UN special rapporteur says UK will face ‘fierce pressure’ from Israel, US after settlement move

UN special rapporteur says UK will face ‘fierce pressure’ from Israel, US after settlement move UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese said the UK will likely come under “fierce pressure” from Israel and the US over its latest move to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements. Albanese told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that she hopes the UK government is not swayed by such pressure, adding “Europeans need to take care of their own interests, which clearly collide with the US interests.” “This is a time that calls for emancipation,” Albanese was quoted as saying, adding that “it’s time to reconsider [an] alignment that has brought havoc on the Middle East.” United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese speaks at the UN Rights Council in Geneva, on 23 March 2026 (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP)