{
  "id": 10100979,
  "title": "UN's Albanese claims Jews in Nazi camps were called ‘Muslims,’ distorts history of 'antisemitism'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/uns-albanese-claims-jews-in-nazi-camps-were-called-muslims-distorts",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-27T01:04:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-909792"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "During World War II, Jews being transported to gas chambers in Nazi concentration camps were colloquially referred to as \"the Muslims\" by some accounts, claimed UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese during an interview with the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of State Workers. Albanese explained that the term \"Muselmann,\" German for \"Muslim,\" was used at places like Auschwitz to describe prisoners in extreme exhaustion or suffering severe symptoms of starvation. However, it was not a Nazi racial classification targeting Jews, and prisoners labeled as Muselmänner often died soon after or were selected for execution.\n\nAlbanese argued that antisemitism, originally coined in 1879 by German journalist Wilhelm Marr, initially encompassed discrimination against broader Semitic peoples, rather than Jews specifically. She asserted that as the largest Semitic group in Europe, the term evolved to overlap with anti-Judaism, before later specifically targeting Jews. While Albanese acknowledged that hatred of Jews \"as Jews\" exists and is \"extremely serious,\" she cautioned against conflating this with criticism of the State of Israel.\n\nDespite her statements, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance clarifies that \"antisemitism\" has historically always referred to prejudice against Jews, not Semitic peoples. Merriam-Webster defines antisemitism as \"hostility toward or discrimination against Jews as a religious, ethnic, or racial group.\" Albanese's comments about the history of antisemitism have drawn criticism, with organizations like Combat Antisemitism Movement and UN Watch pointing out her tendency to shift blame away from Jewish suffering and toward criticisms of Israel.",
  "summary": "“In fact, when they were being taken to the gas chambers, there are some accounts of life in the concentration camps saying that Jews were called ‘the Muslims,’” Albanese said.",
  "key_points": [
    "UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese claimed Jews in Nazi camps were called 'Muslims.'",
    "Term 'Muselmann' referred to prisoners in extreme exhaustion or starvation at Auschwitz.",
    "Albanese warned against conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism against Jews."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Albanese's reframing of antisemitism's history shifts focus away from Jewish suffering, aligning with her critics' claims that she prioritizes Israel criticism over acknowledging prejudice against Jews specifically.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}