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Hillel Neuer

@HillelNeuer

Jul 15

Big News: The UN's entire commission of inquiry against Israel has resigned, in fear of U.S. sanctions.
▶️ unwatch.org/un-watch-hails…

Now here's my 🧵 on what the media won't tell you:

A broad coalition of 22 nations condemned the inquiry's anti-Israel bias:

• It was established with an “open-ended mandate with no sunset clause, end date, or clear limitations...”

• “We believe the nature of the COI is further demonstration of long-standing, disproportionate attention given to Israel in the Council, which must stop.”

• “We continue to believe that this long-standing disproportionate scrutiny should end, and that the Council should address all human rights concerns, regardless of country, in an even-handed manner.”

• “Regrettably, we are concerned that the Commission of Inquiry will further contribute to the polarization of a situation about which so many of us are concerned.”

2/ When the commission's reports supported Hamas, @COLRICHARDKEMP took the floor:

“Mr. President, this commission of inquiry is equivalent to Putin’s propaganda machine. The disinformation from Moscow justifies their illegal war on Ukraine; the disinformation from today’s report justifies Hamas’s illegal war on Israel.

I wish to address the commissioners. Putin wrongfully says an illegitimate Ukrainian state occupies Russian territory; you wrongfully say an illegitimate Israeli state occupies Palestinian territory.

Putin falsely says his war is to protect Russian-speakers in Ukraine; you falsely say Hamas’s violence is to protect religious rights in Jerusalem.

Why is this commission swallowing Hamas’s lies — hook, line and sinker — and amplifying them with a megaphone that contorts reality into a travesty of human rights?

Neither this commission nor Putin count Hamas as terrorists. You back them with words while Putin backs them with guns.

Today’s report validates and encourages Hamas’s terror tactics, just as it outrageously denigrates Israel’s lawful defense.

Your work here today ensures renewed bloodshed tomorrow. It incites hatred of Jews around the world, and cruelly betrays the Palestinian people.”

HRC President: “Excuse me, I have to interrupt you — there is a point of order asked by the State of Palestine.”

PLO: “Thank you very much indeed, sir. I would just like to reiterate your call on everyone to respect the mandate of this council and to stick to using respectful language. Such interventions, President, perpetuate the crimes and the violence that we have seen during the funeral of the Palestinian journalist who was killed. This language is an ongoing feature of the violence that is in Palestine. So, President, I will call on you to put an end to the statement of the current speaker. Thank you.”

Col. Kemp: “This report incites hatred of Jews around the world, and cruelly betrays the Palestinian people. Before Putin was expelled from this body, he voted to create your commission of inquiry, and now—like Hamas—he has endorsed your report. I can think of no greater indictment.”

3/ I took the floor at the United Nations to expose the disqualifying bigotry and bias of the commission chair, Navi Pillay. They had no reply:

“Today we ask: Do you believe, High Commissioner, that this Council is ensuring justice and the rule of law?

You mention, at paragraph 34, that the Council created a new commission of inquiry in May 2021.

This inquiry is special. It has an unusually broad mandate to investigate all violations connected to the war that month between Hamas and Israel, as well as incidents in Jerusalem in April, and all events leading up to that period, and since.

Second, unlike all previous inquiries, this one has an all-encompassing mandate to investigate the “root causes of current tensions,” including alleged “systematic discrimination” on the basis of race.

Finally, whereas all other inquiries have a defined term—typically for a year, to produce one report—this inquiry on Israel is the only one mandated to report “on an annual basis.” For perpetuity. The size of the inquiry’s budget and staff, costing millions of dollars, is also unprecedented.

For its most substantial inquiry ever, one would expect special care in choosing its Chair. Yet in July, the Council appointed Ms. Navi Pillay — despite a bipartisan Congressional letter from 2012 documenting how she “repeatedly demonstrated bias against the State of Israel.”

In the Bible it is written: “Justice, Justice shalt thou pursue.” Why does Justice appear twice? To teach us that the methods we use to pursue justice must also be just.

