During a Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva on Wednesday, pro-Israel speakers faced interruptions and reprimands.

Conversely, speakers critical of Israel were seemingly permitted to make accusatory statements without intervention, including allegations of “genocide.”

Hillel Neuer, the Executive Director of U.N. Watch, was interrupted twice while criticizing United Nations Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, whose position is up for renewal. He was ultimately prevented from completing his remarks.

Ibrahim Khraishi, the Permanent Observer Representative of the State of Palestine to the U.N., initially interrupted Neuer with a “point of order.” Khraishi claimed Neuer was out of order and accused him of being “affiliated with the Mossad.” This accusation was not challenged by the session’s officials, who primarily focused on complaints about “disrespectful language.”

Neuer described the incident as “censorship in its rawest form” and called it “a day of shame for the United Nations” in a statement to Digital.

“They allowed the PLO to spread slander but silenced me when I quoted France, Germany, Canada, and the United States. What is more ‘disrespectful’—reporting that democracies have condemned Francesca Albanese for antisemitism, or allowing a U.N.-accredited delegate to accuse a human rights defender of being a Mossad operative?” he asked.

Following the initial interruption, Neuer cited precedent for raising a complaint against a U.N. official during the council session. However, Khraishi objected again, leading the U.N. official overseeing the session to move on to the next speaker, preventing Neuer from finishing his statement.

“I was silenced today, but the truth will prevail. France, Germany, Canada, the U.S., and the Netherlands have all spoken out, condemning Francesca Albanese’s antisemitism and deeming her unfit. It’s imperative that every democracy finds its voice, as silence implies complicity,” Neuer stated to Digital.

Neuer was not the only individual reprimanded for their language. Anne Bayefsky, the Director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust, was also admonished. After a video of her was shown during the session, she was criticized for what U.N. officials considered “disrespectful” remarks that exceeded “acceptable limits.”

“They avoid defining terrorism and naming Hamas. Albanese and [Navi] Pillay are immune from condemnation for their atrocities. There is no U.N. accountability, and the new American administration must address this,” Bayefsky told Digital.

Albanese, who became special rapporteur in 2022, has faced condemnation from numerous governments and accusations of antisemitism. According to the ADL, Albanese responded to a Hamas-organized conference in Gaza by stating that “you have the right to resist this occupation,” shortly after her appointment to the U.N. position.

On Wednesday, Neuer sent a formal letter to Human Rights Council President Jürg Lauber, urging him not to reappoint Albanese. In the letter, Neuer accused Albanese of “routinely” violating the Code of Conduct, characterizing these violations as “widespread, systematic and grave.”

“Failure to address this issue would severely damage the credibility of the UNHRC and indicate an unacceptable tolerance for antisemitism within its ranks,” Neuer warned in the letter.

Albanese’s reaction to French President Emmanuel Macron’s description of the Oct. 7 attacks as “the largest antisemitic massacre of our century” provoked criticism from France, the U.S., and Germany.

In February 2024, Albanese stated that those killed on Oct. 7 were murdered “in response to Israel’s oppression,” and not because they were Jewish.

The French Mission to the U.N. condemned Albanese’s response in a post on X. According to the ADL’s translation, the post stated: “The October 7 massacre is the largest antisemitic massacre of the 21st century. To deny it is wrong. To seem to justify it, by bringing in the name of the United Nations, is a shame.” This followed the mission’s earlier condemnation of her remarks.

The German Mission to the U.N. supported France’s condemnation, reposting France’s statement and adding, “To justify the horrific terror attacks of 7/10 & deny their antisemitic nature is appalling. Making such statements in a U.N. capacity is a disgrace and goes against everything the United Nations stand for.”

Michèle Taylor, then serving as the U.S. ambassador to UNHRC, condemned Albanese’s statements, stating that “justifying, dismissing and denying the antisemitic undertones of Hamas’ October 7 attack are in and of themselves antisemitic.”

Digital has contacted the Palestinian Mission to the U.N. regarding Khraishi’s accusation against Neuer but has not yet received a response.