World artists back Palestine rapporteur Francesca Albanese despite criticism
South China Morning Post
by Agence France-PresseFebruary 14, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
World-renowned artists and cultural figures have rallied behind UN Palestinian human rights expert Francesca Albanese, who is facing pressure to resign over controversial remarks she made about Israel's actions in Gaza. France and Germany have called for her resignation following her criticism of "most of the world" for enabling what she described as a "genocide" in Gaza. Albanese has denied these allegations, labeling them as "manipulation" and "completely false."
In response to the calls for her ouster, over 100 prominent entertainers signed an open letter organized by the Artists for Palestine group. Among the supporters were actors Mark Ruffalo and Javier Bardem, Nobel-winning author Annie Ernaux, and British musician Annie Lennox. The letter expresses solidarity with Albanese, describing her as a defender of human rights and a champion of Palestinian people's right to existence. It also condemns the use of force as a law and emphasizes the desire
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Originally published on South China Morning Post on 2/14/2026