Was appointing Ms. Pillay just?

High Commissioner, under Guidelines published by your office in 2015, a chair of a commission of inquiry must have “a proven record of independence and impartiality,” which can be impacted by “prior public statements.”

Let us consider the statements of Ms. Pillay, Chair of the new inquiry. On 31 May 2010, she declared that “the Israeli government treats international law with perpetual disdain.” In November 2017, she accused Israel of “apartheid.” In a May 2021 lecture, she did it again—and she described Israel’s actions as “inhuman.”

But it’s not only statements. Ms. Pillay has actually lobbied governments. In June 2020, she signed an appeal, organized by the South African Boycott Divestment and Sanctions Coalition, entitled “Sanction Apartheid Israel!”

Her petition condemned “Israel’s occupation and apartheid regime,” campaigned for countries to “ban military-security cooperation with Israel,” and urged them to impose sanctions.

On 14 June 2021, she co-signed a letter to U.S. President Biden, decrying Israel’s “oppression of the Palestinian people.” She called on the U.S. to “address the root causes of the violence” by ending Israel’s “ever-expanding discrimination and systemic oppression.” She referred directly to the events of April.

High Commissioner, is the Council pursuing justice by putting at the head of its most important investigation an individual who has publicly lobbied governments to condemn and sanction one of the parties—and on the very issues that are the object of her inquiry?

High Commissioner, would you not agree that allowing this grave injustice to stand will not only undermine the credibility of the inquiry, but risk casting a shadow upon the reputation of the United Nations as a whole?

Justice, Justice shalt thou pursue.”
unwatch.org/un-rights-chie…

Read 7 tweets

Hillel Neuer

@HillelNeuer

Jul 14

BREAKING: Navi Pillay is resigning from the UN's permanent commission of inquiry on Israel, citing “age, medical issues and other commitments.” Her two colleagues are also resigning. Pillay was chosen for the post because of her visceral hate for Israel: unwatch.org/pillay-commiss…

2/ Commissioner Miloon Kothari, condemned for antisemitism by 18 states, may have been forced out. His letter to UNHRC chair Jürg Lauber, announcing his resignation effective Oct. 31st, refers to “the understanding we reached during our meeting last week.” unwatch.org/the-compendium…

3/ Commissioner Chris Sidoti, who says Jews “throw around accusations of antisemitism like rice at a wedding,” also announced his resignation—effective Nov. 3, like Pillay. However, he told the chair: “I am willing to accept reappointment to the Commission should you so wish...”

Read 4 tweets

Hillel Neuer

@HillelNeuer

Jul 13

BREAKING: Francesca Albanese acknowledges to Reuters that new U.S. sanctions against her will make it “extremely problematic” for her to interact with U.S. citizens, or to “move around.”

Harvard and Columbia will need to cease giving her research support. reuters.com/world/middle-e…

2/ Francesca Albanese is now on the sanctions list. Under U.S. law, it is therefore now illegal for Americans or U.S. entities to provide funds, goods or services to her. Criminal penalties for violations can include fines of up to $20 million and imprisonment of up to 30 years.

3/ According to official disclosures obtained by UN Watch, Francesca Albanese had been receiving support in the past two years from both @Harvard and @Columbia universities for her sanctioned activities. (See undocs.org/en/A/HRC/55/69… at 63 & undocs.org/en/A/HRC/58/70… at 63.)

Read 5 tweets

Hillel Neuer

@HillelNeuer

Jul 11

https://twitter.com/DeborahLyonsSE/status/1849022302349832656

Has anyone seen a news article or statement about Francesca Albanese this week which forgot to mention that the governments of France, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands & Argentina condemned her for Holocaust inversion or antisemitism, or called for her mandate to be terminated?

https://twitter.com/DeborahLyonsSE/status/1849022302349832656

2/ Because I'm seeing a massive whitewash operation trying to turn a racist, terrorist-supporting demagogue into an innocent “human rights activist.”

Following is just a partial list of governments, lawmakers, and others who have denounced Francesca Albanese's racism against Jews and promotion of terrorism.

