The European Union "deeply regrets" the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, an EU spokesperson said on Friday.

Human rights defenders rallied on Thursday to support the top U.N. expert on Palestinian rights, after the United States imposed sanctions on her over what it said was unfair criticism of Israel.

The State Department's decision to impose sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for the West Bank and Gaza, follows an unsuccessful campaign to force her removal.

The United Nations says “the imposition of sanctions on special rapporteurs is a dangerous precedent.” It follows the Trump administration announcement Wednesday that it is issuing sanctions against Francesca Albanese,

The Trump administration has announced it’s issuing sanctions against an independent investigator tasked with probing human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories, the latest effort by the Unite