Hillel Neuer Profile picture
International human rights lawyer, writer, Executive Director of United Nations Watch. BA, BCL, LLB, LLM & Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa. 🇨🇦🇨🇭
46 subscribers
Jul 15 7 tweets 7 min read
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.”
Jul 14 4 tweets 2 min read
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…
Jul 13 5 tweets 3 min read
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. Image
Image
Jul 11 9 tweets 10 min read
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? 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.”
Jun 18 8 tweets 3 min read
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.Image 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.
Jun 7 10 tweets 3 min read
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…Image 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.”
Jun 6 7 tweets 3 min read
UNRWA is in panic. They're frightened of getting replaced. Watch them do everything to kill the new 🇮🇱🇺🇸 humanitarian effort in Gaza. UNRWA is promoting the fantastic and grotesque lie that Israel & the U.S. hatched a plot to use aid to murder Gazans. Remember: UNRWA is Hamas. 🧵 L: Suhail al-Hindi, former head of 30,000 UNRWA employees' union — and member of the Hamas Political Bureau in Gaza.

R: Yahya Sinwar, fellow member of Hamas Politburo who masterminded the October 7th massacre.

Remember: UNRWA is Hamas. Image
Jun 3 11 tweets 6 min read
Yes, UNRWA, you are very neutral.
unwatch.org/unrwa-head-tol… x.com/UNRWA/status/1…Image 2/ There is no evidence on terror ties of:
📍UNRWA chiefs Philippe Lazzarini & Pierre Krähenbühl
📍Lebanon reps Dorothee Klaus, Claudio Cordone, Matthias Schmale
📍Deputies Gwyn Lewis, Hakam Shahwan, Thomas White, Munir Manna, Anne Dismorr, Leni Stenseth unwatch.org/the-unholy-all…
May 29 6 tweets 3 min read
Dear @Georgetown: You list Francesca Albanese as an “international lawyer.” Indeed she often calls herself that.

But she just confessed to never taking the exam, and having no license. 🔽

Please delete the misinformation. And remove this Hamas supporter from your university. Image 2/ In most legal systems, the term “lawyer” is reserved for those who passed the bar exam and have been admitted to the bar.

Francesca Albanese never took a bar exam. She was never admitted to practice in any country.

Thus in any professional or legal sense she is not a lawyer.
May 22 5 tweets 2 min read
1/ On Sky News, I explained how the UN and global media spread a deadly lie: 14,000 babies were “about to die” in Gaza. A total lie. No basis. No fact-checking. Just the latest blood libel dressed up as a humanitarian message by a top UN official and broadcast around the world. 2/ The Total Lie started early. Ten days after the October 7th Hamas massacre, media headlines screamed “Israel bombs Gaza hospital, kills 500.” A total lie. It was Islamic Jihad. The blast hit a parking lot. But the lie was spread by the UN, Amnesty & Canadian FM Melanie Joly.
May 19 9 tweets 4 min read
KHAN OUT, KHAN IN: ICC swaps one morally corrupt prosecutor with another. Karim Khan stepped down over allegations he raped his employee repeatedly—and indicted Israeli leaders to divert attention. Now Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Khan replaces him. But I saw how unethical she is: 🧵Image
Image
When she used to chair UN Human Rights Council sessions, Nazhat Khan violated freedom of speech to appease the world's worst tyrannies. Here she is cutting me off after a few seconds—as demanded by Cuba & the PLO—after I tried to simply read out the names of tyrannies who spoke.
Apr 28 7 tweets 4 min read
Dear Secretary-General @antonioguterres: This is legal notice that the purported renewal of Francesca Albanese as “Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories” was unlawful, and is therefore null and void. Her terms ends Wednesday: 🧵 unwatch.org/wp-content/upl…Image
Image
2/ As you know, her purported renewal, announced at the conclusion of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council, was carried out illegally, in direct contravention of HRC Presidential Statement 8/PRST/2—adopted by consensus in 2008, and enshrined in Art. 7 of the Manual of Operations of the Special Procedures—which imposes a clear and binding obligation: “The President of the Human Rights Council will convey to the Council information brought to his or her attention… concerning cases of persistent non-compliance by a mandate-holder” with the Code of Conduct, particularly in advance of reappointments. International law experts have deemed 8/PRST/2 one of the Council’s four “institution building texts.” Contempt for this core rule carries consequences.
Apr 25 6 tweets 4 min read
STUNNING REVERSAL: 🇺🇸 U.S. Department of Justice Strips UNRWA of Immunity. “The complaint alleges atrocious conduct on the part of UNRWA. The Government believes they must answer these allegations in American courts. The prior Administration’s view that they do not was wrong.”
🧵Image
Image
2-3: “UNRWA has not been designated by the President under the International Organizations Immunities Act of 1945. UNRWA is not subject to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, and is not immune from suit under that treaty or current U.S. law.” Image
Image
Mar 28 6 tweets 3 min read
BREAKING: The President of the UN Human Rights Council is reportedly planning to evade his legal duty to convey to the plenary our objection to the reappointment of Francesca Albanese (per HRC 8/PRST/2) by claiming that her violations of the Code of Conduct are not “persistent.” Image
Image
2/ Any refusal to convey our objection to Albanese’s reappointment by claiming her violations aren’t “persistent” would be a specious excuse. The President's duty under 8/PRST/2 is to transmit, not judge. In any case, our 60-page dossier shows clear persistent misconduct.
Mar 26 4 tweets 2 min read
Antisemitism Leads to Madness: Leftist Irish politician Clare Daly, an avowed feminist, covers herself in Islamic garb to join pro-Iran Jihadis at Houthi conference in Yemen that repeatedly called for “Death to America! Death to Israel! A Curse Upon the Jews! Victory to Islam.” You can also see Clare Daly in front row on the far left joining the Jihadi crowd to shake her fist in approval as the speaker, a former ANC MP who converted to Islam to marry his fourth wife, chants “Viva Hamas” & “Viva Hezbollah.”
Mar 11 9 tweets 5 min read
No joke: Meet the new Chair of the U.N. Women's Rights Commission. Image 2/ Ambassador Abdulaziz M. Alwasil of Saudi Arabia is now chairing the U.N. commission on the status of women, “the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality, the rights and the empowerment of women.” unwomen.org/en/how-we-work…
Feb 27 7 tweets 3 min read
The 2025 U.N. Human Rights Council is now in session.