Notably, Albanese is the first UN “human rights expert” in history to be condemned for racism by these governments.

📍 Source links: unwatch.org/condemnations-…
▶️ Full 58-page dossier: unwatch.org/wp-content/upl…

United States
• The U.S. Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva (July 1, 2025): “The United States reiterates our request that the Secretary-General directly condemn Ms. Albanese‘s activities and call for her removal as Special Rapporteur.”

• The U.S. Government (June 20, 2025): “Ms. Albanese has engaged in years of virulent antisemitism and support for terrorism, conduct which renders her unfit to serve as Special Rapporteur and must be condemned. The United States strongly opposed the renewal of Ms. Albanese’s appointment, warning that it would demonstrate a disregard for the code of conduct for Special Rapporteurs and bring further disgrace to the United Nations.”

• U.S. Congress, Bipartisan Letter of 11 Representatives (June 10, 2025): “Special Rapporteur Albanese has a vile and extensive history of outlandish antisemitic statements and an extreme bias against Israel. Ms. Albanese, as reported by UN Watch and The Jerusalem Post, has received and accepted around $20,000 in payment from pro-Hamas groups to fund her trips to Australia and New Zealand in late 2023.”

• U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch (April 4, 2025): “Francesca Albanese has shown the world and the @UN that her main goal is to continue to spread her disgusting hatred against the Jewish people and the U.S. should not subsidize this scourge.”

• The U.S. Government (April 3, 2025): “We condemn [Ms. Albanese’s] virulent antisemitism, which demonizes Israel and supports Hamas. She has clearly violated the UN’s code of conduct and is unfit for her role. Her reappointment would show the @UN tolerates antisemitic hatred and support for terrorism.”

• U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee (March 31, 2025): “Ms. Albanese unapologetically uses her position as a UN Special Rapporteur to purvey and attempt to legitimize antisemitic tropes, while serving as a Hamas apologist.”

• U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield (July 26, 2024): “There is no place for antisemitism from UN-affiliated officials tasked with promoting human rights. While the United States has never supported Francesca Albanese’s mandate, it is clear she is not fit for this or any position at the UN.”

• U.S. Ambassador to the UNHRC Michèle Taylor (July 26, 2024): “UN Special Rapporteur @FranceskAlbs’s comparison of Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler is reprehensible and antisemitic. There should be no place for such dehumanizing rhetoric. Special rapporteurs should be striving to improve human rights challenges, not inflame them.”

• U.S. Congress, Bipartisan Letter of 11 Representatives (January 23, 2023): “We write to you today to express our opposition to Ms. Francesca Albanese continuing to serve as the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories […] You have stated that ‘there is no room for antisemitism in the UN,’ but it seems you do have room for Special Rapporteur Albanese and others who have repeatedly made statements that are antisemitic. Failure to take meaningful action on repeated instances of antisemitism by UN officials undermines the UN’s credibility. We urge you to demonstrate that the UN is capable of genuinely addressing antisemitism by removing Ms. Albanese from her post.”

• U.S. House Representative Kathy Manning (December 16, 2022): “[Albanese’s rhetoric has been] completely unacceptable and frankly shocking. […] She made statements that were not true in her application which I think calls her fitness for that position into question. […] There’s also a code of conduct for mandate holders and I think she has violated that code of conduct.”

• U.S. Public Delegate to UNGA Andrew Weinstein (December 16, 2022): “This report about UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese is appalling. Antisemitism should have no home at the United Nations.”

• U.S. Ambassador to the UNHRC Michèle Taylor (December 14, 2022): “We are appalled by recently uncovered antisemitic remarks on social media made by a UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur before taking on the role. References to the ‘Jewish Lobby’ are an age-old trope; this is outrageous, inappropriate, corrosive, & degrades the value of the UN.”

