US reaffirms stance on sanctions against Italian politician Francesca Albanese

The US Department of State has clarified its stance on sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur for the Palestinian territory. In July 2025, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Albanese following her recommendation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) that Israeli officials be issued arrest warrants. The sanctions were lifted after a court ruling in February, with US District Judge Richard Leon issuing a preliminary injunction to block the sanctions.

The Department of State stated that the removal of Albanese from the list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) was solely due to the court’s order and not a change in policy. The administration has appealed the court’s decision and intends to restore Albanese’s name to the SDN List if the ruling is upheld or overturned.

Albanese, an Italian human rights expert, had been critical of Israeli policies towards Palestinians, including her report on alleged genocide in Gaza. Her daughter, a US citizen, and assets in the country were also affected by the sanctions. In February, Albanese’s family filed a civil complaint seeking to overturn the sanctions as a violation of her constitutional rights.

The lawsuit noted that the government had sought to regulate Albanese due to her speech, with Judge Leon stating that she had done nothing more than speak and that her recommendations had no binding effect on the ICC. The court’s decision was seen as a victory for human rights groups and experts who have echoed Albanese’s conclusion that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide.

The Trump administration had previously accused Albanese of “biased and malicious activities” and labeled the ICC’s arrest warrant against Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as “lawfare”.

Source: Al Jazeera