UN Rapporteur Urges ICC to Probe Israeli Media for Genocide Incitement

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor to investigate potential direct public incitement to genocide by Israeli officials and media figures. This recommendation is included in a 29-page report dated July 21, which was published last week. Albanese asserts in the report that the Israeli government's communication has influenced public discourse and contributed to the dehumanization of Palestinians. She further alleges that some Israeli media outlets have gone beyond merely relaying such narratives, at times inciting violence or even genocide. These claims have not been established by a judicial decision.

Albanese's report suggests that these allegations of incitement should be examined within the framework of the ICC's ongoing investigation into the situation in Palestine. This is not the first time she has raised concerns about Israeli media; in a report from October 2024, she called for an examination of their role, citing a "genocidal climate."

Israel, the United States, and Jewish officials have frequently criticized Albanese's positions, accusing her of lacking impartiality and of antisemitism. In 2025, the Donald Trump administration imposed sanctions on her due to her criticisms of Israel. Earlier this year, several EU foreign ministers criticized remarks Albanese made at an Al Jazeera conference, where she referred to countries supporting Israel as an "common enemy of humanity," a statement she later clarified was not directed at Israel specifically.

Albanese has faced other controversies, including the resurfacing of old messages from 2022 where she mentioned a "Jewish lobby" controlling the U.S., which she dismissed as distorted. Following the October 7, 2023, attacks, her call to place Hamas's assault in context also drew strong criticism. More recently, she apologized for mistakenly associating the German term "Muselmann," used in Nazi camps for severely weakened prisoners, with the origin of the word "antisemitism."