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EU "deeply regrets" U.S. sanctions on UN expert on Palestinians, says EU spokesperson
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 11, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Home > Headlines > EU "deeply regrets" U.S. sanctions on UN expert on Palestinians, says EU spokesperson
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The EU expresses regret over US sanctions on UN expert Francesca Albanese, highlighting support for the UN human rights system amid allegations against Israeli settlements.
EU Expresses Regret Over U.S. Sanctions on UN Palestinian Expert
BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union "deeply regrets" the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, an EU spokesperson said on Friday.
"We deeply regret the decision to impose sanctions on Francesca Albanese", spokesperson Anouar El Anouni told reporters during a daily EU briefing, adding that the European Union "strongly supports the United Nations human rights system."
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Albanese would be added to the U.S. sanctions list for work which had prompted what he described as illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis at the International Criminal Court.
Albanese has been a vocal critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians, and recently published a report accusing over 60 companies, including some U.S. firms, of supporting Israeli settlements in the West Bank and military actions in Gaza.
(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )
Key Takeaways
- •The EU regrets US sanctions on Francesca Albanese.
- •Albanese is a UN expert on Palestinian human rights.
- •US claims Albanese's work led to illegitimate prosecutions.
- •Albanese criticized Israeli treatment of Palestinians.
- •Over 60 companies accused of supporting Israeli settlements.
Frequently Asked Questions about EU "deeply regrets" U.S. sanctions on UN expert on Palestinians, says EU spokesperson
1What did the EU say about the U.S. sanctions?
The European Union 'deeply regrets' the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories.
2Who announced the sanctions against Francesca Albanese?
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Francesca Albanese would be added to the U.S. sanctions list.
3What has Francesca Albanese criticized?
Francesca Albanese has been a vocal critic of Israel's treatment of Palestinians and recently published a report accusing over 60 companies of supporting Israeli settlements.
4What is the EU's position on the U.S. sanctions?
The EU spokesperson emphasized that the European Union strongly supports the rights of Palestinians and opposes the sanctions imposed on Albanese.
5What prompted the U.S. sanctions against Albanese?
The sanctions were prompted by Albanese's work, which U.S. Secretary of State Rubio described as leading to illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis.
