27 May 2025 - Ireland to Ban Trade with Israeli Settlements in Occupied Palestinian Territories
Ireland moves to ban trade with Israeli businesses in occupied Palestinian territories
Jude Webber (Financial Times, 26/05/2025)
Ireland’s government will this week present plans to ban trade in goods with Israeli businesses in occupied Palestinian territories, becoming the first EU country to take such a step. Simon Harris, foreign and trade minister, said the planned legislation came in response to an escalation in what he called the country’s “war crimes” in Gaza. Harris will on Tuesday launch the process of drafting legislation, days after a majority of EU states voted to review the bloc’s trade deal with Israel. The move comes amid legal debate over whether trade in services such as Airbnb can be included in the bill.
Govt move over draft bill on imports from occupied Palestinian territories
Laura Fletcher and Mícheál Lehane (RTE News, 27/05/2025)
Tánaiste Simon Harris will ask the Cabinet to give the green light to draft a bill to prohibit the importation of goods from illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. It will then go before an Oireachtas committee next month for pre-legislative scrutiny. The Minister for Foreign Affairs will say that Israel's humanitarian blockade and renewed bombardment of Gaza have resulted in a situation of unprecedented gravity.
Irish government to unveil bill banning imports from occupied Palestinian territories
Lisa O'Carroll (The Guardian, 26/05/2025)
The Irish government is to unveil a bill to ban imports from the occupied Palestinian territories in the first move by an EU member to curtail trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements illegal under international law. Simon Harris, the tánaiste (deputy prime minister), confirmed he would unveil draft legislation on Tuesday. “Given the scale and gravity of what we’re now seeing with the deprivation of aid and the bombardment of Gaza … this is an appropriate course of action to take,” he told the Financial Times on Monday.
Occupied Territories Bill: Ireland set to become first EU country to curb trade with Israel
Paul Hosford and Michelle McGlynn (Irish Examiner, 27/05/2025)
Ireland is set to become the first EU country to limit trade with Israel as the reworked Occupied Territories Bill is brought to Cabinet by Tánaiste Simon Harris. Mr Harris will today ask Cabinet to approve the drafting of the general scheme of a bill to ban the importation of goods from illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Mr Harris said last week he has a “legal view” that including services in the bill is not possible.
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