Francesca Albanese on Gaza, Israel-Palestine, and Repression in Germany

In this episode, I speak with Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories. We discuss the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the broader dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the international legal frameworks at risk.Francesca addresses a troubling development in Germany: the growing repression of speech critical of Israeli policies and supportive of Palestinian rights. Our conversation took place shortly after two German universities canceled public events where she was scheduled to speak about Gaza. We explore how the space for open debate in Germany is shrinking – and why protecting free expression is essential for any functioning democracy.