UN Special Rapporteur affirms October 7 attacks linked to Israel’s actions

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, challenged French President Emmanuel Macron’s characterization of the October 7 Hamas attack as the “largest anti-Semitic massacre of the 21st century.”

In a social media post, Albanese rejected Macron’s statement, asserting, “The victims of October 7 were not killed because of their Judaism, but in response to Israel’s oppression. France and the international community did nothing to prevent it. My respects to the victims.”

Albanese’s response followed Macron’s tribute to the October 7 victims during a ceremony in Paris on February 7, where he remarked that “the unspeakable resurfaced from the depths of history” on that day.

Addressing the interpretation of her remarks, Albanese condemned the attack and expressed disappointment at any suggestion that she justified Hamas’ actions. She clarified, “Disappointed that some read my tweet as ‘justifying’ the Hamas crimes of October 7, which I have strongly condemned several times. I reject all racism, including anti-Semitism, a global threat. But explaining these crimes as anti-Semitism obscures their true cause.”

In a subsequent response, the French Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Macron’s stance, reiterating that the October 7 massacre constituted the “largest anti-Semitic massacre of the 21st century.”