Meet the members:
🇨🇺 Cuba
🇶🇦 Qatar
🇨🇳 China
🇸🇩 Sudan
🇩🇿 Algeria
🇧🇴 Bolivia
🇰🇼 Kuwait
🇧🇮 Burundi
🇻🇳 Vietnam
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of Congo

The inmates are running the asylum. 2/ UNHRC Grants Impunity to Worst Regimes: The council has adopted ZERO resolutions on China, Cuba, Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, Hamas, Iraq, Erdogan's Turkey, Zimbabwe, and countless other oppressive regimes and state sponsors of terrorism.
Feb 7 6 tweets 3 min read
@faniaoz @ICRC_ilot 🧵 1/ Out of 187 tweets by the Red Cross on the conflict, including by ICRC president  Mirjana Spoljaric Egger and director Robert Mardini, 77% criticized Israel. Only 7% criticized Hamas. So the Red Cross is 10 times more critical of Israel than Hamas. unwatch.org/report-red-cro… @faniaoz @ICRC_ilot 2/ Red Cross officials told the family of a female hostage held by Hamas in Gaza not to worry about their daughter's need for daily medication — and that they should worry about Gazans instead.
Jan 22 18 tweets 7 min read
BREAKING: U.N. Special Rapporteur Mofokeng is now calling me an “evil scum” “white man” after I called for her to be disciplined for tweeting “F**k off” to Israel's prime minister. Mofokeng actually sits on the U.N. committee overseeing all 86 U.N. human rights experts. 🧵 Image 2/ Doubling down on her violations of the UN Code of Conduct—which require to act with probity, integrity & good faith—Mofokeng unleashed a rant against me replete with racism, obscenities & insults. Her actions bring the UN into disrepute and @antonioguterres cannot stay silent. Image
Jan 19 10 tweets 4 min read
BREAKING: UN human rights official tweets “F**k him” about Israel's prime minister. I ask Secretary-General @antonioguterres & High Commissioner @volker_turk: this tweet has been up for 16 hours, why are you silent?Image 2/ Mofakeng works closely with fellow UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese. She's also a veteran member on the Committee overseeing all the UN rapporteurs—the same one that's supposed to investigate our complaint against Albanese. How morally corrupt.
ohchr.org/en/special-pro…Image
Jan 13 6 tweets 3 min read
BREAKING: Nawaf Salam wins support to become next PM of Lebanon.
• The Good News: Hezbollah wanted the other guy.
• The Bad News: Salam is a longtime supporter of Ayatollah Khamenei, Fidel Castro & Bashar Assad.
• The Unethical News: He was heading ICJ while campaigning. 🧵Image In 2007, when the UNGA considered a resolution to denounce the Islamic Republic of Iran’s use of stoning as a method of execution, Nawaf Salam—then the ambassador of Lebanon—voted to shield the regime, joining a club that includes China, Russia, Cuba, North Korea & Venezuela. /2 Image