RAMALLAH, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said today it was following with grave concern the coordinated assault on the character of UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese.

Albanese has recently been denied entry into the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, by the Israeli occupation authorities, thus obstructing her from implementing her mandate.

“Such inflamatory defamations and attempts at character assassination are further proof that defenders of Israeli occupation and its crimes and those complicit in such crimes by way of normalization, excuses, or cover up, have no logical or fact-based response to Ms. Albanese’s sound legal assessment of the situation in Palestine,” said the Ministry in a statement.

The statement added, “These are old and tried tactics that must not be dignified as credible or factual. Ms. Albanese’s expertise and sound legal analysis are beyond reproach because they are based on objective facts and the law.”

The Foreign Ministry called on all states, relevant UN officials, legal scholars, and the global human rights community to unequivocally reject this campaign that aims at silencing and defaming pro-justice voices that courageously speak out against Israel’s prolific and systemic crimes and grave violations of Palestinian rights and international law obligations.

“We also call on states to assume their responsibilities in defending the Special Rapporteur and her invaluable work. Failing to do so will send a grave message to all other outspoken and distinguished legal experts and human rights defenders. These tactics must not prevail. They must not succeed.”

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency