US sanctions UN human rights official critical of Israel
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused Francesca Albanese of “political warfare”

The US has announced sanctions against the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, who has condemned Israel’s war in Gaza.

In a post on X on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measure is a response to Albanese’s “illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt the International Criminal Court action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives.”

“Albanese’s campaign of political and economic warfare against the United States and Israel will no longer be tolerated. We will always stand by our partners in their right to self-defense,” Rubio added.

Albanese was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which US President Donald Trump has accused of bias and spreading anti-Semitism. In February, the White House announced that the US would no longer participate in the UNHRC, mirroring the stance taken during Trump’s first term in office.

Albanese has repeatedly labeled Israel’s war in Gaza a “genocide” and urged countries to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 2024 warrant issued by the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC). Speaking at the UN earlier this month, she called on all states to impose a full arms embargo and suspend trade agreements with Israel.

“I stand firmly and convincingly on the side of justice, as I have always done,” Albanese wrote on X shortly after the sanctions announcement.

Neither the US nor Israel is a member of the ICC and both have firmly rejected the warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Last month, the US imposed sanctions on four ICC judges, including those who authorized the court to investigate the conduct of American troops in Afghanistan. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the move as “deeply corrosive of good governance and the due administration of justice.”

https://www.rt.com/news/621268-us-sanctions-un-palestine/

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US never planned to halt weapon deliveries to Ukraine – Rubio
The Secretary of State said shipments were only paused for review after US strikes in the Middle East

The US has never stopped supplying military aid to Ukraine, despite reports of a Pentagon-ordered suspension, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims. He insisted that shipments were only temporarily paused to assess stockpiles.

Last week, a Pentagon spokesman confirmed that some arms deliveries, including air defense interceptors and artillery shells, had been paused. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a vocal skeptic of further aid to Kiev, reportedly made the decision without consulting allies or lawmakers. The move raised concern in Europe and drew criticism from Ukrainian officials.

“That decision unfortunately was mischaracterized,” Rubio said at a press conference. “It was a pause pending review on a handful of specific type munitions.” He described the review as “very limited” and aimed at ensuring that US stockpiles remained sufficient for other global obligations.

The overwhelming majority of military aid that the United States provides Ukraine has never been paused and continues along the same schedules that it's been,” he insisted.

Rubio also noted that most deliveries are “defensive in nature,” while stressing that Ukraine still needs more Patriot missile batteries.

Earlier this week, Axios reported that President Donald Trump had promised to send ten Patriot interceptors to Ukraine. Each of these costs about $4 million, and at least two are usually needed to intercept a single target. The limited pledge follows signs that US military support for Kiev is waning.

The most recent pause was the third time arms shipments to Ukraine have been put on hold since Trump took office. While Trump has said support will continue, he acknowledged that Patriot systems are “very rare” and “very expensive.”

Unlike his predecessor, Joe Biden, Trump has resumed direct talks with Russia and been pushing for a ceasefire. Kremlin officials have welcomed signs of reduced US military support, arguing that Western weapons have only prolonged the conflict without altering its course.

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out on Thursday that, despite the Trump administration’s apparent desire for peace, the US is still supplying arms to Ukraine. He warned that the conflicting statements coming out of Washington are not encouraging diplomatic progress, while noting that bringing arms deliveries to a full stop would bring a resolution to the conflict “closer.”

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