The Irish parliament advanced a bill on Wednesday that would ban goods and services from Judea, Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem, drawing sharp criticism from American and Jewish leaders who warned of legal, diplomatic, and economic consequences, JNS reported.
The so-called “Occupied Territories Bill,” long championed by anti-Israel factions in Ireland, gained momentum as opposition parties pushed a motion urging the government to pass the legislation by year’s end. The Irish government, which had previously stalled the measure, stood down.
A US State Department spokesperson told JNS, “This legislation is unhelpful virtue-signaling. It does not serve the cause of peace in the Middle East, which the US and partners are advancing in real time, and could moreover adversely affect American businesses operating in Ireland. We are monitoring developments closely.”
The bill’s scope may extend beyond goods to include services, a matter still under debate. While imports from beyond the so-called Green Line are minimal, services could be significantly impacted.
Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Thomas Byrne, admitted the timing was sensitive due to this being “a fragile moment” for the Gaza peace process. He added that while there is “no policy issue with the inclusion of goods and services,” the legislation “must be legally robust” to withstand challenges.
The bill would place Ireland outside the European Union’s framework on trade with Israeli-controlled territories. Byrne noted that discussions on broader EU action are ongoing.
Rabbi Andrew Baker of the American Jewish Committee told JNS his organization had raised concerns with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in May. “We were told that the prime minister had expected or hoped that it would not be on the legislative agenda this year, but that simply has proven not true,” Baker said, attributing the shift to “overwhelming political interests in Dublin.”
Baker pointed to the recent election of far-left President Catherine Connolly, inaugurated on November 11, who has labeled Israel a “terrorist state.”
Former Irish Defense and Justice Minister Alan Shatter condemned the bill as “performative politics” and a “symbolic” gesture that reflects the government’s “complete and utter failure” to contribute constructively to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Shatter warned the legislation is not only anti-Israel but antisemitic at its core. “What this legislation is about is the Irish government saying that no Jewish person should live or work in eastern Jerusalem, in Judea or Samaria or the West Bank,” he said.
He warned that the bill could backfire on Ireland’s strategic interests. “The Irish government is currently choosing to ignore Israel as a major ally of the United States, and is forgetting that international relations require a degree of reciprocity,” he said.
The move comes amid ongoing tensions between Ireland and Israel. In April of 2024, then-Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris failed to mention the hostages being held by Hamas during his first speech after being elected leader, resulting in criticism from Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
Later, Harris criticized Israel's strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, accusing Israel of a “pattern of flouting international law and disregard for rules of engagement”.
A month later, Ireland joined Spain, Norway, and subsequently Slovenia in officially recognizing a Palestinian state.
In December of 2024, Israel shuttered its embassy in Dublin amid escalating tensions, citing Ireland’s recognition of a Palestinian state and its vocal condemnation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.