Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, says she has no intention of "remaining silent about the genocide in Gaza," despite what she describes as efforts by the United States to "intimidate her using tactics reminiscent of the mafia," following sanctions imposed on her in response to her most recent report.

"They want to intimidate me and anyone who tries to speak the truth about the ongoing genocide in Gaza, using methods that recall those of the mafia. But they will not succeed. I will continue to do my job with my head held high, demanding action from the International Criminal Court," she told Italy’s La Repubblica newspaper on Friday.

Albanese, an Italian jurist, stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "must be tried in The Hague." Her latest report identifies 45 private companies, including U.S. tech giants Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM, which she accuses of profiting "at the expense of innocent lives" in Gaza.

"The war persists due to Israel’s territorial ambitions, supported by arms, surveillance, technology, and artificial intelligence companies that are making enormous profits. And we are the ones purchasing those weapons. Then there is the credit system, banking institutions, and pension funds, which have ensured a continuous flow of capital to finance these operations," she said.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, in announcing the sanctions, claimed Albanese is "unfit" to serve as a UN special rapporteur, accusing her of "blatant antisemitism, support for terrorism, and open contempt for the United States, Israel, and the West." The United Nations called the sanctions a "dangerous precedent," while Amnesty International described them as "shameful and vindictive."

In Italy, an online petition supporting Albanese reportedly gathered 15,000 signatures within two hours. Organizers are calling for diplomatic protection for the UN rapporteur and for her to be officially nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

"I have written six reports for the UN, always calling for investigations into crimes such as arbitrary detention, the treatment of minors, and genocide, urging the ICC to determine accountability. But the United States at this moment is a country allergic to justice. It imposes sanctions on the Court itself or anyone trying to uphold the law, using intimidation techniques reminiscent of the mafia," Albanese explained.

She believes it is clear that "economic and political power seeks to silence its critics, first through ridicule and defamation. I denounce this system, which only works if people allow themselves to be intimidated and divided."

Albanese called for the engagement of the ICC and other international institutions, "even though the conditions are not favorable," as the sectors involved, such as the military industry, high finance, and technology, are "too powerful for national judicial systems to handle."

Regarding the impact of the sanctions on her personally, she stated, "Psychologically, none. Practically, they will clearly complicate my life. But I am a privileged Westerner, technically protected by UN diplomatic immunity, while people in Gaza are dying from hunger, misery, or under the bombs." She noted that in Gaza "60,000 people have been killed, including 18,000 children."