Georgetown University ends ties with UN Palestine rapporteur

(MENAFN) Georgetown University in the United States has ended its affiliation with Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, following sanctions imposed on her by the US government in July.

Albanese, who had been associated with Georgetown’s Institute for the Study of International Migration in Washington, DC for a decade, said on social media that the university’s move is “yet another fallout of the sanctions the US imposed on me last July for exposing Israel's genocide and the complicity of US businesses.” She added, “Any other explanation is the usual laughable propaganda of the pro-genocide minions.”

While the university has not issued a new comment, an earlier statement from the migration institute’s director noted that “US institutions are prohibited by federal law from affiliating with individuals subject to US sanctions.” Observers suggest the decision may also reflect pressure from the Trump administration, which has been critical of Palestinian advocacy.

The US sanctions, announced in July, targeted Albanese for her efforts to encourage International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations into US and Israeli officials. These measures followed a report by Albanese identifying companies—such as Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Palantir—that allegedly support Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories through military equipment, surveillance technology, and infrastructure.

The UN criticized the US action, warning it sets a “dangerous precedent.” Legal experts and human rights groups have argued that sanctioning investigators like Albanese undermines international law precisely when accountability is most needed.

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