Critical remarks by Google executive towards United Nations over alleged antisemitic Gaza report
In the ongoing debate over human rights and international law, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, finds herself at the centre of a storm. Despite facing condemnation from multiple nations and sanctions from the United States government, Albanese continues to vigorously carry out her mandate, receiving strong support from international human rights organisations.
Recent events have seen Albanese publish a detailed report exposing how numerous companies, including Google, Amazon, and Alphabet Inc., profit from Israel’s occupation, apartheid system, and actions in Gaza. The report, which has added to the controversy surrounding her role, highlights grave human rights abuses and calls out a range of corporate actors for their complicity.
The U.S. government imposed sanctions on Albanese under an executive order issued in February 2025, citing concerns related to her work and allegations of overstepping her mandate and antisemitism. The U.S. government framed this action as targeting what it calls "lawfare" that harms U.S. and Israeli interests. However, major human rights organisations, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have criticised the sanctions, describing them as a shameless and transparent attack on the fundamental principles of international justice.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin blasted the United Nations as "transparently antisemitic" in an internal forum, following the publication of a report that accused Google and Alphabet of profiting from Israel’s activities in Gaza. Brin's remarks, as well as those of other Google employees, were in response to the report, which accused Google and its parent company of profiting from "Israel's economy of illegal occupation, apartheid and now genocide" against Palestinians in Gaza.
Google employees held protests last year against the company's contract with the Israeli military, due to accusations that the tech giant was enabling "Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza." Despite these protests, the current status of Albanese remains unchanged, as she continues to fulfil her mandate.
The U.N. Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for special procedures, but the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization, including OHCHR and the U.N. The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has stated that Albanese works on a voluntary basis and does not receive a salary from them.
The U.N. report, authored by Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, called for sanctions against entities and individuals involved in activities that may endanger Palestinians. This call has sparked backlash, with some accusing Albanese of overstepping her mandate. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused Albanese of making extreme and unfounded accusations and recommending the ICC pursue investigations and prosecutions of these companies and their executives.
In summary, Francesca Albanese remains the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, continues to conduct her mandate vigorously, but faces official punitive measures from the U.S. while simultaneously receiving broad support from international human rights organisations and calls for protection of her independent role. The controversy surrounding Albanese's work underscores the complexities and sensitivities involved in the ongoing debate over human rights and international law in the occupied Palestinian territories.
- The U.S. government's sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, have been criticized by major human rights organizations as a transparent attack on the principles of international justice.
- Google's complicity in Israel's occupation and apartheid system, revealed in a report by Francesca Albanese, has led to internal protests among Google employees and public condemnation from international human rights organizations.
- Despite ongoing controversies, Albanese continues to receive funding from various sources, with the U.N. Human Rights office confirming that she works on a voluntary basis and does not receive a salary from them.
- The publication of the report accusing Google and Alphabet Inc. of profiting from Israel’s actions in Gaza has led to political debates about war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and crime-and-justice, with some policymakers accusing Albanese of overstepping her mandate.
- In the general news, the ongoing debates and sanctions against Albanese highlight the intersection of business, finance, technology, politics, and human rights, with each party involved advocating for their respective interests.
