Jewish Advocacy Group Sends Legal Notice to Amazon Over Francesca Albanese Book.
Amazon has received a legal notice from the National Jewish Advocacy Center regarding a forthcoming book listed on its website. The organization warned that selling the book by Francesca Albanese, an Italian human rights lawyer and UN special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, could violate US federal sanctions law.
Mark Goldfeder, head of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, tweeted that the notice informs Amazon and other distributors that Albanese is a Specially Designated National (SDN) under US sanctions, meaning she is barred from receiving payments or economic benefits in the United States. The hardcover book, slated for an April release, is reportedly listed as a bestseller in Amazon’s human rights category.
Legal Concerns Raised
According to the advocacy group, US sanctions against Albanese, issued in July 2025, stem from allegations that she coordinated with the International Criminal Court and engaged in political and economic actions against the US and Israel. Goldfeder emphasized that the concern is legal compliance, not content censorship, noting that selling Albanese’s book could directly enhance her revenue and violate federal law.
In the notice, Goldfeder cited the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA), explaining that property and interests of SDNs are blocked and may not be transferred, sold, or disposed of without authorization from the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). He highlighted that violations can result in civil penalties, administrative enforcement, and criminal liability.
About Francesca Albanese
Albanese, UN special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, has sparked controversy for accusing Israel of genocide, apartheid, and settler colonialism in UN reports. Israel and the US have rejected these claims as false and antisemitic. She is also the author of When the World Sleeps: Stories, Words, and Wounds of Palestine, a collection of essays reflecting on Israeli policies in the West Bank and Gaza.
Goldfeder stressed that under her SDN designation, US companies cannot transfer any funds or benefits to Albanese without specific OFAC authorization, including royalties, advances, deferred payments, or indirect facilitation. Failure to comply could expose Amazon to serious legal consequences.
Comments are closed.