UN special rapporteur says Australia, others ‘paralysed’ in response to Gaza crisis

Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, has accused Australia and other Western countries of failing to act to prevent “genocidal crimes” in Gaza.

“In the face of all this, the international community is almost completely paralysed. I am being generous when I say almost, with the UN experiencing its most epic political and humanitarian failure since its creation,” Albanese said in a speech to the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra on Tuesday.

“Individual member states, especially in the West – and Australia is no exception – are on the margins, muttering inaudible words of condemnation for Israel’s excesses at best. Or staying silent in fear of restraining Israel’s … self-proclaimed right to self-defence, whatever it means.”