BRUSSELS (Reuters) -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 United Nations is pushing back against the United States after President Trump’s administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories.