Francesca Albanese has called on journalists to “re-humanise the discourse” when reporting on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Speaking to the National Press Club on Tuesday, the UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory said the UN is experiencing perhaps “its most epic political and humanitarian failure” since 1948.
Albanese, the first woman to hold the role at the UN in its 50-year history, spoke particularly of the “unspeakable war crimes” committed against the children in Palestine, where more than 4,000 children have been killed.
“It is the Palestinian children who are most disproportionately impacted,” Albanese said.
Albanese, an Italian international lawyer, was appointed to the role of UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory in 2022.
In her role, she is an independent expert on the area and makes investigation and analysis based on reports given to her, as she is not able to visit the occupied territory in the interest of impartiality.
“Once I’ve made my analysis and come to the conclusion that international law violations have been committed, my task is not to create a balance or to be impartial between the victims and the perpetrators,” Albanese said.
“My job is to insist on measures to restore legality to justice and prevent further abuses and injustice.”
The rise of #AntiPalestinianRacism,#Islamophobia, & #Antisemitism must concern us all.
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) November 10, 2023
The HumanRights community has been warning of escalating #racism,#discrimination,#bigotry connected to the ISR/PAL situation for years.
To be a Cassandra in these tragic hours, is so taxing. https://t.co/Zg9OvpiuHI
Albanese said over one million Palestinians, including children as young as 12 years old, have been arrested and detained since 1967.
“No one has been victimised by Israel settler colonial rule more than Palestinian children,” she said.
Albanese said the “crimes against humanity” in Gaza, including the bombing of schools “once filled with students now resting in cemeteries or under the rubble”, must be brought to international attention.
“Exposing the population to the unspeakable risk of war crimes and crimes against humanity must be accounted for,” she said.
“I am being generous when I say the UN is experiencing its most epic political and humanitarian failure since its creation.
Speaking to reporters at the National Press Club, Albanese said journalists have “a great deal of homework” to do on their reportage of the crisis in Gaza.
“In international media, there is a tendency to talk of Palestinian deaths as a tragedy,” she said.
“11,000 Palestinians have been killed… this is not discussed.
“They are killed, they are blamed and they are smeared when they try to speak out.”
Albanese said the media discourse has been dominated by calls for a two-state solution.
“It’s important to talk about the two-state solution, but what about the 11,000 people killed?”
The lawyer said “re-humanising the discourse” in the media is in “the interests of both Palestinians and Israeli Jews”, particularly the children caught up in the crisis.
“The children of today are tomorrow’s adults,” she said.
“The necessity of retaining a more humane narrative is categorically imperative, both to protect them and the society that will soon be part of.”