By Aidan O’Sullivan
For those who watch in horror as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens under Israeli occupation, the Occupied Territories Bill has become symbolically significant.
The bill would ban trade between Ireland and Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory. Since 1967, and the conclusion of the 6 Day War Israel has occupied the West Bank, having built 160 settlements housing some 700,000 Jewish settlers in that time. These settlements and the continued occupation have been declared illegal under international law by the International Court of Justice.
The Occupied Territories Bill or ‘Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025’ as its most recent incarnation is named, is seen by its supporters as an important and necessary moral response in an international system which has so far stood silently as the conflict in Gaza has continued to deteriorate.
While trade between Ireland and the occupied territories is of minimal economic value, its supporters highlight its symbolic value as having the potential to encourage other European states to enact similar measures.
The bill was first introduced in 2018 by senator Frances Black where it proposed making it an offence to import or sell goods or services originating in an occupied territory or to extract resources from an occupied territory in certain circumstances.
The most recent bill proposed by Tánaiste Simon Harris narrows the focus on Israel specifically and would make it a crime under the Customs Act 2015 to import goods into Ireland that originate in Israeli settlements built on what is legally recognised Palestinian land.
However, this has sparked criticism from some of the representatives of the Jewish community in Ireland and Irish pro-Israeli groups such as the Irish Israel Alliance. The Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade heard from both these groups on Tuesday the 15th of July.
Maurice Cohen, Chair of the Jewish Representative Council Representative Council of Ireland, stated that while he did not doubt that the bill was made in good faith, ‘it was not a plan for peace.’ He called the bill a ‘performance of misguided effort’ which will have no positive effect on Israeli Palestinian relations. Mr Cohen, Dublin born and raised, particularly emphasised the rising racism that members of his community are facing both internationally and within Ireland.
The fact that Israel alone was being targeted and not other countries like China over Tibet, Turkey over Cyprus or Myanmar was cited by Mr Cohen as an act of ‘selective outrage’ and an isolating factor for Ireland’s Jews.
This was the focal point for many of the bill’s other critics including former Fine Gael Minister Alan Shatter and Natasha Hausdorff, Legal Director of the UK Lawyers for Israel.
However, when asked by TDs whether the guests considered the settlements built in the West Bank to be ‘illegal settlements’ or ‘part of Israel,’ Alan Shatter stated that he ‘does not accept’ that the occupied territories are illegally occupied land, and Ms Hausdorff said that ‘one cannot occupy what is one’s sovereign territory.’
Other commentators have taken a more cautionary stance, worried about a potential US reaction whether it be in the form of tariffs or reduced foreign investment. The Irish economy relies heavily on US foreign multinational investment and is especially vulnerable to tariffs. Worries have been raised that US anti-boycott legislation could also apply to US companies that operate both within Ireland and the Middle East.
However, the Oireachtas joint committee on foreign affairs and trade in a pre-legislative report has stated that ‘the majority of businesses will not impacted by the bill’ and suggested the inclusion of services (something long advocated by pro-palestinian groups and activists).
Whether the bill will encourage other states to enact similar legislation is unclear. Many European states have long rooted relations with Israel. These ties are being tested though. France will officially recognise a Palestinian state in September, with the UK threatening to do the same unless Israel commits to lasting peace. The Netherlands has advocated for the suspension of the trade chapter of the EU-Israeli trade agreement over a lack of progress on discussions around humanitarian aid between Israel and the EU. This move faces staunch opposition from Germany and Italy, but is a sign of Israel’s further isolation on the international stage.
It is difficult to see what the current long-term strategy of Israel is. As it damages its relationship with the rest of the world, it runs the risk of alienating itself from the economic and security links it needs to ensure its long-term security–its most ardent obsession.