The lower house of the Irish Parliament, the Dáil, has passed a Bill banning the import of goods from occupied Palestinian territories. The legislation, officially titled the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill, was approved on Tuesday despite opposition arguments that it does not go far enough by excluding services from the ban.
Amendments Rejected
Several amendments to the Government's Bill were voted down, including a proposal to extend the ban to cover services. The opposition argued that omitting services weakens the impact of the Bill in combating illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. The Government's Bill prohibits the import of goods from "certain Israeli settlements" in line with Ireland's international obligations, as outlined in the advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice in July 2024.
Replacement of Senator Black's Bill
The new Bill replaces Independent Senator Frances Black's 2018 Occupied Territories Bill, which sought to ban all trade from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Senator Black's Bill has been a popular demand among pro-Palestine protesters in Ireland. However, concerns have been raised about the Government's version, which does not include a ban on the trade of services.
The Irish Government has stated that banning the trade of services is more complex than banning goods, and the Bill must be legally watertight before enactment. Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee has engaged in ongoing discussions with Attorney General Rossa Fanning regarding the Bill in recent months.
Government's Position
Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Neale Richmond said the Bill "fully" delivers on the programme for government pledge to prohibit goods from the occupied Palestinian territories. He emphasized the need to produce legislation that is "soundly and completely" in line with international law, particularly given Ireland's criticism of Israel's breach of international law regarding illegal settlements.
Richmond suggested that EU legislation poses "huge challenges" in enforcing a ban on the "broad and wide ranging" trade of services. He noted that the EU is bound by international law and member states must identify the correct legal level at which to act. He warned that accepting opposition amendments would make the Bill "unworkable" and "wide open to legal challenge."
Opposition Criticism
Sinn Féin's Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire criticized the Government for not being clear on the legal advice behind the Bill. The Social Democrats' Sinéad Gibney accused the Government of a "ping pong" approach between staying in line with the EU and "going it alone," calling it a "weaponising" of EU membership. She pointed to Spain, which already has a ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements, and accused the Irish Government of "dragging your feet" on the Bill.
Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger said the Bill was being "rammed through" and will have "very little" impact on the lives of Palestinian people.
Assurances and Implementation
Minister Richmond said there is a public policy "exception" on goods that gives Ireland an opportunity to act. He denied that the legislation was "sinister" or "weaponising" and insisted it is "cast iron" in compliance with international law. He also stated that the legislation was not influenced by opposition from the US, noting that during six trips to the US, the legislation was never raised with him.
Richmond gave an "absolute guarantee" that the Bill would be commenced immediately.
