"Antisemitism is not only being normalized within Belgian academia, but actively encouraged," Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli said in a statement on X last week, responding to an announcement that UN expert on the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, had received an honorary doctorate from three Belgian universities.
Chikli then encouraged Jewish students to leave the universities in question - the University of Antwerp, the University of Ghent, and the Free University of Brussels.
Shortly thereafter, the Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry published a brief that examined the extent to which Albanese's conduct is "fundamentally incompatible with the responsibilities and ethical standards of her mandate" as UN Special Rapporteur.
The brief highlighted several themes in Albanese's conduct, citing specific instances and linking relevant sources for each. These included: Legitimizing violence and terrorism under UN mandate; using and spreading antisemitic rhetoric; violating UN ethical standards; and normalizing political violence.
European countries slam Francesca Albanese
Albanese has come under fire in the past for her sharp criticism of Israel. Most recently, in the early weeks of 2026, Germany, France, Italy, and others have called for Albanese to step down over that criticism. Albanese, an Italian lawyer, said the remarks were taken out of context and misconstrued.
A letter seen by Reuters, sent by Israel's permanent mission in Geneva to the Council's president on 15 February, stated that she had flagrantly violated the UN's code of conduct.
"As long as she holds a UN mandate, she fundamentally undermines the credibility and moral authority of the United Nations," the letter stated, adding that Albanese had repeatedly shared antisemitic tropes - allegations that Albanese has previously denied.
Reuters contributed to this report.