UN Rights Expert: “World Has Granted Israel License to Torture Palestinians”

DID Press: Francesca Albanese has warned that Israel, with either the support or silence of the international community, has effectively received a “license to torture Palestinians,” elevating such practices to a matter of government policy.

Speaking on Monday at the UN Human Rights Council, Albanese stated, “Torture has effectively become a government policy in Israel.” She emphasized that the inaction of many states has facilitated this situation.

In her latest report, titled “Torture and Genocide”, Albanese described conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories as “a continuum of ongoing physical and psychological suffering.” She noted that torture is no longer confined to detention centers or interrogation rooms but is widespread in the daily lives of Palestinians.

The report cites factors such as mass displacement, blockades, restricted access to food and humanitarian aid, military violence, settler attacks, and constant surveillance, which Albanese describes as a form of “collective punishment.” She warned that these conditions could have long-term physical and psychological consequences for the Palestinian population.

The report also includes statistics from ongoing conflicts, including over 72,000 deaths in Gaza since October 2023 and approximately 18,500 arrests in the West Bank.

Albanese’s statements have drawn strong criticism from Israel and the United States, both of which have denied the allegations and called for her removal from the special rapporteur role.

Despite political pressure, Albanese has maintained her position, attributing the ongoing situation to the international community’s failure to act against what she terms “widespread human rights violations.”