Key facts
- The Irish parliament's lower house passed a bill banning the import of goods from certain Israeli settlements.
- The bill aligns with Ireland's international obligations following a July 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion.
- Amendments to include services in the ban were voted down.
- The legislation replaces a 2018 bill that sought broader criminalization of trade with illegal settlements.
The lower house of the Irish parliament has passed a bill that prohibits the import of goods from certain Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. The legislation, officially the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025, aligns with Ireland's international obligations following a July 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice.
The bill was passed despite opposition criticism that it did not go far enough because it omits services. Several amendments, including one that would have included services in the ban, were voted down. The Irish government stated that a ban on services is more complex and requires legally watertight legislation.
The current bill replaces the Occupied Territories Bill, originally proposed by independent senator Frances Black in 2018, which sought to criminalize trade with and economic support for illegal settlements. The 2018 proposal included potential fines of up to €250,000 and prison sentences of up to five years for violators.
During the legislative process, concerns were raised by the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland, Dana Erlich, who called the bill discriminatory and anti-Israel. The US Ambassador to Ireland, Claire Cronin, also expressed concern that American companies operating in Ireland could be negatively impacted. The Irish government has stated that the bill fully delivers on its program for government pledge and must be in line with international and EU law.