Planned curbs on Irish trade with Israeli settlements will be limited strictly to goods to minimise “damage” to the Irish economy.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said on Friday the addition of services in the Occupied Territories Bill would “damage the country [Ireland] more than in any way put pressure on Israel”.
The Government is under pressure to widen the scope of the ban from goods to services, including a joint motion in the Dáil last month.
When asked why the bill was being limited to goods, the Taoiseach said the Government had to take in to account anti-boycott legislation in the United States which was introduced to protect Israel.
“I think we have a duty to say to people: You know there are implications and consequences beyond our control. [There is] the anti-boycott and divestments legislation in many states in the US. It would put many of those companies who are not involved at all – it would put them under pressure.
“It wouldn’t have any consequential impact on Israel but rather it could have a more damaging impact on Ireland. That was never the intention of the legislation.”
Mr Martin was speaking after Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, told Reuters the bill would be limited to the import of goods and it would not become law this year.
“It’s an extremely limited measure, which would prohibit imports of goods from illegally-occupied territories,” he said in an interview. “Similar measures have already been brought in a number of European countries.”
has said.
The Government has signalled the Bill is imminent but has yet to publicly announce its scope.
Mr Byrne declined to say when it would be sent to parliament, as the Government weighs the Bill’s implications. “It’s certainly not going to be implemented this year,” he said.
Limiting the Bill to goods would catch just a handful of products imported from Israeli-occupied territories such as fruit that are worth just €200,000 a year.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien said, in reaction, to Mr Byrne’s comments on the bill that Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee is to bring forward an update to Cabinet.
“I think it may be on the agenda on Tuesday. I know what Minister [Thomas] Byrne has said, and I’ll wait to see what the presentation is when it’s given at Cabinet,” he said.
On Gaza, Israel says it acted in self-defence following the deadly October 7th, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel has repeatedly said it is committed to international law and tries to minimise harm to the civilian population of Gaza.
Senator Frances Black, who proposed the Bill, told Reuters she would push to include a ban on services. “It will take a lot of work in the new year to get services included but that’s exactly what I’m prepared to do.”
Mr Byrne also defended the Government, after Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar recently posted a video online in which he accused it of having an “anti-Semitic nature”.
Mr Sa’ar said the Irish Government’s response had been slow to a local proposal to rename a park bearing the name of Chaim Herzog, the former president of Israel who was raised in Dublin.
“I reject outright that the country is in any way anti-Semitic,” said Mr Byrne. “We’re deeply conscious of the contribution that Jewish people have made in Ireland.”
Ireland’s relations with Israel have been fraught. Last December, Israel shut its embassy in Dublin amid a row over Ireland’s criticism of its war in Gaza, including Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state last year.
MEP Barry Andrews urged Dublin to go ahead with its occupied territories Bill. “Claims that Ireland is anti-Semitic are nonsense,” he said. “Ireland has nothing to fear. We are no longer the only ones doing this.”
On Wednesday, Central Bank governor Gabriel Makhlouf was forced to abandon a public speech in Dublin by pro-Palestinian protesters objecting to the Central Bank’s earlier role in the sale of Israeli bonds. – Reuters