posted a message on social media saying, “Condoleances [sic] and solidarity to all those who are mourning their beloved ones. May all hostages, whomever their captors, return soon to the love of their families and community. #freethehostages – both Israelis and Palestinians.” This vague appeal, which conflates the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas with the situation of Palestinians, has been criticized for creating false equivalencies and ignoring the stark realities of terrorism.

The Israeli public is reeling from the recent deaths of six hostages, including Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Staff Sergeant Ori Danino, whose bodies were retrieved from a Hamas tunnel in Rafah. These individuals were brutally abducted on October 7 and killed by Hamas, either during their captivity or in the days immediately preceding their recovery. While Israelis mourn, Albanese’s tepid response only adds insult to injury, demonstrating a glaring lack of empathy or understanding for the suffering inflicted by Hamas.

Albanese’s anti-Israel bias is not an isolated incident within the UN. The United Nations, particularly under Secretary-General António Guterres, has faced severe criticism from Israel and its allies for perceived failures to hold Hamas accountable. Guterres himself has made statements partially blaming Israel for Hamas’s actions, drawing sharp rebukes and calls for his resignation. The UN’s credibility has been further damaged by revelations of Hamas’s misuse of UN facilities, including the use of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) schools as staging grounds for rocket launches and other military operations. Evidence presented by Israel shows that numerous Palestinians involved in the October 7 assault were employed by the United Nations, with some even holding managerial positions.

This is a very difficult morning here in Israel.

Carmel, Ori, Eden, Almog, Alex, Hersh.

Murdered in cold blood by Hamas while in captivity.

May their memory be a blessing. pic.twitter.com/OAdZg8ZxB2

— Israel ישראל (@Israel) September 1, 2024

Despite these alarming facts, the UN and UNRWA have repeatedly denied involvement, dismissing the mounting evidence presented by Israel. It was only after nine months of intense scrutiny and undeniable proof that the United Nations begrudgingly admitted that some of the attackers were affiliated with its ranks. This admission, delayed and reluctant, underscores a broader unwillingness within the UN to confront the realities of Hamas’s terror activities and their infiltration into UN operations.

Francesca Albanese’s latest remarks are not merely controversial—they are a dangerous whitewashing of terrorism that emboldens those who commit atrocities under the guise of resistance. Her inability to distinguish between the actions of a democratic state and those of a terrorist organization not only tarnishes the integrity of her position but also calls into question the impartiality of the very institution she represents. As long as voices like Albanese’s dominate the discourse, the United Nations risks being seen not as a neutral arbiter of human rights but as a biased actor enabling the very violence it purports to condemn.