In a report to the United Nations General Assembly, Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, condemned the "genocidal conduct" by Israel against Palestinians, warning of potential escalation.

Her report, entitled "Genocide as Colonial Erasure," characterizes actions taken against Palestinians in Gaza and beyond as deliberate acts of erasure against the indigenous population.

Albanese argued that Israel's push toward what some describe as a "Greater Israel" endangers the future of the Palestinian population across the region. Speaking at a press conference at UN headquarters, she pointed to a pattern of "multiple acts targeting Palestinians as a ‘people in their entirety.’” She warned of the international community’s “ability to turn a blind eye” and stated that many member states risk undermining international law by “dehumanizing the victims of the past year.”

The report follows a previous assessment Albanese presented to the UN Human Rights Council in March, where she outlined what she called “reasonable grounds to believe that Israel committed acts of genocide in Gaza.” Albanese said she has repeatedly called on influential nations to pressure Israel to halt actions threatening Palestinians, including urging the release of Israeli and Palestinian hostages, and respecting international law.

Highlighting recent escalations in violence, Albanese stated that a series of interventions and appeals — including requests to the UN Security Council, and measures issued by the International Court of Justice — have failed to prevent what she sees as an ongoing “genocidal violence.” She expressed concern over the treatment of Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank, noting that recent developments reveal expanding violations against Palestinians under occupation.

The report attributes Israel’s ability to act with impunity to its “exceptional status” within the international order. Albanese urged immediate action, suggesting that had international legal standards been enforced consistently over the past year, the ongoing conflict in Gaza co

ave been prevented. (ILKHA)