Ireland plans to introduce a law by mid-July banning trade in goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
As the government pushes ahead with one of Europe’s strongest measures against settlement activity despite criticism from Israel, US lawmakers and business groups. Foreign Minister Helen McEntee said the proposed legislation had been delayed due to political disagreements over whether restrictions should also cover services linked to settlements. The government has now decided to limit the measure to goods only.
Prime Minister Micheál Martin said last week that extending the restrictions to services would not be practical or legally viable.
The proposed ban would affect a relatively small volume of imports from Israeli-occupied territories, estimated at around €200,000 annually by Ireland’s Central Statistics Office. Products impacted include items such as fruit sourced from settlements.
Ireland first committed to introducing sanctions on settlement trade in October 2024 amid growing criticism of Israel over its military operations in Gaza and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank.
McEntee said the decision was also driven by concern over increasing settler violence and ongoing regional tensions. She added that Ireland hopes to coordinate similar measures with countries including Belgium, Netherlands and Slovenia. Spain has already implemented comparable restrictions.
Business groups had opposed expanding the bill to services, warning it could create legal and operational uncertainty for multinational firms, particularly American companies with major operations in Ireland. A group of US lawmakers had also cautioned that the move could strain US-Irish relations.
Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law, a position disputed by Israel, which cites historical and security reasons for maintaining the settlements.
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