Two pro-Israel Christian groups are suing United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories [sic] Francesca Albanese for defamation, after she accused them of complicity in “genocide.”
Christian Friends of Israeli Communities and Christians for Israel USA are suing Albanese in the Federal District Court in Colorado, citing threatening letters she sent to each of the organizations.
Albanese told each organization that it faces “potential criminal liability for the material support it provides to maintain Israel’s unlawful occupation” in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank).
In their complaint, filed by the National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC), the Christian groups note Albanese’s history of antisemitism and unprofessional conduct.
They add that she continued to accuse them of unlawful activity even after being warned not to do so by the U.S. Department of Justice. And they argue that the immunity normally enjoyed by UN officials should not apply to her.
The groups also deny any unlawful activity, saying that they are “religious, charitable nonprofit organizations that are focused on fostering positive relations between Christians, Jews, and the Jewish state.”
In a press statement, Willem Griffioen, Chairman of Christians for Israel International and Christians for Israel USA, said: “Persecution of Israel, the Jewish people, and their supporters is not new. Albanese’s goal is to cut off our love and support for Israel, and she tramples our freedoms in the process.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also placed sanctions on Albanese earlier this year.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Zionist Conspiracy Wants You, now available on Amazon. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
