Judge blocks Trump sanctions on UN official critical of Israel – RT World News

A US judge has temporarily suspended sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, who was blacklisted by the administration of President Donald Trump due to her criticism of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Albanians have repeatedly mentioned Israel’s war in Gaza a “genocide,” calls for a complete arms embargo and trade embargo. He also called for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under a 2024 International War Crimes Court (ICC) warrant, charging him and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant with war crimes. The ICC, established in 2002 under the Rome Statute to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, has 125 member states, although major powers including the United States, Russia, China, India and Israel are not full members.

Last year, he published a high-profile report accusing more than 60 companies, including US arms manufacturers, of facilitating and profiting from Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The United States, Israel’s biggest donor and largest aid donor, approved Albanese in mid-2025 under Trump’s executive order targeting people. “direct involvement” in an ICC investigation linked to alleged atrocities in Gaza. Those measures prevented him from entering the United States and completely cut him off from the international banking system.

In his ruling on Wednesday, US District Judge Richard Leon said the restrictions violate the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech.

“Albanians have done nothing but talk!” Leon wrote. “Undeniably his recommendations have no legal effect on the ICC’s actions – they are nothing more than his opinion.”

The court rejected the argument that Albanese – an Italian citizen living in Tunisia – was not entitled to First Amendment protection in the United States. Leon mentioned him “deep connections” to the United States, including owning a home in Washington DC and having a daughter born in the United States, as grounds for constitutional protection.

Neither the White House nor the State Department commented on the decision. Judge Leon’s order temporarily suspends the restrictions, but does not stop them entirely. It is still unclear when the final decision will be made.

The Albanians welcomed the decision in a post on X, but called it temporary “relax,” warning that ICC judges and Palestinian non-governmental organizations critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza still face sanctions. The US has imposed sanctions on 11 ICC officials and 10 non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations over the war in Gaza.

Israel responded with a massive military campaign to an attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023 that killed approximately 1,200 people. While heavy fighting was technically halted under a ceasefire reached last year, the accord has repeatedly broken down amid disputes over disarmament.

The war has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and injured more than 172,000, according to Gaza’s health authorities, creating a major humanitarian crisis. An independent investigation by the United Nations, human rights organizations and several countries have accused Israel of genocide, with the United Nations finding that Israel met four of the five criteria, including killing, causing serious harm and creating an environment targeting Gaza. “physical damage.”

South Africa initiated a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2023, with more than 18 countries officially supporting it. Israel denies the claims, saying it is acting in self-defense against Hamas and accusing critics of anti-Semitism.