• U.S. Special Envoy on Antisemitism Deborah Lipstadt (December 14, 2022): “Such blatant antisemitic rhetoric–particularly when it’s an established pattern–is simply unacceptable. It severely undermines the credibility of the UN Human Rights Special Rapporteur to deal with the issue of human rights in the context of Israel & the Palestinian territories”

Canada
• Canada’s Special Envoy on Combating Antisemitism Deborah Lyons (October 30, 2024): “As a former UN official, as the Special Envoy for Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, and as a Canadian, I am horrified to see a United Nations Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, engage in Holocaust distortion and inversion.”

• And March 2024: “The horrific bias and cruelty in this statement [by Albanese] taints the work of the UN. I encourage our leaders to make clear that we find this unacceptable and intolerable. All UN member nations must confront and push back on global institutionalized discrimination, including antisemitism.”

• Canadian Minister Ya’ara Saks (October 24, 2024): “Antisemitism has no place anywhere, especially not in the UN by someone with a duty to uphold human rights. The comments made by Francesca Albanese are abhorrent and not fitting of a Special Rapporteur.”

• Canada’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva (October 24, 2024): “The recent remarks by Francesca Albanese are unacceptable and incompatible with her duty of impartiality, probity and good faith as an independent Special Rapporteur. Antisemitism has no place anywhere.”

• Canadian Parliament Member and Special Advisor on Antisemitism Anthony Housefather (October 17, 2024): “Francesca Albanese has a long history of using antisemitic tropes. It is absolutely baffling to me that the United Nations condones her behaviour and does not remove her from her position.”

Germany

• German Foreign Ministry (February 11, 2024):“Full support to @francediplo. To justify the horrific terror attacks of 7/10 & deny their antisemitic nature is appalling. Making such statements in a UN capacity is a disgrace and goes against everything the United Nations stand for.”

• German Member of Parliament Daniela Ludwig (April 1, 2025): “Anyone who downplays the Islamist terror by Hamas and wants to legitimize the thousand-fold murder of Jews as democratic resistance is no longer bearable.”

• German Member of Parliament Jürgen Hardt (April 1, 2025): “Under Francesca Albanese, her office became an obstacle to the peace process. This failure must not burden Israel and the Palestinians for another term of office.”

• German Parliament Member Gitta Connemann (July 25, 2024): “Francesca Albanese again. Her comparison of the Israeli Prime Minister with Adolf Hitler is disgusting. Her anti-Semitic phrases are a disgrace for the UN. She must go…”

• German Parliament Member Frank Müller-Rosentritt (July 25, 2024): “Francesca Albanese is a disgrace to the UN. I call on the German government to work with other countries to achieve her immediate removal.”

• German Parliament Member Frank Müller-Rosentritt (June 9, 2024): “A disgusting commentary on the successful release of the hostages. Francesca Albanese must finally be removed from her position as UN Special Reporter! Germany must not support this blatant one-sidedness, demonization and delegitimization of Israel.”

France

• French Foreign Ministry: “The October 7 massacre is the largest anti-Semitic massacre of the 21st century. Disputing it is a mistake. Seeming to justify it, by including the name of the United Nations, is a shame. These comments [by Francesca Albanese] are all the more scandalous since the fight against anti-Semitism and all forms of racism are at the heart of the founding of the UN.” (February 11, 2024)

• France condemns Francesca Albanese for “hate speech and antisemitism,” calls on Human Rights Council to “draw all consequences” from her “failure to respect the minimum rules of ethics and professional conduct of the United Nations system.” (October 18, 2024)

• Actions Avocats, an Association of 200+ French Attorneys (April 2, 2025): “Ms. Albanese has repeatedly made public statements, taken positions, and engaged in ac9ons that can be regarded as fundamentally contrary to the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, and non-selectivity that should guide the consideration of any renewal of her mandate…” (Original in French)

• 42 French Parliamentarians (March 28, 2025): Ms. Albanese’s reappointment “would send a regrettable signal to victims, human rights defenders, and states committed to credible multilateralism.”

United Kingdom

• British Member of Parliament David Taylor (April 1, 2025): “Albanese’s response to the largest antisemitic massacre of the 21st century…in a UN capacity is abhorrent and does so much damage to communities already torn apart by horrific violence, going against everything the United Nations stands for.”

The Netherlands

• The Dutch Government (March 26, 2025): “Several of her social media statements are at odds with the Code of Conduct. The Cabinet disapproves of these expressions. The Cabinet does not support Albanese’s possible reappointment.”

Italy

• Italy’s former Deputy Foreign Minister Guglielmo Picchi (March 31, 2025): “I call on the Italian Government to ask UNHCR president Jurg Lauber to stop the planned reappointment as special rapporteur on human rights in Palestinian territories of Francesca Albanese this Friday, April 4th.”

European Union

• 10 European Parliament lawmakers formally oppose reappointment of Francesca Albanese for promoting terrorism and antisemitism. (April 3, 2025)

• European Parliament Member Miriam M. Lexmann (December 15, 2022): “Appalling Antisemitic rhetoric from the UN Special Rapporteur. Ms Albanese must resign and apologise. A sad reflection on today’s state of the UN system that a Special Rapporteur was on human rights engages in such blatant Antisemitism.”

Hungary
• The Government of Hungary (April 1, 2025): “…the extension of Special Rapporteur Albanese’s tenure would send a regrettable message to victims, human rights defenders and those committed to credible multilateralism.”

Argentina
• The Government of Argentina (March 28, 2025): “Argentina supports [the State of Israel’s] concerns… and underlines the importance of the Special Rapporteurs adhering to the provisions of the Code of Conduct…”

Albania
• Albania’s former Deputy Prime Minister Genc Pollo (April 1, 2025): “An antisemitic & pro Hamas rapporteur would discredit (further) the UN Human Rights Council. I call on [the Albanian] Government to act accordingly.”

https://x.com/francediplo/status/1756438502231724104

3/ Every news report I've seen has failed to mention the following: 🧵

🇫🇷 France said it was “scandalous” and “a disgrace” for Francesca Albanese “to appear to justify” the October 7th massacre.

https://x.com/francediplo/status/1756438502231724104

Read 9 tweets

Hillel Neuer

@HillelNeuer

Jun 18

Top U.S. legal experts conclude: “Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear weapons program is fully justified under international law.” By Lt. Col. (ret.) Geoffrey Corn, U.S. Army's former top law of war expert, and Orde Kittrie, State Department's former lead nuclear affairs attorney.

2/ Israel’s attacks on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, which began early Friday, June 13, are lawful, contrary to the expressed views of various commentators and politicians, including Senator Bernie Sanders.

Several of these commentators have based their contention that Israel’s attack is illegal on their opinion that Israel was not responding to an “imminent” nuclear attack by Iran. But this argument overlooks a critical legal principle: When two countries are already in a state of armed conflict—in colloquial terms a war—there is no requirement to wait for “the next attack” to be imminent.

3/ Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, including its ballistic missile capabilities, was legal because Iran and Israel were already engaged in an ongoing international armed conflict. Furthermore, even assuming for argument’s sake that this was not the case, the imminence test was met by the facts in place on June 12, fully justifying Israel’s invocation of the international legal right for a state to defend itself against an imminent unlawful armed attack.

Read 8 tweets

Hillel Neuer

@HillelNeuer

Jun 7

Hey @GretaThunberg, as your selfie ship sails toward Gaza, I want to remind you that the UN itself has found that under international law, Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, designed to stop Hamas from smuggling rockets and other weapons, is entirely legal. blog.unwatch.org/wp-content/upl…

2/ The UN's Palmer Report found that “Israel faces a real threat to its security from militant groups in Gaza. The naval blockade was imposed as a legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea and its implementation complied with the requirements of international law.”

3/ “Although people are entitled to express their political views, the [2010] flotilla acted recklessly in attempting to breach the naval blockade. [T]here exist serious questions about the conduct, true nature and objectives of the flotilla organizers, particularly IHH. The actions of the flotilla needlessly carried the potential for escalation.”

Read 10 tweets

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