Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez has awarded UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese one of Spain’s highest civilian honors for her “denouncing Israel’s genocide in Gaza.” 49-year-old Albanese is an Italian human rights lawyer and legal scholar who has served as the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories since May 2022. Since the start of Israel’s genocide in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, Albanese has become one of the most prominent international voices documenting Israel’s violations of international law. She reported to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2024 that Israel’s actions in Gaza amounted to genocide and has published reports on the violation of Palestinian self-determination, the mass detention of Palestinians and the impact of Israel’s policies on children, which she called “unchilding.” She has faced extensive pressure and criticism for her work, including sanctions from the US, accusing her of engaging with the International Criminal Court (ICC) “to detain, or prosecute nationals of the US or Israel,” cutting her off from the global financial system and leading to the seizure of her apartment in Washington. On Thursday, May 7, Sánchez presented Albanese with the Order of Civil Merit at a ceremony at Moncloa Palace, his official residence in Madrid. The Order of Civil Merit is awarded to Spanish and foreign citizens for extraordinary services benefiting the state or society, according to the Jerusalem Post. “Indifference is never neutral. Remaining silent in the face of suffering is a form of abandonment, and for that reason, Spain will not forget the Palestinian people and those who defend them,” Sánchez said. He said the award is in recognition of Albanese’s decisive work in denouncing Israel’s genocide in Gaza and her tireless commitment to international law. Sánchez also revealed that he had written to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, urging the EU to shield Albanese and officials at ICC from US sanctions within EU territories, arguing that the sanctions jeopardize key international justice institutions. During her visit, Albanese also went to the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid to see Picasso’s Guernica, the famous anti-war painting depicting the Nazi bombing of a Basque town in 1937. She compared the destruction in the painting to Israel’s actions in Gaza. Spain has been the most vocal critic of Israel among EU member states. It has called Israel a “genocidal state,” imposed sanctions on it, including an arms embargo, withdrew its ambassador to Israel and called on the EU to suspend its association agreement with Israel. Despite calls from the US, European governments and pro-Israel organizations to remove Albanese from her role, she was confirmed in her position for another three-year term in April 2025. #spain #gaza #palestine #pedrosanchez #francescaalbanese - @almost.world