Francesca Albanese says she will "continue doing what I'm doing" after the Trump administration imposed sanctions on one of the UN's top advocates for Palestinian rights, accusing her of "spewing unabashed antisemitism".
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with senior Republicans as part of a multi-day visit to Washington DC.
Ms Albanese, a human rights lawyer, is the UN's special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories — an independent expert appointed to follow and report to the UN on human rights issues.
She uses her high profile and large social media following to frequently speak out about allegations of war crimes in Gaza and the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed the sanctions meant any property Ms Albanese owned in the US would be frozen, and she and her immediate family were unlikely to be allowed to enter the US.
In response, Ms Albanese said "it seems that I've poked the bear in the eye".
"I didn't expect that they had the lack of decency to do that," she told ABC News Channel.
"But this is an administration that has zero respect for international law, for human life, for their very words. They were discussing with Iran and then they have helped Israel bomb Iran.
"I understand that this administration is not bound by principles or rules.
"I will go ahead, continue doing what I'm doing and that's it."
In a statement, Mr Rubio said Ms Albanese had "spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism, and open contempt for the United States, Israel, and the West".
He also accused her of "sanctioning lawfare" by engaging with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to prosecute individuals and organisations linked to Israel's occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.
"She has recently escalated this effort by writing threatening letters to dozens of entities worldwide, including major American companies across finance, technology, defence, energy, and hospitality, making extreme and unfounded accusations," he said.
Earlier this month, Ms Albanese released a report critical of companies connected to Israel's military campaign in Gaza and its West Bank settlements deemed illegal under international law.
"Far too many corporate entities have profited from Israel's economy of illegal occupation, apartheid and now, genocide," the report says.
"The complicity exposed by this report is just the tip of the iceberg; ending it will not happen without holding the private sector accountable, including its executives."
After the sanctions announcement, Ms Albanese, who is Italian, wrote on social media:
"Just to be sure, on this day more than ever: I stand firmly and convincingly on the side of justice, as I have always done.
"I come from a country with a tradition of illustrious legal scholars, talented lawyers and courageous judges who have defended justice at great cost and often with their own life. I intend to honour that tradition."
In February, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), which last year issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, as well as several Hamas leaders.
The arrest warrants accuse the Israeli leaders of crimes against humanity and war crimes, including the use of starvation as a method of war. They were issued on the advice of a panel of human rights experts and international barristers.
The warrants mean the 125 countries that are party to the ICC — including Australia, but not Israel or the US — have a legal obligation to arrest Mr Netanyahu or Mr Gallant if they enter those countries.
Mr Trump's February order targeting the ICC also coincided with a visit to Washington by Mr Netanyahu.
Mr Rubio cited Ms Albanese's support for the ICC arrest warrants when he announced the sanctions.
Referring to the international treaty that founded the ICC, Ms Albanese wrote:
"Also: it is called the Rome Statute for a reason, and I am proud of it."
The ICC is independent of, but commonly confused with, the UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is considering a genocide case against Israel.
Israel denies it is committing genocide, and says its operation in Gaza — which has killed an estimated 60,000 people — is legitimate self-defence following the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023.
In November 2023, Ms Albanese visited Australia as a guest of the Australian Friends of Palestine Association, delivering the Edward Said Memorial Lecture in Adelaide and addressing organisations including the National Press Club.
