THE United Nations stepped up its support today for the world body’s special rapporteur on Palestine who is facing calls to resign.

UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Marta Hurtado has hit back at condemnations of Francesca Albanese earlier this week by Germany, France and Italy over remarks they allege she made about Israel.

The controversy centres on comments that Ms Albanese made to the Doha Forum last Saturday.

Ms Albanese criticised what she described as the complicity of the international community in Israel’s war on the Palestinians in Gaza during which she referred to a “common enemy of humanity.”

She told the forum that “the fact [is] that instead of stopping Israel, most of the world has armed, given Israel political excuses, political sheltering, economic and financial support,” as she accused those governments and Western media of enabling “genocide in Gaza.”

In an interview with France 24 on Thursday, Ms Albanese rejected the accusation that she described Israel as that “common enemy” and blasted what she called “completely false accusations” and “manipulation.”

Ms Albanese has rejected accusations that she was describing Israel as that “common enemy.”

Earlier this week, Ms Albanese posted a video clip of her comments on social media, saying: “The common enemy of humanity is the system that has enabled the genocide in Palestine, including the financial capital that funds it, the algorithms that obscure it and the weapons that enable it.”

But on Thursday, Germany’s foreign minister called for her resignation. Italy followed suit. This followed a similar call the day before from France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

Mr Barrot accused Ms Albanese of making “outrageous and reprehensible ⁠remarks” against Israel.

Ms Albanese posted to social media today, saying: “Three European governments accuse me — based on statements I never made — with a virulence and conviction that they have never used against those who have slaughtered 20,000 plus children in 858 ⁠days.”

The UN’s Ms Hurtado told a news briefing: “We are very ⁠worried. We are concerned that UN officials, independent experts and judicial officials are increasingly subjected to personal attacks, threats and misinformation that distracts from the serious human rights issues.”

Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked and injured at least 54 Palestinians today.

Also in the West Bank, Israel’s far right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir toured Ofer Prison near Ramallah today.

During the visit the minister praised a policy he led that imposed harsh restrictions on Palestinian prisoners.