Israeli envoy calls UN rapporteur "witch" over her human rights violations report

A tense session of the United Nations General Assembly’s Third Committee turned fiery on October 28, as Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, launched a scathing personal attack on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. The confrontation followed Albanese's recent report accusing Israel of committing human rights violations and critiquing the international support it receives.

Danon, speaking at the session, denounced Albanese—who appeared virtually after being barred from entering the US due to sanctions—calling her a "witch" and accusing her of promoting "Hamas propaganda under the guise of legal analysis," Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

“Mrs. Albanese, every time you try to curse Israel with falsehoods and libels, your curses fail,” Danon declared. “Mrs. Albanese, you are a witch, and this report is another page in your spellbook. You have tried to curse Israel with lies and hatred, but your poison has failed.”

Albanese was unable to attend the session in person after the United States imposed sanctions on her in July, which included the revocation of her visa.

In response to Danon’s inflammatory remarks, Albanese struck back, dismissing the attack as absurd.

"It is grotesque and frankly delusional that a genocidal state can't respond to the substance of my findings, and the best thing that he resorts to is accusing me of witchcraft. So be it. You're the one accused of genocide; if the worst thing you can accuse me of is witchcraft, I take it," Albanese said.

The heated exchange prompted the committee’s chair to reprimand Danon for his inflammatory language.

By Sabina Mammadli